By George Mgbeleke

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed deep concern over the reported extortion of over N56 million from farmers in Zamfara State by armed groups as well as the chilling video of an entire village in Ifelodun Local Government of Kwara State, completely abandoned to bandits, Nigeria under President Tinubu and the APC is sliding into a dangerous new phase of state failure.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said a situation where farmers had to pay money to terrorists before they could gain access to their own farmlands, is not just a Zamfara tragedy, but a national warning.

“A situation where people had to abandon an entire town to bandits, in the very heart of the country, is not just a local challenge but an evidence of national surrender.

“When armed gangs can collect N56 million from farmers for the “right” to plant food, the issue is no longer about insecurity. It is about criminal elements contesting the right to govern a part of Nigeria. When criminals can tax citizens at gunpoint, it means the state has surrendered its monopoly of force and state authority is in retreat.

“We are dismayed that this could be happening in a country with one of the largest defence budgets in Africa, yet our farmers are left to bargain with warlords for their survival. We recall that in the same Zamfara state only a few days ago about 50 people were abducted in one swoop.”

According to the statement,”this is the eerie picture of an entire town where all the people, the young, the old and the infirm had to seek refuge elsewhere for fear of bandits attacks. There are other cases which shows a very alarming pattern suggesting that other parts of the country considered safe may not be so for long.

“The pertinent question therefore is whether the Tinubu-led APC government is still in charge and can still be trusted to do its most fundamental duty, which is to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians.

“We recall that in November 2014, President Bola Tinubu, leader of opposition party at the time, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to resign over the Boko Haram Challenges in The North-East of the country.

His words: “If you control the armed forces and you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, why should any part of this country be under occupation? And you give us excuses every day. In any civilized country Jonathan should have resigned.

“Although the security situation that President Tinubu was using to campaign in 2014 had multiplied exponentially under his party and is currently enjoying great prosperity under his direct watch, no one is calling on him to resign.

“The ADC does not want President Tinubu to resign. We only ask him to do his job. We also ask the pertinent question, why did the President think that the security situation in Rivers State warranted the declaration of state of emergency, but the one in Zamfara with industrial scale kidnapping and a direct challenge to the authority of the Nigerian State by way of bandit tax does not even deserve a direct comment from him?”

Continuing party said “We will like to urge President Tinubu to drop whatever else that pre-occupies him and direct his attention to Zamfara State and other parts of the country menaced by bandits.

“If the Tinubu administration cannot guarantee the safety of our farms and farming communities, if people could be forced to abandon their homes out of fear, then it has failed in its most basic responsibility.

“You cannot boast that you are in charge of your country while your reported extortion i their survival with criminals.”

By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

The United Nations Children’s Fund has on Friday,confirmed that Niger state has so far recorded 150 positive cholera cases.

This is as UNICEF disclosed that in total, 16 deaths have been recorded since the cholera outbreak.

Making this disclosure when she led a team to pay an advocacy visit on the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouq Bahago, the Chief of Kaduna Field Office, UNICEF, Dr. Gerida Birukila said that, 451 persons were isolated and those confirmed positive treated and discharged are 150.

The Chief who was represented by Health Specialist Dr. Ahmed Tsofo also solicited for the Emir’s support to curtail various diseases ravaging the state.

According to the Chief, “we have recorded more than 451 cases of cholera infections out of it, over 150 were confirmed positive through rapid diagnostic testing.

“So far, we have now recorded 16 deaths and we brought it to the Emir’s information. We have also updated him on the support we are providing and the collaboration between UNICEF and government to contain the outbreak and to prevent further spread”.

Among other issues highlighted during the visit included polio and measles diseases as well as the low rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the state.

“We came to advocate for his support in person and the support of the traditional institution over the ongoing health and Public health interventions that we have been supporting in Niger.

“As you must have heard from the discussions we had with the Emir we advocated for his support in the next coming in-between rounds activity for polio eradication campaign; we advocated also for the ongoing cholera outbreak in the state.

“We advocated for his support also toward the introduction of the measles and rubella vaccines which is coming up in October this year”.

The UNICEF Health specialist noted that these diseases could be eradicated with the collaboration of government and the traditional institutions.

In his response, Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouq Bahago assured the UNICEF of the Emirate’s support and prayed that Allah would enable them achieve the aim of eradicating the diseases in tue state.

Accordingly, he said “we will continue to talk and work in the interest of our people. We will support your efforts and complement your activities in all the four areas of intervention”.