… says Insecurity have ravaged Niger
A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, has on Wednesday warned that, given the assessment of the current insecurity in the state, there may be no elections in the state in 2023 general elections.
The former Publicity Secretary of the APC in Niger state said while reacting to the incessant insecurity challenges in the state feared that if the situation does not improve, elections will not be credible.
Vatsa while reacting to the escalating security crisis in the last one month, with the latest killing of over 60 vigilantes on Monday night in Rijau, Tungan Magajiya and Sakaba, said that “the entire state is now home to terrorists and bandits.”
The former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism argued that “if five out of the nine local government areas in Niger East and five of the eight local government areas of Niger North are under the control of the terrorists/bandits, and with their recent unsuccessful invasion of Niger South, where will the elections take place?”.
“About nine political wards each from Shiroro, Munya, Rafi and Paikoro local government areas have been deserted by the people with over 10,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from these wards taking refuge across the state.
“Will the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
create another voters registers for these people in IDP camps or it will de-enfranchise them? Tell me, will such elections be said to be credible when people have been sacked from their place of registration?”
Vatsa added that, “while the situation seems to have overwhelmed the state government after spending enormous resources, the Federal Government has continued to pay lip service to the whole security situation in the state.
“The military operation against the Terrorists that was ordered by Mr President is yet to see the light of the day”.
Furthermore, Vatsa described as wicked and insane, the gruesome murder of over 60 vigilante members from Sakaba (Kebbi State) and Rijau and Tungan Magajiya (Niger state) on Monday night by the Terrorists, adding that “human lives are now cheaper than anything else in Nigeria because some people are above the law of the land.”
He warned that “if Niger state does not have peace, the federal capital will also not sleep with her eyes closed due to its proximity”.
