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Tag: killings

  • What Buhari has done on killings, by Presidency

    The Presidency defended yesterday its response to the killings across the country.

    It gave a timeline of President Muhammadu Buhari’s activities to end it.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said the party was concerned about the killings. He called on security agents to prove to Nigerians that they can defend them and ensure the safety of lives and properties.

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) advised Nigerians to stop blaming President Buhari for the killings, saying: “Nigerian lawmakers should take the lion’s share of the blame, followed by the citizens and the media”.

    It added that politicians, tribal bigots and a section of the media, which has been spreading wrong information about killings, should also take the blame.

    Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said: “A popular refrain from some quarters is that the President is not doing enough to combat the insecurity that has beleaguered the country in recent times.

    “Lest that untruth begin to wear a garb of reality, let us consider some initiatives taken under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in the security situation, particularly since January, 2018.

    For January 2018, Adesina said: “Leadership of the police deployed in Benue State, after mass killings reportedly committed by herdsmen. This was followed by a fact-finding team led by the Minister of Interior, and deployment of Special Forces of the military to restore law and order.

    “National Economic Council sets up 10-man committee on farmers/herdsmen clashes, headed by the Vice President.

    “The 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, launched a special operation,Karamin Goro (Small Kolanut), in collaboration with the Air Force, Police, Department of State Services, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC; to tackle kidnapping, robbery and cattle rustling in parts of Kaduna and Niger states (Minna-Birnin Gwari-Pandogari and Minna-Sarkin Pawa general areas).”

    In February 2018, “the Nigerian Army commenced Exercise Ayem Akpatuma covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states, in order to tackle kidnappings, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, among others”.

    “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) inducted its first indigenous operational Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV),Tsaigumi. The newly-inducted UAV has day and night capability, an operational endurance in excess of 10 hours, a service ceiling of 15,000 feet and a mission radius of 100km, and is capable of being used for policing operations, disaster management, convoy protection, maritime patrol, pipeline, power line monitoring as well as mapping and border patrol duties.

    “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) established 10 new Units as NAF had concluded plans to set up Quick Response Wings (QRWs) across Nasarawa State, in a bid to tackle the herders/farmers clashes plaguing some states within the axis.”

    In March, Adesina said, the government took some steps, including President Buhari’s sympathy visits to states that had experienced wanton killings in the country.

    “The Nigerian Army extended Exercise Ayem Akpatuma in Taraba State by two months.

    “The committee set up by the National Economic Council on farmers/herdsmen clashes submits report, making far reaching recommendations for peace, including ranching in five states.

    For April 2018, Adesina said the Air Force took delivery of a second batch of two brand new Mi-35N helicopter gunships to boost internal security. It deployed Special Forces to Zamfara State to combat criminality.

    In May 2018, police inaugurated a Mobile Squadron in Takum, Taraba State, the Nigerian Air Force established three new Quick Response Wings (QRW) in Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue states, and deployed Special Forces personnel to these new bases. (Taraba State QRW is located in Nguroje; Nasarawa State QRW in Doma; and Benue State QRW in Agatu).

    Also in May, “Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris ordered the deployment of 200 policemen, and 10 patrol vehicles to Birnin Gwari (Kaduna-Zamfara axis) to tackle armed banditry in the area.

    “President Buhari approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army, as well as a new Police Area Command, in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up the security response to the banditry affecting the area. Chief of Army Staff. Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has since flagged off the new Battalion (2 Battalion Forward Operating Base, FOB) in Kanfanin Doka Village, Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State.

    “The Defence Headquarters assembled a Special Military Intervention Force comprising more than 1,000 personnel, drawn from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, DSS and NSCDC, to respond to the security challenges in the North Central and North West. On May 8, 2018, the Force launched Operation WHIRL STROKE as a full-scale military operation to completely restore law, order and stability in the affected communities. The Whirl Stroke Operational Force Commander is Major General Adeyemi Yekini.

    “Chief of Army Staff inducted a mix of 49 Toyota Land Cruisers and Innoson gun trucks at the HQ of the 133 Special Forces Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Azare to support the ongoing OPERATION LAST HOLD in Northern Borno.

