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Borno State Senator and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Ali Ndume, on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari should directly address the nation on the matter of insecurity, rather than issuing statements through his media advisers.
The Senator made the comment while responding to questions on Channels Televisionโs Politics Today.
โIโve said it before,โ Mr Ndume said. โWhen it comes to issues like these, it is the President himself that is supposed to be talking to Nigerians, not some press adviser.
โThe President, of course, should be taking responsibility . . . he is the President. By the time you ask people to elect you as President, anything that happens to any Nigerian, God will hold you accountable you for it.โ
Mr Ndume added that he was โreally disappointed with the response of so many leaders.
โAnd it is our responsibility โ of government โ the security and welfare of its citizens. And you have leaders responding as if it is a casualty, not their responsibility.
โI feel pained to be called a Senator. Iโm almost like helpless. Many of us are like that, sitting down as observers.โ
Mr Ndumeโs comments comes days after terrorists attacked a prison in Kuje, the Federal Capital Territory.
Many of those who escaped are believed to be dangerous Boko Haram members.
President Muhammadu Buhari visited the custodial centre on Wednesday, expressing regret over the attack.
โI am disappointed with the intelligence system,โ the President said in a statement. โHow can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? I am expecting a comprehensive report on this shocking incident.โ