Politicians now patronise armed gangs, thugs for political purposes - Amaechi laments

Those responsible for Nigeria's security challenges have been identified. According to minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, they are the country's political elite.

Amaechi made this disclosure while delivering the 34th convocation lecture of the University of Calabar, titled ‘Beyond our Imperfect Union: The National Question and Nigeria’s Future’.

According to him, the political elite ignored persons in the lower class, which led them into criminal activities.

He said: “We must not fail to recognise the responsibility of our elite in creating the problem of insecurity that we are facing today. In many parts of the country, the political elite failed in their responsibility to educate the majority of children of the lower classes.

These children who were denied the right to education and a better life have grown up to find themselves with no other choice than to enroll in criminal undertakings such as banditry and terrorism."

Going further, he revealed that politicians in their quest for political positions now patronise thugs and criminals. He also blamed the political elites for what he described 'increasingly militant regional and ethnic nationalism'.

He added: "The politics of desperation plays up ethnic, regional, religious and other primordial instincts to advance its cause. This, in my view, is the background to the current wave of insecurity, hate rhetoric and divisive politicking in the nation.”

Meanwhile, he said President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should not be blamed for the poverty in the country.

He said the situation dates back to the beginning of civilian governance in Nigeria.