Representative of Abia South Senatorial District under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has condemned the sudden withdrawal of Nigerian troops from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, just 45 minutes before a kidnapping incident.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Monday, he called for accountability and criticised what he described as a culture of pacification and sycophancy in government and security operations.
“We take only one example. The governor of Kebbi said that somebody ordered troops out and people were kidnapped. Till today, nobody in Nigeria knows what happened and no question has been asked. And we are sitting down here as a parliament and we turn and we talk.
“ Yet, somebody is responsible. If I am the commander-in-chief, I will call the army commander in that place and the head of the army and say, if you don’t get me the head of this person, who withdrew the troops and put all these children in jeopardy? Then, you make an example of him. That is how a country is run. A country is not run on pacification. A country is run on confronting issues. I rest my case,” Abaribe said.
He described his passionate remarks in the Senate as spontaneous, driven by “righteous anger” over repeated reports of insecurity and alleged collusion in some localities.
“I think it was, let me just say, it was spontaneous and I was just angry. I mean, what you would call righteous anger. The reason is that this was not the first time we’ve been hearing that there has been some type of collusion between the security people. And what happens, you know, villagers have said that, oh, they will tell the security people and they disappear. And then these people will strike and then immediately after they will come back,” he said.
Abaribe criticised what he called a culture of “sickening sycophancy” in government, arguing that constructive criticism is often misinterpreted as opposition.
“There is something that has kind of developed within our polity now. Whenever you give any sincere advice, a sincere criticism, you say, oh, maybe this was a better way.
“Oh, you’re seen as an enemy. Indeed. You want to pull down this government. Absolutely. And that is very wrong. It’s very, very wrong. That makes a lot of people who have things to offer shrink back because they are not sure they will not be misunderstood. Those who try to impress the President are not doing him a favour. For a government to succeed, it will not only be the yes-men that make them succeed. A government succeeds because you take input from all kinds of people,” he explained.
The senator referenced a previous administration to highlight the importance of contrarian voices in government.
“During the time of President Obasanjo, he hired someone as one of his special assistants, Dr. Stanley McCabe. He was hired as a contrarian. So, when issues come up and people are going this way, he goes the other way to give the other sense. That everybody should not pull in one direction. Playing the devil’s advocate, basically. Obasanjo let him do that because he needed him,” Abaribe said.
Abaribe stressed the urgent need for transparency and accountability in the military, particularly regarding troop movements during critical incidents.
“Who gave the order? It’s so straightforward that you don’t even need to think about it. There is a commander there. The hierarchy is there. Fishing out that person is the easiest thing in the world. Because what it connotes, that a lack of action by the government or the military authorities, now gives the impression to the public that there is collusion somewhere. And if we feel there is collusion, who is safe? How can you be sure that even if there are troops around you, you will be safe?”
He called for public transparency in military accountability to restore confidence.
“To maintain public trust, if somebody is being punished, then the public knows action is being taken. And like I said, this is the best army in Africa,”Abaribe said.
On broader national security concerns, he welcomed recent efforts by the government and the National Assembly but stressed the need for concrete action and timelines.
“There’s an urgency now. We want to see clarity at the end of the day to say we’re going to do A, B, and C, and not just general talk. We need to see areas cleared with no insurgency. Containing one area while another is attacked is not enough. We need concrete steps,” he said.
Abaribe also highlighted the role of the Senate in overseeing security agencies and ensuring that funds and resources are properly used.
“The Senate, after reviewing the incessant cries about insecurity, agreed to engage with communities, the government, the military, the police, and other agencies in different geopolitical zones to have a comprehensive view and bring it back to government. Whatever the legislature does, we must ensure that recommendations are acted upon and funds properly utilised,” he said.
The senator concluded by reaffirming his commitment to holding the government accountable as part of his role in the opposition.
“The job of those of us in the opposition is that we put your feet to the fire at all times. Our focus is on results, not blame. The country cannot continue down the abyss. Concrete action and accountability must guide all steps,” Abaribe said.
Boluwatife Enome
Follow us on:
