APC slams Amnesty for accusing Tinubu of indifference to killings

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted a statement by Amnesty International accusing President Bola Tinubu of indifference to the killings of 123 people in Nigeria after his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

The Star had reported that Amnesty International, in a report on Tuesday, June 13, disclosed that no fewer than 123 people have been killed in Nigeria after the inauguration of President Tinubu.

The report further quoted the Amnesty International’s Acting Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, as saying: “The Nigerian authorities have also consistently failed to carry out independent, effective, impartial, and thorough investigations into these killings – and this is fueling impunity.”

However, the APC while reacting via a statement issued on Wednesday, June 14, by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, noted that it found the report of Amnesty International as “hasty and inconsiderate”.

The ruling party stressed that Tinubu promised to tackle the security challenges bewildering the country during his inauguration, adding: “It is therefore uncharitable and inconsiderate of Amnesty International through its Acting Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi, to accuse the new government that is just settling down of dereliction of duty.

“Amnesty International is known for stoking internal conflict and citizen antagonism in developing nations through weaponisation and accentuation of local situations to achieve its sinister objectives while hypocritically looking the other way when similar incidents occur in developed nations, especially in the Western world.

READ ALSO: Amnesty I’ntl: 123 killed in Nigeria after Tinubu’s inauguration

“Many nations in the world, including the United States of America are today bedevilled by insecurity. By the end of May 2023 almost 20,000 people have died cumulatively as a result of gun violence and other violent crimes in America.

“Every government is daily devising means and ways to tackle rapidly changing security problems.

“In United Kingdom there is growing and daily menace of knife crimes. In 2022 alone, UK police recorded 49,265 offences involving knives and other sharp instruments and 46,334 in 2021.

“In Nottingham, a mass shooting in the city centre claimed three victims. Amnesty International has not accused UK government of failure to protect her citizens.

“The isolated cases of shooting that are now several decades old in our country, will need methodical and strategic thinking to ensure normalcy.

“No organisation should gloat over these unfortunate incidents. It’s too early for such unsympathetic reaction.”

The APC further urged Amnesty International and its affiliates to “give the young government some time to work things out, in consonance with its pledge to our people, rather than rushing out with its jaded diatribe against the Nigerian government and its security authorities.”

“President Bola Tinubu and his team are settling down to solving many of our national challenges across various sectors. Amnesty International should allow this government to do its work without their usual condescending hypocrisy,” it added.

The Star