Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central, has said that too much politics and poor leadership are making Nigeria’s insecurity worse, insisting that leaders have not done enough to protect citizens.
He made this known on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he did not spare himself in the criticism.
“I look at politics as part and parcel of what is aiding this thing because a lot of us, myself included, have contracted our time in politicking rather than providing the much-needed security for our people,” he said.
“It is a failure of leadership. I am also included, and there is no regret in saying I am also involved.”
He stressed that political leaders must admit their failure in protecting lives and property, warning that ignoring this responsibility shows insensitivity.
Earlier on Wednesday during plenary, Ningi had called for urgent steps to tackle insecurity, including the option of suspending political activities in parts of the country badly affected.
He said the situation in some states had become so serious that only extraordinary measures could work.
“We cannot continue to assume that because we are in Abuja, this does not affect us. It affects all of us,” he said.
“Either we suspend all political activities across the country, or we look at the frontline states—Borno, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, and parts of Kano—and suspend political activities there until we are certain that these security challenges are under control.”
He also said Nigeria is not doing enough to handle the security crisis, while making it clear he was not blaming any individual or group alone.
Ningi further expressed worry over the killing of senior military officers by terrorist groups, describing it as deeply disturbing.
“I think we are not doing enough. We must do enough to show Nigerians that we are truly the Senate of the Federal Republic,” he said.