    “NAF launched newly-constructed accommodation for the 205 Combat Search and Rescue Group (CSARG) — established in 2017 to provide aid and operational assistance to wounded and distressed troops serving in combat units — in Kerang, Plateau State.

    “The Air Task Force of NAF commenced Operation THUNDER STRIKE to attack selected locations of Boko Haram Terrorists in the North-East.

    “The Nigerian Army commissioned its new Forward Operating Base in Epe, Lagos State.”

    Adesina said in June 2018, the NAF deployed combat helicopters to its 207 Quick Response Group (QRG) in Gusau, Zamfara State to support the fight against armed banditry in the town and its environs.

    President Buhari approved the establishment of Operation WHIRL STROKE II, for deployment in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

    Securing the length and breadth of the country, he noted, is a continuing commitment.

    “It is one of the key pledges of the Buhari administration, which it is carrying out night and day,” the spokesman stressed.

    According to him, the security situation in the country in May 2015 when the administration came on board was in tatters.

    Adesina added: “It pulled up its bootstraps, rolled up its sleeves, set to work, and the Boko Haram insurgency was beaten back. It was eventually degraded.

    “Other security challenges are being tackled and will subsequently become history. Not doing enough, as some critics claim, is not part of the deal, nor is it reality, no, not by any stretch of the imagination. A lot is being done, and success is guaranteed,” he said.

    Oshiomhole, speaking after the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting yesterday, said Nigerians must come together with the same vigour they fought the Boko Haram insurgency to defeat the menace of herdsmen killings rather than attaching ethnic and religious sentiments to the killings.

    He told the security agents to wake up to their responsibilities as no one will be satisfied with making explanations or try to explain away why we cannot secure human lives especially of a Nigerian citizen within the borders of Nigeria.

    He said: “We have deliberated on the unfortunate incident that occurred in Sokoto state last week in which a number of innocent Nigerians were killed in cold blood by gunmen.

    “We are worried about this and our preliminary investigations showed that those affected come from a part of the state that can be said to quite rural and probably a place where people don’t even have cattle. All they have is just their farm land.

    “This killings, like other killings across the country is condemnable and the NWC condemn them in the strongest words possible, we believe that every Nigerian, regardless of his location has a right to life.

    “We admit that the minimum obligation of government is to protect lives and property and we urge our security chiefs to do everything possible not only to arrest all those involved in this senseless killing, but to do everything possible to be seen to have the competence to protect lives and property.

    “No one will be satisfied with making explanations or try to explain away why we cannot secure human lives especially of a Nigerian citizen within the borders of Nigeria.

    “We want to strongly appeal to all Nigerians and the media should help us in this process. This is the only country that we have and so, we must do everything to give every Nigerian a sense of security regardless of his accident of birth place which some people refer to as ethnic origin or his choice of residence of religious belief.

    “It is not helpful to national efforts of security lives and property if any Nigerian, including religious leaders and Media seeks to explain criminality in terms of religion or ethnic nationality. This is unhelpful in terms of our collective responsibility to work with security agencies to provide useful information that can lead to the arrest of criminals and also help them to preempt any plan by criminals to undermine our collective security.

    “Those responsible for the wanton killings in Sokoto and those who are victims are of the same ethnic origin and unarguably of the same religious persuasion. It is the same thing in Zamfara state.

    “It is not between one ethnic group or the other and so, if these criminals found themselves in other parts of the country as they have done from time to time, and their victims are of different ethnic origin, we should insist that we treat them for who they are, criminals that government has a duty to pursue and chase out of the territory of Nigeria and all those who are perpetuating crimes be brought to justice in accordance with the provisions of our laws.

    “As a nation, we should all be united, not only in co democracy in this wanton killing, but also in helping government to do what it has to do compel security agents to live up to their mandate. It is clearly unhelpful and it bothers on divisive politics if we seek to disguise criminality either in religious terms or ethnic terms.

    “Government has a duty to protect all citizens regardless of their religious belief. I ask the Media to help us to educate the people that it does not help the process of law enforcement if crime and criminality are identified in terms of their ethnic origin or their religion.

    “But we are together as a party and Nigerians that this killings stand condemned and our security must do everything possible to convince Nigerians that under their leadership, we are safe and secured. They must continue to review their operational modalities in the light of emerging threats.

