On Friday, palpable outrage greeted the release of the ranking of Nigeria as the second most terrorised and attacked country in the world only second to Iraq by the global Terrorism Research/ Analysis Organisation.
Several groups and eminent Nigerians, who shared their thoughts on the ranking decried the dangerous dive insecurity has taken and tasked the government on decisive action.
Those who spoke include the Afenifere; Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Middle Belt Forum, MBF; Pan NigerDelta Forum, PANDEF, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF; the Labour Party, LP; and Chief Akin Osuntokun.
Commenting on the ranking, former National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Mr Anthony N.Z Sani, said: ‘I do not have the facts to make informed comments on the rating of Nigeria as the second most terrorized nation in the world. All I can say is that the government should note the reports and double down its efforts in order to put a permanent end to insecurity posed by terrorist across the country.’
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In its reaction, the pan Yoruba Socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said the ranking shows a vote of no confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi, said: ‘It’s a dangerous thing if on the negative side, Nigeria is ranked in the whole world after Iraq. As we all know, Iraq just went through a devasting war immediately after the removal of Saddam Hussein but Nigeria did not go through such.
‘For that, there is no basis whatsoever why Nigeria should be in this kind of situation.’
Africa Today News, New New York reports that it is a negative mark on the Buhari government, which has been on in the last seven years and a vote of no confidence on his administration.
‘This is what Afenifere has been saying and we have been consistent on it. We are not comfortable with it and it is a pity that the global terrorism index has ranked us on the negative side. It is sad.’
National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Comrade Julius Abure,and National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Abayomi Oluwafemi, said the ranking was in tandem with the parlous insecurity situation in the country.
Abure said securing lives and property of the citizenry is the basic minimum duty of any government and any government that cannot provide security should not exist.
The Labour Party added that Nigeria’s position as the second most terrorized nation on earth is a clear testimony of the failure of the President Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC administration.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Abayomi Oluwafemi, said: ‘This ignoble position we have found ourselves is a clear testimony of the failure which the APC administration has been on all fronts over the last seven years.
‘It is not surprising because this is the same country where bandits over ran our foremost military officers training institution, the Nigerian Defence Academy.
‘Is it not in this same country under the watch of the APC that bandits attacked the convoy of a sitting President? Is this not the same country where terrorists are killing, raping and maiming defenceless citizens?
‘What about the killing of innocent worshipers at the Church in Owo? the APC is a total failure.
‘That is why we appeal to Nigerians to make a better choice when voting in 2023, they can chose wisely by voting for the Obi/ Datti ticker and the Labour Party to change the narrative.’
The National Presidet of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said the classification of Nigeria as the second most terrorised country in the world was absolutely correct because it was based on happenings in the country.