The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded the immediate sack of the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi, for abdicating his statutory duties in asking unarmed Nigerians to defend themselves against armed aggression by bandits and terrorists. 

In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan described the statement by the minister as reckless, irresponsible and a confirmation that the Buhari administration has surrendered to outlaws and has no determination to fight them.

He said it is unthinkable that a government would describe unarmed victims of armed aggression of terrorist and bandits as “cowards” while those who were elected and given the necessary resources to defend them recede in the comfort and safety of their offices in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said Such disposition to security; a statutory responsibility of government goes to validate apprehensions that Nigeria is indeed descending to a failed state under the Buhari Presidency, where the government can no longer perform its duties while unarmed citizens are left to confront bandits and warlords.

Given the silence by the Buhari Presidency, the party holds that the defeatist comment by the minister represents the disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari and his security architecture, and explains why the administration has remained complacent in the fight against terrorism and banditry in our country.

The party, however, urged Nigerians not to despair at this moment but brace up as it has become obvious that Nigerians are now in a despondent situation where the government has shown that it can no longer defend the citizens.