    “The Buhari government is determined to do everything possible to secure the live and property of every Nigerian. That is one of the key objective that this government committed itself to. Unfortunately , as much as we have made progress, we cannot but commend the President and security agents in decimating Boko Haram.”

    In a statement in Ibadan yesterday, quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) MURIC’s Director Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said “Nigerian lawmakers should take the lion share of the blame, followed by the citizens and the media.

    “They should all accept their culpability in this peculiar mess instead of blaming the executive since the latter has done what is humanly possible within the law.’’

    He said it was unfair to blame Buhari for Nigeria’s inability to stop killings because security was a collective responsibility, particularly the different arms of government.

    “The executive, judiciary, legislature and the press as the fourth estate of the realm also has a vital role to play as well as the citizens.

    “The legislature, instead of cooperating with the executive, is an open enemy even in a sensitive matter like the security of lives and property.

    “As killings occur on a daily basis, Buhari made a move in April to procure more weapons to fight insecurity but the senate turned down the request.

    “National Assembly made so much fuss about Buhari’s request for $1 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, threatening to impeach him for approving its release without its consent.

    “The same self-serving legislature delayed the budget for seven months just to get back at the executive and of course no money can be released before the Appropriation Act is signed into law.

    “The national Assembly also declined to accede to Buhari’s request to approve the sum of $496 million for the procurement of Super Tucano aircraft from the United States.

    “Yet Nigerians failed in their duty to question the right of their lawmakers to endanger their lives,’’ Akintola said.

    Akintola said the recent revelation by Hon. Ahmed Maje that certain politicians sponsored killers and assassins who were trained in Israel has completely absolved President Buhari in the killings.

    MURIC urged Nigerians to adopt a holistic approach to killings occurring in the country.

    “Farmer-herder clashes are common everywhere, particularly in West Africa and Nigeria is not an isolated case but we are behaving as if Nigeria is an island.

    “Take Ghana as an example. Earlier this year, cattle rustlers invaded farmlands in Ashanti, Volta, Brong Ahafo and the Eastern regions leading to killings and the destruction of farms.

    “But Ghanaians did not crucify their president because of the clashes but solve the  problem by establishing their first cattle ranch last week at Afram Plains in the eastern region. It plans to establish more in the Volta and Ashanti regions.

    “It is time to face realities. We must borrow a leaf from Ghana. That country is as multi-religious and multi-cultural as Nigeria,’’ Akintola said.

  • Stop blaming Buhari for Killings, MURIC tells Nigerians

    The Muslim Rights Concern ( MURIC ) has advised Nigerians to stop blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for killings around the country.

    The group gave the advice in a statement on Monday by MURIC’s Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan.

    Akintola blamed politicians, tribal bigots and a section of the media on the spread of wrong information about killings around the country.

    “Nigerian lawmakers should take the lion share of the blame, followed by the citizens and the media.

    “They should all accept their culpability in this peculiar mess instead of blaming the executive since the latter has done what is humanly possible within the law,’’ Akintola said.

    He said it was unfair to blame Buhari for Nigeria’s inability to stop killings because security was a collective responsibility, particularly the different arms of government.

    “The executive, judiciary, legislature and the press as the fourth estate of the realm also has a vital role to play as well as the citizens.

    “The legislature, instead of cooperating with the executive, is an open enemy even in a sensitive matter like the security of lives and property.

    “As killings occur on a daily basis, Buhari made a move in April to procure more weapons to fight insecurity but the senate turned down the request.

    “National Assembly made so much fuss about Buhari’s request for $1 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, threatening to impeach him for approving its release without its consent.

    “The same self-serving legislature delayed the budget for seven months just to get back at the executive and of course no money can be released before the Appropriation Act is signed into law.

    “NASS also declined to accede to Buhari’s request to approve the sum of $496 million for the procurement of Super Tucano aircraft from the United States.

    “Yet Nigerians failed in their duty to question the right of their lawmakers to endanger their lives,’’ Akintola said.

    Akintola said the recent revelation by Hon. Ahmed Maje that certain politicians sponsored killers and assassins who were trained in Israel has completely absolved President Buhari in the killings.

    MURIC urged Nigerians to adopt a holistic approach to killings occurring in the country.

    “Farmer-herder clashes are common everywhere, particularly in West Africa and Nigeria is not an isolated case but we are behaving as if Nigeria is an island.

