By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – Presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, Seyi Makinde, has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently rescue the prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted in Imo State on Independence Day, saying every hour they remain in captivity is one hour too long.
Four days after the abduction, the corps members are still in captivity, with Makinde demanding that the Federal Government move decisively to secure their release and that of other Nigerians held by abductors across the country.
In a statement by the Director of Strategic Communications of Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation, Richard Ihediwa, Makinde also demanded the unconditional release and safe return of Nigerians abducted in Niger, Kwara, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Borno and other parts of the country.
“One hour in captivity is one hour too long, and one victim in captivity is one victim too many,” Makinde said.
He said the government could not afford to overlook the security and wellbeing of citizens, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which places the security and welfare of citizens among the primary purposes of government.
Makinde further argued that the Federal Government bears a particular responsibility for the safety of youths once they are called up for the NYSC programme.
He said insecurity could no longer be treated with rhetoric, lip service or kid gloves, accusing the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration of failing to confront the crisis decisively.
The APM presidential candidate alleged that terrorist elements had killed more than 600,000 Nigerians in the last three and a half years, with countless others still in captivity.
“These ugly indices are unacceptable and can no longer be overlooked by Nigerians,” Makinde said.
He said Nigerians were determined to vote out the Tinubu administration in 2027 over what he described as its failure in office, but maintained that the political contest could not absolve the government of its immediate duty to protect citizens.
Makinde called on Tinubu to act now, deal decisively with insecurity and bring back the abducted corps members and other Nigerians languishing in the hands of their abductors.
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