- Say regional injustice and imbalance boosting Insecurity
By Rapheal Izokpu
A Northern group operating under the aegis of Northern Patriots has appealed to the federal government to hasten the release of the 39 students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, near Kaduna.
The students were kidnapped by bandits about three weeks ago.
The group in a statement on Monday decried the continuous abduction of innocent people in the northern region.
They also said that regional injustice and imbalance in major appointments especially in the security sector is driving insecurity in the country.
The group said the clamours for cessation, restructuring and other issues fueling disunity in the country were necessitated by imbalance in “allocation of national rights.”
To this end, it has advised President Muhammadu to tackle the security problem by first correcting the identified ills immediately.
The statement by the National Coordinator of the group, Dr Balarabe Usman Wudil and National Secretary, Mallama Zainab Muhammad tasked Buhari not to hesitate to invest heavily in technology with a view to achieving the right and expected results.
“As a group of patriotic elements in the North, we decry the high rate of insecurity in our region and the damage it poses to national security.
“We observe that insecurity which has grown to a dangerous proportion in our dear country today was fueled by regional imbalance and one-sided appointments especially in security and government appointments.
“The clamours for self-rule and cessation in some quarters today is as a result of what we have identified.
“Having taken cognizance of these facts, may we humbly appeal to our dear and listening president, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to correct these ills in our national life immediately with a view to giving every part of the country a sense of belonging and getting our country to work again,” the group said in the statement.
“This group of patriots are elders of PMB’s age, some of us are his die hard followers, and worked very well for his elections hence we can’t keep quiet anymore so that the country does not collapse,” they said.
“We lament the continuous detention of the 39 students of College of Forestry, Afaka. We hasten to attribute the inability to secure the release of these students to the failure of security agencies to live up to their mandate,” the statement added.
It advised “the president to stop procrastinating and act now before it’s too late. He should immediately restructure the country’s security architecture for utmost results and also introduce the use of latest technology to combat criminality in the country.”
“We want Mr President to know that Nigeria is at its melting point and he needs to act fast like the speed of light to save our country. We are his lovers and loyalists and this is the truth about the country’s situation,” it further said.
“Our dear brother, Mr President must address all issues of insecurity and injustice now before we have ourselves to blame.
“This is constitutional democracy and the most vital posture that a president can adopt to make it survive is to listen to the citizens. At this point, he needs to take drastic measures even if it’s going to hurt some interests to solve this insecurity problem in the country, he should do it now before it’s too late,” the statement said.
The group noted that, “As it stands today, no region in the country is safe”, adding: “As election gets closer, it will be worse.”
“This is why we elders who believe so much in Mr President and the APC Government are advising Mr President to address every issue of insecurity and injustice to any region.
“If he needs to balance appointments, he should do it, if he needs to sack people to get the county work again particularly in the security sector, he should do. If he needs to seek foreign help, he should do immediately.
“Nigerians are getting inpatient by the day and this is not good for our unity. We appeal to Mr President to ignore those bringing religious and regional sentiments to the table when speaking to him about insecurity. For us to overcome insecurity, he must look beyond tribe and religion.
“We call on all Nigerians to put aside whatever they have against Buhari and APC government to work for the unity of Nigeria.
“We don’t have any other country to call our own; except Nigeria. Our nation can only function if we all join hands together,” the statement read.
