Reacting to the growing cases of insecurity in Northern Nigeria, a lot of groups, leaders, and Northern stakeholders have cried out to the Government demanding immediate action on the terrible state of security in Northern Nigeria.
This outcry follows the recent massacre of some villagers in Katsina state by members of the Boko Haram sect.
A coalition of northern youth groups has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs over the rising insecurity in the region.
In a statement on Monday, the coalition under the auspices of Coalition Against Killings in Northern Nigeria (CAKIN) and the Northern Groups Coalition (NGC) lamented the destruction of lives and properties by bandits and Boko Haram insurgents.
The coalition issued a 14-day ultimatum for the federal government to address the security challenges or it will mobilise its members for protest and shut down the government.
“It is on a sad note that this coalition wishes to remind the federal government and government at all levels, that the primary responsibility of government anywhere, particularly the one that was democratically elected by voters, is to protect the lives and property of citizens,” the coalition said.
“Alas, five years into President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, instead of reducing insecurity, it has escalated thereby exposing great numbers of our people to avoidable deaths and loss of property in a manner that history has never witnessed before.
“As patriotic citizens, it is our constitutional duty to raise voices and call attention to the killings that is taking place across states of the Northern regions on a daily basis and mobilise citizens on how to constructively engage government at all levels and make demands to end the killings.
“A total overhaul of the leadership of the nation’s security apparatus and inject higher levels of competence, integrity and accountability.
“The coalition is saying enough is enough and an end must be put to the mindless killings of our people particularly in the villages, and the non-challant attitude displayed by government and its agencies to the plights of people going through horrific experience in the hands of criminals that seemed to have overwhelmed our security agencies.”
Also adding their voice to the outcry, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna state chapter has expressed sadness over what it described as mass killings and insecurity in the North, particularly in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Borno states.
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Speaking in a statement signed on Monday by Kaduna state Chairman, Rev John Joseph Hayab, CAN said hundreds of people have been killed by the Boko Haram, bandits, and kidnappers who are invading communities and unleashing mayhem on the people in the last few weeks.
“CAN is sad and upset with the mass killings and the increasing insecurity in the North, especially in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Borno states, and indeed the country at large. In the last few weeks hundreds of people have been killed by Boko Haram and bandits who are invading communities and unleashing mayhem on the people. Our security agencies appear to be overwhelmed and lack new tactics to handle the situation.
“Both the states and federal governments seem to be shying away from the reality of the problem and appear to be living in self denial while people are being massacred by criminals. People are now living in perpetual fear as they are not safe on the highways and even in their homes. Rural communities are being invaded by bandits and farmers cannot go to their farms for fear of being killed or being abducted for ransom by gunmen.
“For us as a religious body, this country belongs to all Nigerians and our leaders must listen to the cries of Nigerians about the continuous declining security situation.
“The protection of lives and property of the citizenry is a constitutional responsibility of governments all over the world. Our government must therefore live up to this responsibility by tackling the present state of insecurity across the country.
“There is a need for our leaders to take an honest stock of the situation in our country. We need to check where we have gone wrong and what are those things we are doing that we need to do better. Many lives are being wasted almost on a daily basis by Boko Haram and bandits. People are being abducted and killed by kidnappers because they could not pay the huge ransom demanded by the hoodlums.
“In Kaduna state the security challenges in Chikun, Kajuru, Kauru, Zangon Kataf, Birnin Gwari have continued to be a serious source of worry. Sadly people are experiencing these challenges at the time of increase in hunger, economic hardship and fear of Covid-19. These pains are too much for the citizens to continue to bear.“Our leaders should be humble enough to admit that they have failed the people and seek help from whoever and wherever it will come,” Rev. Hyab added.
Meanwhile, Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) and other ethnic nationalities backed the calls for change in the nation’s security.
The spokesman for Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the Northern coalition has a valid case, noting: “Killings in Nigeria today are nationwide and little or nothing is being done by the government to contain the development.”
He added: “Governors’ security votes demand some attention, as the reckless amounts being collected without accountability can no longer be justified.”
One of the leaders of YWC, Otunba Tola Adeniyi, regretted that government has “failed to live up to the expectations of securing the country.” He submitted it was a welcome development that the coalition has “realised that death to one is death to all.”
The General Secretary, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide, said:
“Sacking of security chiefs is overdue. By now, they certainly have outlived their usefulness. Besides, their subordinates who are eying their positions have been demoralised. For these, they should be replaced. In any case, their performance is not inspiring.
“Before 2015, the area of crises was mainly in the North East. In the last five years, the entire country has been engulfed with insecurity. North, West and East are not secure, and the entire North is under banditry. Even the home state of Mr. President, Katsina, has been attacked several times.”
Olajide, who supported the abolition of security vote “because it has been grossly abused,” said he was “not surprised” that the complaints about insecurity were coming from the North. “I expected it a long time ago. And that should remind the authorities that time is running out on them. They must initiate the process of restructuring right away,” he advised.
A security scholar at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, told The Guardian: “The killings in the northern part of the country have not only defied coalitions of military operations, they have shown that there are more to the killings. The orchestrated killings have also shown the failure of intelligence in that part of the country.
“The solution is not stoppage of security vote, although one is quick to ask what the governors do with such huge money as Chief Security Officers of their states, given the insecurity. Governors should be made to inject such money to compliment the Federal Government’s security.
“Secondly is the argument for or not to retain the service chiefs given the spate of insecurity in the northern part of the country. I think the President should have another look into this by doing the needful. It won’t be too bad an idea to have a review of their staying in their respective offices.”
A former presidential candidate, Dr. Olapade Agoro, said: “Nobody needs to tell the President that he has failed. We have seen the worst of insecurity since he became the President. On security chiefs, nobody needs to tell them to go. They must go if they have conscience without being told. Also, the security vote should be abolished. I don’t know what the security vote is for. It serves no good. It should therefore be abolished.”
On his part, Mazi Chuks Ibegbu, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said: “The security vote our governors and other political office holders waste should be rechanneled to benefit the country.”
Also, the national president of the Association of Southeast Town Unions (ASETU), Chief Emeka Diwe, stated: “Our people at the grassroots whose livelihoods depend almost entirely on their farmlands have had those farms ravaged by herdsmen and their cattle, yet nothing has been done.
“As I speak to you, there is hardly a single herdsman standing trial anywhere in Nigeria for killings and atrocious acts. Hardly can you find one in detention or even one being prosecuted. The feeling our people now have to contend with in Nigeria is that their lives do not matter anymore. This is what keeps fanning the embers of secession in youths.”
He added: “Ever since we began to lament and plead for the Nigerian authorities to come to our rescue over insecurity caused by herdsmen, who has responded to us? What has happened? Lopsided appointments in security, legislature, judiciary, and the executive have worsened the situation. How do you expect the country to run in a situation like that?”
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
