Abuja-Kaduna bound captives: Sack NSA, Monguno or no election in 2023 – Arewa Youth to Buhari

As reactions continue to trail the flogging of Abuja-Kaduna train abductees bin a video that went viral, the Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has dared the Federal government that 2023 general election would not be held until the captives are set free.

The group also submitted that communities under siege by bandits must be liberated as condition for election to be held in the Northern zone.

In a statement on Monday which was made available to CAPITAL POST in Abuja by the Speaker of Arewa Youth Assembly, Mohammed Salihu Danlami said the victims of the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna bound train have marked 120 days in captivity which was celebrated by the terrorist through a released video depicting how they are being molested.

The statement read: “The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) shares in the pain and agony of the immediate families and friends of those in captivity, they pray God to intervene through His supernatural power and set them free.

“The AYA notes that the growing audacity of non state actors which led to the invasion of Kuje Maximum Prison, Abuja which led to the release of numerous arrested Boko Haram Commanders shows that even Mr President in the Presidential Villa is not safe, it is just a matter of time, these ragtag elements will draw inspiration from the Afghanistan terrorist and take over leadership of our country.

“We have observed that this insult to our country’s supremacy wouldn’t have been possible if the National Security Adviser, who is supposed to guide Mr President had not run out of ideas.

“Since his appointment over 7 years ago, we strongly believe that the man has run out of steam and does not have anything new to offer, hence, the honourable thing for him to do is to pack his luggage and return to his retirement destination, where he fails to, Mr President should urgently sack him and get him replaced.

“The Assembly make bold to state that our youth won’t participate in activities in the build up to 2023 general elections and the election proper, if our brothers and sisters in captivity are not released, and also most of our Local Government Areas and communities that are now under the control of either Ansaru Terrorists in North Central and North West or ISWAP in North East.

“In order words, Politicians are only welcome to our region, when we have every reason to believe that our forests are free from bandits and terrorist.

“The Assembly strongly believe that if the amount of monies budgeted for Security and defence were deployed for such purposes, the largely wretched souls in our bushes wouldn’t have been able to withstand our armed forces for just three days.

“However, Nigerians believe that the Armed Forces remains the most corrupt institution in our country, that need to be properly checked by various anti-graft agencies.

“Finally, the Assembly wish to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to recall the circumstances behind the bomb explosion in Kawo that almost claim his life, which would have denied him the God ordained time to be Nigeria’s democratically elected President and come hard on the terrorist elements who are sharing legitimacy of government with him, so as not to allow them kill many more future Presidents, captains of industries, Professors, etc.”