Maitama Police Station Can Go Into Southern Kaduna And Wipe Out All These Bandits – Datti Baba-Ahmed

Former Labour Party vice presidential candidate, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said Nigeria’s security challenges are not due to a lack of capacity, but a lack of political will, arguing that even a single police division in Abuja could neutralize banditry in Southern Kaduna if properly deployed.

Baba-Ahmed made the claim on Thursday during an interview on Trust TV, where he spoke extensively on insecurity, governance, and the state of democracy in the Fourth Republic.

Reacting to the persistent killings in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country, Datti said the Nigerian Police Force has the manpower to end the violence.

“The Nigerian police can stop all these killings. Trillions of naira don’t need to go into that system. Maitama police station can go into Southern Kaduna and wipe out all these bandits. Maitama police station will do it. We have disappointed ourselves,” he stated.

He argued that the resources already within the security architecture, if well coordinated and funded at the operational level, are sufficient to confront criminal groups terrorizing communities.

For Datti, the problem is not about creating new agencies or injecting more budgetary allocations, but about deploying existing personnel with clear directives and accountability.

The former senator also delivered a scathing assessment of democratic governance since 1999.

He said the central promise of the Fourth Republic was to prove that democracy could produce leaders capable of protecting lives and property.

According to him, that promise remains unfulfilled.

“What we need are not just people who win elections, but leaders with the courage and resolve to confront terrorism and banditry head-on,” Datti said.

He maintained that elections alone do not guarantee good governance, and that Nigerians must begin to demand performance, particularly in the area of security.

Baba-Ahmed said the continued attacks in Southern Kaduna, the North West, and other regions reflect a failure of leadership rather than a failure of institutions.

He urged those in authority to stop making excuses and to take decisive action against criminal networks, regardless of political considerations.

For him, restoring public trust will require leaders who are willing to make tough decisions and ensure that security agencies are empowered to act without interference.

COURTESY: IDANSKI