The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of being responsible for insecurity in Nigeria.

PDP alleged that the mercenaries employed by the APC during the 2019 elections were the bandits terrorising Nigerians.

The former ruling party made the remark while lamenting the alleged failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration to curb the persistent killing of Nigerians in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Kogi, Taraba and other parts of the country.

A statement by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said APC had failed to account for the mercenaries.

Ologbondiyan said: “Our party holds that the situation where marauders and insurgents, who had been pushed to the fringes by the PDP administration, had resurged under the APC, to the extent of occupying territories, ravaging communities and killing our citizens with reckless abandon, raises a lot of questions.

“Our party invites Nigerians to note that the APC has failed to account for the whereabouts of the political ‘mercenaries’ it imported into our country from neighboring countries, particularly from Chad and Niger Republic, to participate in its campaigns during the build-up to the 2019 general elections.

“Our party had warned that such elements could be used to unleash acts of violence, including banditry against Nigerians. The escalation of banditry since the 2019 elections, therefore calls for a deep soul-searching by the APC and its leaders.”

Residents of Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Kogi, and Taraba States have come under persistent attacks from bandits and Boko Haram insurgents.

Over the weekend, Boko Haram killed over 40 people in Nganzai Local Government area of Borno State.