The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union’s (SOKAPU) Youth Wing has reacted to a statement credited to the All Progressive Congress (APC) Acting Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, that a North-west governor is behind the heightened cases of banditry, abductions and other violent crimes in that zone.
The group in a statement issued on Tuesday said it observed with sadness the deliberate silence of the Department of State Services (DSS) over Yekini’s statement as against what the secret police did when the former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, made a similar disclosure in August this year.
Dr Mailafia had disclosed during a radio interview some months ago that a current Northern governor is one of the commanders of Boko Haram and behind the increasing acts of insurgency and banditry ravaging the North.
The group said, “It is, however, disturbing to note that Yekini’s statement does not seem to threaten national security as the DSS suggested of Dr Mailafia’s disclosure.
“It suffices to say that we live in a state where there are different strokes for different folks.
“While we the youths and people of Southern Kaduna believe the DSS has a responsibility of protecting national security, we also believe this responsibility must be pursued responsibly.
“We, therefore, demand that the DSS henceforth desist from this continued distraction, harassment and selective witch-hunt of a law-abiding and a quintessential patriot in the person of Dr Mailafia who s known for his selfless love and patriotism.
“The DSS should, instead, concentrate on intelligence gathering in curbing and addressing the security challenges facing the North.”