    “Take Ghana as an example. Earlier this year, cattle rustlers invaded farmlands in Ashanti, Volta, Brong Ahafo and the Eastern regions leading to killings and the destruction of farms.

    “But Ghanaians did not crucify their president because of the clashes but solve the problem by establishing their first cattle ranch last week at Afram Plains in the eastern region. It plans to establish more in the Volta and Ashanti regions.

    “It is time to face realities. We must borrow a leaf from Ghana. That country is as multi-religious and multi-cultural as Nigeria,’’ Akintola said.

    He said herders and farmers clashes can be avoided if Nigeria objectively considers the recommendation for the establishment of ranches.

    Akintola said Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo had in March expressed his administration’s intention to establish cattle ranches to curb the menace of herders.

    “He has succeeded in doing that because Ghanaians did not look at their tribe or religion. They considered what will benefit them,’’ Akintola said.

  • Youths demand end to killings

    A group, The New Nigeria Youth Movement, aka Youth Movement for Better Nigeria, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to overhaul the security architecture owing to the wanton killings across the nation. Its president, Comrade Folarin Adekanbi, told reporters in Lagos that Nigerians must work collectively to guarantee peace in the nation. He warned the current situation could degenerate into an ethno-religious war if not checked.

    Lamenting the massive loss of lives and property over Boko Harm insurgency and herdsmen killings, Adekanbi said the attacks on defenceless communities and villagers were barbaric. “Any act of abuse of a right of any citizen of the country is condemnable and unacceptable irrespective of the class , creed or religious divide of the perpetrator, as it contradicts the provisions of the laws of the land. We must avoid a war with ethnic and religious colouration that would be difficult to end,” he stressed.

    He urged the army and other security agencies to be more professional in engagements with civil populace to avoid tarnishing their image before the international community. He noted the police in recent times have come under bad light for the incessant harassment of innocent citizens, advising concerned authorities to checkmate these excesses to improve relations with Nigerians.

  • Killings in Nigeria: ‘Hide your face in shame, only a witch is quick to accuse others of witchcraft’ – Youth group fires back at Tambuwal

    The Nigerian Youth Impact Movement (NYIM) has strongly frowned at the recent comment by Governor Aminu Tambuwal, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of being responsible for the politically-motivated killings in Nigeria.

    Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives had stated that the killings across the nation boil down to failure of leadership, stressing that the “growing spate of mindless shedding of innocent blood” has brought a new dimension to the reprehensible state of insecurity in the country.

    “That is not what Nigerians voted for in 2015″ Tambuwal had said.

    Reacting however, the youth group stated that it is very disheartening to see people who were in the helms of affairs in the old regime known for wastage, nepotism and grand corruption to cast aspersions on the person of President Buhari.

    Odoh Chima, Executive Director of the group in a statement warned Tambuwal that despite eyeing the number one seat, he should not throw caution into the winds.

    According to Chima, Nigeria relapsed into a recession shortly after the take off of the present administration because the 7th National Assembly under Tambuwal didn’t do their job in checking what was happening in the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA and Petroleum Ministry.

    He said, “Tambuwal as a matter of fact has undermined the war on corruption by terminating all corruption cases against members of his cabinet accused of stealing N1.5 billion public funds.

    “While billions of public funds are being squandered in the name of the electorate without commensurate social infrastructure in Sokoto state despite receiving successive funding as bailouts, Paris club refunds in addition to the regular monthly subvention from the federal government.

    “He therefore has no moral justification to attack the person of President Muhammadu Buhari on any grounds because as a matter of fact, he has a case to answer.

    “Talking about overhauling the Nigerian security architecture our question is, what did he do when Nigerians were killed like animals during the last administration while he was the speaker of the house?

    “We view this call as unfortunate and Ill conceived but we are not surprised because Tambuwal has again proven himself to be the chameleon that he is.

    “While we are not against his hobnobbing with the opposition which he now clearly belongs, we are warning him to stop playing politics with the lives of Nigerians.

    “The Nigerian security architecture as presently constituted has performed remarkably well, no wonder they have decapitated the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists, quelled all insurrections around the country and currently working to end the persistent farmers-herders crisis.

