The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to account for the N10.02 trillion claimed to have been spent on security under their watch.
The party made the call in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary on Tuesday.
It explained that its position is predicated on heightening allegations of diversion of funds meant for security as well as an alert by a pro-transparency organization, BudgIT on the absence of proper audit on the spending of national security funds from 2015 to 2021.
The party asserted that such situation points to why terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent acts had continued to worsen, with widespread complaints of lack of adequate combat equipment for the nation’s security forces, for which gallant soldiers, as well as thousands of compatriots, are paying with their blood under President Buhari and the APC.
The party recalled that the APC administration is yet to come clean on claims by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen Babagana Monguno, that billions of naira meant for security could not be traced.
The party said it is appalled that the APC and its administration have turned the heightened insecurity in the country which it said, was caused by their incompetence, divisiveness and gross mismanagement of the national diversity, into bloody merchandise for APC leaders.
The PDP challenged President Buhari, as the commander-in-chief, to speak out on the alleged diversion of security funds under his command.
The party also called on the two chambers of the National Assembly to immediately commence an investigation into the spending of the N10.02 trillion.
The PDP said it is further alarmed by the clear scheme by the APC and its administration to frustrate the well-intentioned strategies from the PDP to check the tide of terrorism and banditry in our country.
The statement added, “Our party rejects the move by the APC to frustrate the establishment of a National Borders Protection Force as suggested by the PDP to check further infiltration by terrorist elements as well as inflow of illegal arms into our country.”
The PDP insisted that the setting up of a bureaucratic National Center for Control of Small Arms by the APC administration instead of a pro-active and operational Borders Protection Force that will ensure watertight security at our borders further exposes the lack of commitment by the APC to secure our borders and check the inflow of terrorists and ammunition.
The main opposition party asserted that by its outlook and operation, such a center cannot check the infiltration of terrorists as well as the flow of firearms into our country.
The PDP, therefore, rejected the resort to “a sitting room measure in the face of our porous borders and heightened terrorist activities in our country.”
The PDP consequently urged President Buhari to immediately establish the Borders Protection Force which will draw personnel and equipment from the military and other armed services to man the nation’s borders and check activities by terrorists and their backers.