Sen. Karimi To Ndume: Prioritize Insecurity Over Ethnic Complaints — “Half Of Nigeria’s Earnings Spent Fighting Insurgency”

Senator Sunday Karimi, Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, has urged his counterpart from Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, to focus more on pressing issues such as insecurity rather than “playing to the gallery.”

Mr. Ndume had accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of making lopsided political appointments favoring his Yoruba ethnic group when he appeared as a guest on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Monday.

Mr. Ndume alleged that Tinubu had been unfair to other parts of the country in the appointments he has made so far.

However, Karimi, in a statement on Tuesday in Lokoja, expressed surprise at Ndume’s claims, advising him to focus on more pressing issues like the nation’s insecurity.

Mr. Karimi said he was surprised that Ndume, a former Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, often chose to “play to the gallery” by neglecting “real developmental challenges like the insecurity confronting Nigeria, to promote sentiments.”

The Kogi-West Senator cited the devastation caused by the Boko Haram insurgency over the past decade.

According to him, it has cost the nation “over 50 percent of its earnings” in recent years through counter-terrorism spending.

Mr. Karimi urged Ndume to redirect his energy towards finding local solutions to the insurgency rather than criticizing the government.

“Over 50 percent of Nigeria’s earnings in the last few years have been spent on fighting insurgency.

“Rather than playing to the gallery and criticizing the government, Senator Ndume, as a leader of his people, should go back home and liaise with his people on solving the Boko Haram problem.

“Insecurity has a local solution,” he said.

Mr. Karimi also highlighted his efforts to combat banditry, kidnapping, and violent crimes in Kogi West by citing a notable example.

He said he facilitated the construction of a military base in Egbe Town, Yagba West Local Government Area, and provided additional logistics to support security initiatives.

Mr. Karimi stressed that the proactive approach demonstrated his commitment to addressing the region’s security challenges.

“The country has lost a lot of its soldiers and trillions of naira fighting insurgents in Senator Ndume’s senatorial district over the last decade.

“In fact, I lost one of the young officers, a captain in the Nigerian Army from my senatorial district, who was serving in his community three weeks ago.

“Lots of young Nigerians have lost their lives fighting to defend the territorial integrity of our country.

“Those are more serious and compelling issues threatening our collective existence,” he added.