    “Tambuwal and his co-travellers should know that no amount of blackmail to score cheap political goals can deter Mr President from delivering on his promises which he has continued to do.

    “Comments like these amount to hate speech because they are capable of inflaming the already tensed situation around the country.

    “Much as we know that the evil intent of Hon Tambuwal is to paint Mr President in a bad light and turn his people against him, we also can now clearly see that he is one of those who have seen President Buhari as a convenient scapegoat on account of his ethnicity.

    “Now that investigations have it that the recent killings have a political undertone, it is very clear that while we are hearing the voice of Jacob, the hand we feel is that of Esau.

    “Stereotyping a particular ethnic group who have lived peacefully with their host communities for hundreds of years because of one man has put the innocent Fulani man at harm’s way.

    “Only a witch is quick to accuse others of witchcraft there is no way Hon Tambuwal can tell Nigerians he knows nothing about the grand plot to destabilize Nigeria.”

  • Be mindful of your comments on Buhari – BMO cautions Secondus

    The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has called on the national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Uche Secondus, to refrain from making inflammatory comments capable of inciting Nigerians against President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration.

    The organization’s Chairman, Mr Austin Braimoh, and its Secretary, Mr Cassidy Madueke, made the call in a jointly signed statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The group described Secondus’ allegation at the PDP rally in Ekiti, that Pesident Buhari was responsible for the killings across the country, as careless and inciting.

    According to the organisation, such inflammatory comments are capable of exacerbating the current security situation in the country.

    Read Also: We are taking measures against killings, says Buhari 

    “For the information of Mr Secondus and his co-travellers, we need to remind them that under their past administrations, Nigeria was under siege and nearly collapsed, but for the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration that has already brought the situation under control.

    “As we approach the 2019 elections, he should always weigh the implication of his public comments to avoid the possibility of plunging the country into unnecessary crisis.

    “As the chairman of the leading opposition party, he must realize that he owes it a duty to the country to exhibit the highest sense of decorum in his conduct and public utterances,” it said.

    The organization called on security agencies to caution Secondus to desist forthwith from making such comments.

  • We are taking measures against killings, says Buhari

    •Gowon: President can’t be involved in killings

    President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that the Federal Government is doing everything to address the killings of Nigerians by bandits and herdsmen.

    Speaking in Ado Ekiti yesterday during the final rally to campaign for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Dr. Kayode Fayemi, President Buhari said:   “May I, again, clear the air on the issue of herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts, on which many politicians in their mischievous attitude have been blackmailing me and the APC-led administration, purporting that I have not taken any action on the issue because I am a Fulani man.

    “This is cheap blackmail. Like I said recently, the protection of lives and property of Nigerians is my responsibility. This, I have vowed to do, and will stick to the oath of office.

    “I assure you that measures are being taken to ensure lasting solutions.”

    Also yesterday, former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon stated that the President should not be linked with killings. He spoke in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

    Condemning the social media posting suggesting the President’s involvement in the killings, Gowon said: “”the Buhari I know will not be involved, certainly no leader will encourage his people to be killed.”

    He, however, said “people arrested in the Plateau killings should be arrested, investigated and prosecuted where the crime was committed”

    He spoke at the Government House in Jos during a condolence visit to Governor Simon Lalong following last month’s attacks in state in which an estimated 200 people were murdered.

    With the governor to receive Gen. Gowon, an indigene, who ruled Nigeria between 1966 and 1975, were Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Tyodden, Deputy Governor and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Chief Rufus Bature among others.

    Lalong said: “we’ve reviewed adequate laws to prosecute offenders in Jos and the laws will soon be signed for it to have official status and become applicable.

    He praised the former Head of State for standing by the State as a father. “We will ensure the enthronement of sustainable peace on the Plateau, that is my area of topmost priority since I assumed office, this last attacks is just a temporary setback, we will intensify in our peace building program”

  • Tambuwal blames killings on failure of leadership

    •Governor faults security architecture •CAN to Fed Govt: expose herdsmen sources of arms

    SOKOTO State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has blamed the killings in some parts of the country on failure of leadership.

    Tambuwal, in a statement yesterday, said the deaths were avoidable and preventable.

