Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has urged President Bola Tiubu to immediately dismiss Nigeria’s security chiefs for the increasing insecurity and unremitting killings in the country.
In a statement made in Abuja, Frank reacted to the recent killing of soldiers in Borno State by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, labeling the attack another sad reminder of the government’s inability to secure its citizens.
He bemoaned the fact that Nigerians were being killed “like chickens” everyday in all parts of the country North, South, East, and West an occurrence he described as highlighting the complete disintegration of the country’s security system.
“Security officers are dying in large numbers because of underfunding and lack of proper equipment. Despite the enormous budgetary releases to the security department, the money does not find its way to men and women in the field or is used to acquire the appropriate equipment to fight insecurity,” Frank said.
He praised erstwhile US President Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz for denouncing the killings and saying their protest has served to spark global interest in Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
“President Donald Trump deserves credit for concern and moral leadership for speaking up against killings of Nigerians. We also appreciate Senator Ted Cruz for adding his voice to such injustices. Their actions have shattered the silence of our political class, particularly those in the ruling party,” Frank asserted.
Frank, the sitting United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to the Middle East and East Africa, also called on the US government and other global partners to put more pressure on the Tinubu administration to free the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
This government cannot just keep on negotiating with terrorists and detaining innocent and peaceful Nigerians. We urge the international community, and particularly the U.S. government, to take action and put pressure on President Tinubu to unconditionally release Nnamdi Kanu,” he continued.
Frank also commended Trump for his involvement in the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and called on him to “show the same compassion and leadership” by backing attempts at the release of Kanu. He also welcomed activist and presidential aspirant Omoyele Sowore for his ongoing advocacy on the matter.
For relations between Nigeria and the United States, Frank ensured the continuity of the long-standing relationship between the two countries by stating: “Nigeria has continued to have a friendly relationship with the United States. We will not allow any government or individuals to dismantle that friendship. We Nigerians remain resolute in strengthening our relationship with the U.S. in the spirit of peace, democracy, and international security.”
He criticized the Nigerian Senate for condemning Senator Ted Cruz’s statement on insecurity in Nigeria as “a disgrace and disappointment.”.
If the Senate and consequently the National Assembly had been serious in exercising their duty of oversight — by holding the executive to account and requiring the security chiefs to keep Nigerians safe, Senator Cruz would not have made reference to Nigeria as a matter of unstemmed killings and government lack of concern,” Frank stated.
He blamed politicians for rushing to defend the government’s image abroad without doing their job to serve justice, accountability, and security locally.
