The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of complicity in the Tuesday night terrorist attack on Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja.

In a statement released late Wednesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP queried the alleged redeployment of soldiers “who had become familiar with the terrain” from the facility 24 hours before the attack.

The statement titled, ‘Terrorism: APC Complicit in Kuje Prison Attack – PDP Asserts…Queries Redeployment of Soldiers 24hrs Before Incidence’, partly read, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in the strongest possible term, the spate of insecurity and the audacity with which terrorists ravage our country unchallenged under the rudderless All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

“The simultaneous terrorist attacks on the advance convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina State as well as the Correctional Facility in Abuja, the nation’s capital, underscore the collapse of our security command and control structure under the failed, ineffective and uncoordinated Buhari-led APC administration. The terrorist attack on President Buhari’s convoy in his home State of Katsina as well as the ferocious invasion and the freeing of hundreds of terrorists and criminals from the Kuje Correctional Facility further confirm that Mr. President has lost control of the security of the nation and that Nigerians are no longer safe under the APC.

“The escalated spate of terrorism across the country has heightened apprehensions of complicity by the APC to open up our nation to more terrorist attacks with the view to stall the 2023 general election. The failure of the APC administration to act on the intelligence provided by the Directorate of State Services (DSS) which on Tuesday July 5, 2022 reportedly warned of an impending attack on the Kuje Correctional Facility gives credence to fears by Nigerians of complicity at very high level of the APC administration.

“This is in addition to further reports that soldiers deployed to the precinct of the Kuje Correctional Facility and who had become familiar with the terrain were redeployed 24 hours before the terrorists attacked.”

The PDP called on the APC to explain to Nigerians who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers 24 hours before the attack. The opposition party also demanded to know who failed to act on the intelligence reportedly shared by the DSS on the attack.

“The PDP demands that the APC government should come clean on who ordered the reported redeployment of soldiers and who failed to act on the intelligence provided by the DSS.

“Nigerians can recall the public confession by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai at the wake of the bloody Abuja-Kaduna terrorist attack that the APC-led administration knows the whereabouts and the plans of the terrorists ravaging our nation but deliberately refused to act. Nigerians will also recall how APC leaders publicly romanced and paid money to terrorists,” the statement added.

The statement further condemned the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)’s disposition to the attacks across the country, while questioning the president’s retention of the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, as head of a “very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country” in spite of his confession of affiliation to terrorists.

“It is rather distressing that President Buhari appears helpless without any decisive and concrete steps taken to stem the tide of terrorist attacks in our country.

“Even more curious is that President Buhari continues to retain Mr. Isa Pantami as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy to head and coordinate this very critical sector in the fight against terrorism in our country in spite of Isa Pantami’s confession of affiliation to terrorists.

“With the sequence of events in the last 48 hours, it is clear to Nigerians that the APC government headed by President Buhari has failed in the basic purpose of government which is to secure life and properties of the citizens,” the statement added.

The PDP, while asking Buhari to convene an emergency Council of State meeting for a review of the country’s security situation, called on the National Assembly to pass a vote of no-confidence in Pantami and insist on his immediate removal a minister.

“The National Assembly should also immediately summon the Security Chiefs for a thorough investigation on the circumstances resulting in the failure of our security system.

“The PDP urges Nigerians to remain at alert and keep hope alive as the nightmare of the APC administration will be over by May 2023,” the statement concluded.

The Punch