Niger killings barbaric, unacceptable, APC Chairman declares

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has condemned the recent killings in parts of Niger State, describing the attacks as barbaric and a direct assault on Nigeria’s peace and unity.

In a statement on Tuesday, Yilwatda expressed outrage over the terrorist attacks on communities in Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas, which reportedly claimed no fewer than 42 lives and led to the abduction of several residents, including women and children.

He said the sustained violence in areas such as Kasuwan Daji and Kaima, marked by the killing of villagers, burning of markets, destruction of homes and places of worship, as well as the abduction of pupils from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, was inhuman and unacceptable.

The APC chairman conveyed the party’s sympathy to Mohammed Umaru Bago, the Niger State Government and families affected by the attacks, assuring them of the party’s solidarity. According to him, the APC stands firmly with the people of the state in their moment of grief.

Yilwatda also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a swift and decisive response, noting that the President had directed top security officials, including the Minister of Defence, Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, to track down and arrest the perpetrators.

He added that the President had equally ordered the immediate rescue of all abducted victims, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

Citing intelligence reports, the APC chairman said the attackers were suspected terrorists fleeing from neighbouring states, stressing that Nigeria’s security architecture remained on high alert to prevent further escalation.

Reaffirming the party’s support for the Tinubu administration’s anti-terrorism drive, Yilwatda called on citizens, traditional rulers and religious leaders to cooperate with security agencies, insisting that terrorism and banditry would not defeat Nigeria’s collective resolve.