I Was Just Reading This Evening That Military Barracks Were Being Attacked By Armed Gangs- Abdullahi

Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, has expressed concern over recent reports of attacks on military barracks by armed gangs, saying the situation raises serious questions about the ability of the government to protect lives and property.

He said the development points to what he described as a failure in the government’s primary responsibility, noting that if military formations are not secure, the safety of ordinary citizens becomes even more uncertain.

Abdullahi stated that he read reports in the evening about military barracks being attacked, and said such incidents should not happen in a country where security institutions are expected to be well protected.

He said the fact that armed groups could target military establishments shows a troubling security situation that demands attention.

According to him, when facilities that house trained security personnel come under attack, it creates fear about the broader state of national security.

He added that beyond the reported attacks, there are other examples that reflect the security challenges facing the country.

Abdullahi also addressed questions regarding former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following reports about his custody by anti-corruption agencies.

He said the party is not in a position to determine whether El-Rufai is guilty or innocent of any allegations, stressing that such decisions are for the appropriate legal institutions.

However, he noted that the party is concerned about what it described as selective investigations by anti-corruption agencies, suggesting that the process should be fair and consistent.

Abdullahi spoke during an interview on Arise Television, where he responded to questions about recent political and security developments.

He was specifically asked about reports that El-Rufai was in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission after initially being held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

In his response, Abdullahi maintained that while investigations are part of the democratic process, they must not be carried out in a way that creates the impression of bias or selective enforcement.

He emphasized that accountability is important in governance, but added that due process and fairness should guide the actions of law enforcement agencies.

He said: “I was just reading this evening that military barracks were being attacked by armed gangs, when Nigerian military establishments could be attacked by armed gangs. I mean, then what else do we need to say about the incompetence of this government in its primary duty to protect lives and property of ordinary Nigerians? If military people are not safe, then what happened to ordinary civilians? And we can give other evidence.”