Senate President Godswill Akpabio has stated that maintaining the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” could have potentially averted the current banditry crisis plaguing the country.

Akpabio made the assertion during a visit to the Nigeria Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja.

He expressed his belief that the reintroduction of the anthem, which replaced “Arise, O Compatriots,” could have fostered greater unity and societal cohesion.

He defended the anthem against criticism of colonialism, citing the extensive national and global consultations that informed its selection by a Nigerian-led panel in 1959.

Akpabio stated, “If we had kept the old anthem, there won’t be banditry today in Nigeria.”

The reintroduced national anthem has been subjected to criticisms by many Nigerians, with some saying it is not a priority currently.