    He said: “The worst part of all this is that these deaths are avoidable and the killings preventable. It boils down, at the end of the day, to failure of leadership. Nigeria cannot progress and be part of a 21st Century forward-looking world by creating new batches of mourners every other day. This is not the way to go. That is not what Nigerians voted for in 2015. That is not what will build a virile, united, politically stable and economically prosperous African giant.”

    The governor commiserated with families of those killed across the country.

    The statement reads: “I wish to commiserate with the families, friends, colleagues and associates of all our beloved fellow citizens, who lost their lives in the persistent and senseless killings now occurring in all parts of our dear country. Indeed, the growing spate of mindless shedding of innocent blood, especially of policemen and other security personnel on their lawful duty posts, has brought a new dimension to the reprehensible state of insecurity in the country.

    “Last May, three policemen were shot dead in Sokoto State by kidnappers, who abducted a Syrian national they were escorting. A few days later, four police officers were ambushed and killed in Benue State. Last week, seven policemen were reportedly gunned down in cold blood in Abuja, and their arms and ammunition taken, by unknown persons. This is happening amidst repeatedly reported cases of attacks on police stations and other security facilities in various parts of the country.”

    It added: “The question from every law-abiding citizen today is: ‘Who will protect us, when even those constitutionally charged with the responsibility of protecting our lives and property have, themselves, become vulnerable targets of criminals? Where shall we run to for protection, when the institutions of State put in place to protect us are being progressively dismantled by opportunistic criminality and the trained personnel are also on the run?

    “It bears repeating for me to state here that Nigeria’s security architecture and the strategies currently adopted and deployed for national security, if any, need a comprehensive overhaul. It is not working. The needless waste of life everywhere, both those of trained security personnel and ordinary citizens, is a drain on the nation’s resources and an unacceptable diminution of our valuable human capital.”

    This came as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) urged the Federal Government to expose the sources of weapons being used by herdsmen in attacking persons in parts of the country.

    CAN National President Rev Samson Ayokunle told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, after delivering a State-of- the-Nation address at the 2018 Special Prayer Rally organised by Church Leaders and Ministers Fellowship of Nigeria, in conjunction with the state CAN.

    Rev. Ayokunle urged the Federal Government to overhaul the composition of the country’s security architecture.

    He warned yesterday that government would earn the respect of Nigerians only if it performs its duties responsibly.

    He said it was time the Federal Government woke up to its duties of securing the lives and property of Nigerians.

     

  • Killings: Service chiefs must go, say Niger Delta leaders

    SOME prominent Niger Delta leaders want President Muhammadu Buhari to sack his service chiefs as part of the solution to the bloodletting in the country especially.

    A former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Udengs Eradiri and the current secretary general of the IYC,Alfred Kemepado said the security agencies need to be re-vitalized to cope with the current security challenge and the attendant loss of lives. But for Second Republic governor of the old Kaduna State,Alhaji Balarabe Musa,there appears to be no effective solution in sight.

    He told The Nation that everyone, including those who initially refused to acknowledge it, are now are now vulnerable to possibilities of encountering various unlawful criminal attacks. Eradiri said President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to extend the tenures of the service chiefs “went a long way to kill the morale of subordinate officers.”

    He said the leadership “must take responsibility and deal with the issue.” Also speaking, an opinion leader in Bayelsa State, Chief Thompson Okorotie, said the service agencies have “not done enough.”

    He added: “that is why some people are calling for their removal. I support that view if they are not able to develop strategies and proactive measures to stop the bloodletting. “The killing is too much. If there is no peace there can be no meaningful development. We want a united, indivisible, peaceful and prosperous country”. The Secretary-General of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Alfred Kemepado, said President Muhammadu Buhari should “learn to visit scenes of killings as a positive demonstration of his body language that he is totally against such killings.

    “It will go a long way to put the killers in check and restore the confidence of the victims in the government. “It is high time to overhaul the security architecture. If overhauling will mean changing the service chiefs, so be it. If it means acquiring better security equipment to enhance the performance of security agencies so be it.

    “As it stands now, our security agencies are sleeping. It is not also out of place if security agencies go for more training or outsource some issues beyond them to consultants”.

    No effective solution in sight, says Balarabe Musa Also assessing the situation, Second Republic governor of the old Kaduna State,Alhaji Balarabe Musa said the first step in stopping the killings is that “we must all honestly acknowledge that Nigeria is presently in a quagmire,” and for the president to constitute a government of national unity.

