The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, has said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is genuinely addressing the security challenges in the country.
The lawmaker, representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke federal constituency of Plateau state, said it would be unfair to suggest that the government has not made frantic efforts to tackle the menace.
Gagdi who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said some opposition figures were allegedly exploiting insecurity to score political points instead of contributing solutions.
He admitted that there is worsening security situation and the loss of both civilians and security personnel but said the government should be judged on the efforts it has made rather than solely on the persistence of the crisis.
“It is unfortunate when lives are being lost. When you hear me say Nigerians are being killed, I’m not referring only to Nigerian citizens who are not in uniform. It includes the gallant men who are at the frontline of this war that are being killed on a daily basis, the police, immigration, Civil Defence, the military comprising the Air Force, the Army and the Navy.
“I will not equally want to say that the war is being lost. We are facing a trying moment and we all need to be on our feet to pray for this country, to prove patriotism, to stop the blame game, to stop attacking only government, to speak the truth to government and to speak the truth to citizens,” he said.
The lawmaker said tackling insecurity requires collective responsibility rather than partisan politics, noting that “we must collectively be patriotic.
“We must be united against terror. By the time we keep drifting to a perspective of playing politics with the security and lives of the people of this country, it will be unfortunate.”
Gagdi argued that while no government is infallible, criticism should be aimed at improving policies instead of gaining political advantage.
“No government is a saint. Governments are bound to make mistakes. But when we escalate the mistakes, not with the view of calling the attention of government to adjust its deficiencies, but with the view of trying to play politics and get some political advantage from the situation, God will ask us at the end of the day,”he said.
The APC lawmaker said he had personally criticised aspects of the administration’s security policies on the floor of the House of Representatives but insisted that such interventions were constructive rather than politically motivated.
“I have challenged government on the floor of the House where I felt government policy regarding insecurity was not correct. I have said that, but not with a political tune,” Gagdi stated.
He maintained that President Tinubu had remained committed to fulfilling his campaign promise to improve security and has been steadfast in pushing strategies that will make impact, and should be acknowledged.
