Nigerian Politicians Deadly —CAN Leader

Ahead of next year’s elections, National President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has warned Nigerians to beware of politicians because they are deadly.

Oritsejafor spoke yesterday in Lagos, South West Nigeria while reacting to the seizure of 13 containers filled with deadly weapons at the port in Lagos recently, saying that he could not imagine that some people could go as far as importing such deadly weapons to destroy lives.

According to him, Nigerians should be very vigilant at this point in time as the nation prepares for another crucial election next year because Nigerian politicians often see electoral contests as a do or die affair.

The CAN president said that the only way to forestall the growing  terrorism in the country was for the relevant authorities to fish out the importers and sponsors of the deadly weapons with a view to prosecuting them.

“The only reason all these madness thrives in Nigeria is because whenever things like this occur, the real sponsors of the criminal activities are never prosecuted; rather they are often let off  the hook as a result of political patronage.

“Until we muster enough political will to deal with every form of criminality, we will continue to embarrass ourselves before the international community,” he

stated.

Oritsejafor took a swipe at security agents for handling the issue secretly, lamenting that for the 13 containers being at the port for three months before they were discovered showed that “our borders are porous.”

He pointed out that there was need for an overhaul of the security at the borders and provision of adequate equipment for Customs officers and naval operatives policing the

Marine sector.

According to him, the  period it took the security agents to discover the content of the 13 containers showed some element of unseriousness on the part of the authorities.

To him, the nation’s security outfit was not adequately prepared enough to protect the populace because of its seeming lackadaisical attitude when it comes to security matters.

He condemned the importation of such deadly weapons into the country, saying that the discovery of such weapons was unfortunate and a great embarrassment.

“It is unthinkable that a certain group of Nigerians desperate to make money, are still bent on destroying the nation for pecuniary reward,” he said.

On the Boko Haram issue,  Oritsejafor lamented that few years after the first uprising by this group, arrested perpetrators of the violent riot that left several hundreds of Nigerians dead, were yet to be prosecuted.

“Nobody, to the best of my knowledge, has been prosecuted in that dastardly attack that left innocent Nigerians dead and businesses and vehicles burnt.

“The nation’s security agencies must wake up to their responsibility. There should be no sacred cows. Those behind the crises must be dealt with.”

Oritsejafor also decried the latest crisis in Plateau State, saying the lack of political will to bring the perpetrators to book was further fuelling the crisis and appealed to the security agencies to redeem their battered image by fishing out the perpetrators for prosecution.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga

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