    “The only possibility to avoid catastrophe is to persuade the President to constitute a Government of National Unity but the way things are now , that is mere wishful thinking – it will not work,” he said. Continuing,Musa said:“we cannot continue like this with these killings, we cannot continue with the lack of performance by this government; we have to find some other peaceful and democratic means or process towards resolving the problem. “But is the National Assembly capable or united enough for such responsibility? “Besides, can the National Assembly do it without the executive ? “So, whichever way you look at it, Nigeria is in a quagmire.

    “The only thing that can be done peacefully and democratically can only be done through an institution like the National Assembly but if all fails , the people may just have to take up the responsibility by themselves, peacefully and constitutionally.”

    There’s a difficult spiritual dimension –ACF chieftain Abdurahman A former Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum’s Political Committee,Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman expressed concern over the ethnic and religion coloration being given to the killings and said these do now augur well for the nation’s unity. He said such colorations are making the resolution of the conflicts difficult to achieve.

    He prayed that the current situation does not degenerate. “More than anything, there is a consistently-demonstrated lack of capacity in resolving or effectively ending the killings nationwide,” he added.

    Government must be proactive, says Ernest Irek A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Chief Ernest Irek urged the government to be proactive. He said: “ We have flashpoints in this country. We have Benue. We have Plateau. All those flashpoints should be checked. Is it when the problem goes round the whole country that we would wake up?

  • Youth group: Buhari can end killings

    The Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) yesterday affirmed their stand with the current administration, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari is capable of ending the killings across the country.

    The National Secretary of BYO, Engr. Garba Umar, said this during a briefing titled ‘Support Buhari 2019’ held at the organisation’s secretariat in Abuja yesterday.

    Umar said that the present administration has done much more than its predecessors in terms of security and ending violence, especially in the northern part of the country.

    He said: “Before this administration, we all knew where we were in Nigeria. We spent almost three years in curfew in Borno and Yobe states because of insecurity. Killings were the order of the day.

    “However, today, with President Muhammadu Buhari, we can roam the streets in the Northeast as you can roam the streets anywhere in Nigeria.

    “Nobody can remember the last time we heard of a bomb blast in any of the major cities in the northeast.

    “This tells you that this government is doing much better than the 16 wasted years of governance which could not even contain a small problem.

    “Today, the issue of Boko Haram is 75 per cent tackled, and I can say this authoritatively because I come from Yobe.

    “Since this government has succeeded in combating the issue of Boko Haram, I am sure that they will resolve the issue of the killings going on across the country.”

    The organisation which is centered on youth empowerment in Nigeria is planning its official launch in a ceremony at Eagle Square, Abuja on July 10.

    Its National Chairman, Ali Barakat, said the purpose of the ceremony is to bring together all the members of the group to show solidarity for President Buhari.

    “The members in rural areas need to know the executives of the organisation. That is why we are coming together.

    “We also want to show Nigeria that we are strongly behind President Buhari and we will continue to support him in the upcoming 2019 elections,” he said.

  • Killings: CAN suspends July 11 protest

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has announced the postponement of its peaceful protest march earlier slated for July 11.

    Church/denominational leaders will, however, still converge on the National Christian Centre with the National Executive Committee of CAN at 10 am on the said date to “cry to God for our land.”

    According to a statement issued in Abuja by Special Assistant (Media & Communications) to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the protest march was postponed due to some circumstances beyond the body’s control.

    The statement, however, said the earlier scheduled three-day prayer and fasting will hold in all churches and state chapters of CAN from July 9 to 11.

    “CAN had declared July 9-11, 2018 as national days of prayers and fasting against unwarranted killings in the land and called on all well-meaning Nigerians within and outside the country to join Christians on July 11, 2018 for a peaceful protest against the killings.

    “CAN had hinged its decision on wilful and persistent killing of fellow citizens in general and Christians in particular nationwide and mostly in Plateau and Benue (states) where mass burial has become the norm without any positive response from the country’s security agencies.

    “CAN had expressed gross concern and grave disappointment over the continuous killings despite clarion calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to re-organise his security team by replacing all the security chiefs,” the statement said.