The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised a fresh alarm over what it describes as a dangerous and rapidly growing criminal economy driving banditry and kidnapping across the country.
The party warned that insecurity has expanded into a highly organised industry, and urged the Federal Government to stop politicising national security.
This position was made public by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, during a televised interview on Wednesday, where he said the government’s current approach is worsening the crisis.
According to him, available national data already shows that banditry, kidnapping and terrorism have grown into “a trillion Naira economy,” making it clear that the problem has become far more complex than the government admits.
Ememobong criticised the practice of issuing public appeals to kidnappers and bandits to release victims, describing it as a weak response that emboldens criminal groups.
Instead, he urged the Federal Government to issue a direct and firm order for a total halt to all forms of violent attacks across Nigeria.
He accused government officials of indirectly validating criminality by holding discussions with armed groups. He noted that such engagements send the wrong signal to the public, especially in a country where the law does not permit civilians to bear arms.
For him, it demonstrates a collapse of authority when individuals carrying illegal weapons can sit across the table from state actors.
The PDP spokesman argued that the root causes of insecurity have not been confronted. He said the measures regularly announced by the government — from press briefings to photo-ops with security chiefs — are only cosmetic and do not address the systems enabling criminal activity.
Ememobong pointed out that “as long as there is demand, there will be supply,” and that ransom-driven operations cannot end without decisive action.
Speaking on the administration’s ongoing recruitment of new police and security personnel, Ememobong questioned the effectiveness of deploying poorly trained recruits into highly dangerous conflict zones.
He stated that no number of new officers can succeed without strong political will and clear directives to engage criminals decisively.
He warned that Nigeria is now dealing with an existential threat, and advised the government to avoid actions that might create the impression that non-state actors have become more powerful than the state itself.
On internal party matters, Ememobong assured that the PDP is undergoing a deliberate rebuilding process. He said the party is strengthening its structures with a focus on transparency, truth and national unity.
He added that the PDP is committed to safeguarding the presence of all opposition parties, because democracy thrives on competition, not suppression.
He also predicted that parties filled with conflicting interests and “strange bed-fellows” may soon experience internal collapse.
According to him, this is why the PDP is focusing on stability and long-term restoration of its national outlook.
