The Action People’s Party (APP) has said that the alleged silence of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the Department of State Service (DSS), over the deadly bomb blast by some protesters in Rivers State was becoming a stain on the image President Bola Tinubu-led government.
The opposition party said this while reacting to the detonation of an explosive device during a protest march in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Tuesday, by supporters of a gladiator in the Rivers political crisis, culminating in the death of one person and others seriously injured.
APP, at a press briefing by Comrade Achilike A, said the deafening silence of the security agencies which are expected to take action against the masterminders and perpetrators of the violent incident in Rivers State was casting aspersions on not just them alone but the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of Tinubu of being insensitive to the security of lives and property of people of the state.
It said though Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the Chief Security Officer of the State but he lacks powers to command the office of the NSA, Police and DSS, hence only President Tinubu who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces can direct the heads of the security agencies to bring those behind the dastardly act to book.
“We as an opposition party are worried about the continued silence of the NSA, IGP, CP and DSS since Tuesday when protesters believed to supporters of the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike allegedly detonated an explosive device in Rivers State, killing one person and injuring several others.
“Ordinarily, we would have keep quiet in order not to meddle into the affairs of what look like clash of interest of the main opposition PDP and its siamese twin ruling, the APC but as one of the vibrant opposition in the country, we are living up to our responsibility of holding the government and the two bigger political parties to account.
“Therefore, we make bold to say that the prolonged silence of these security agencies, apart from emboldening the supposed Wike supporters to further forment trouble in Rivers, their action or rather inaction is a dent on the image of the Tinubu government because it shows careless attitude to security and welfare of the people of Nigerian from any state of the federation.
“We therefore call on President Tinubu to rise up to letters and spirit of the oath he took to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which made security and welfare of the people the primary responsibility of government.
“The earlier the President order his appointed heads of security agencies to secure the people of Rivers state and bring the masterminders and perpetrators of the ugly incidence in Rivers, the better for his image and perception as the leader who can protect their lives and spirit,” APP stated.