The apex Yoruba youth group, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide alongside the Coalition of Southern Group (CSG) have expressed support for the proposal by the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) to strengthen the national peaceful dialogue and unity.
In a statement signed Friday in Abuja by the President of Yoruba youths, Aare Oladotun Hassan, said there is need to urgently and collectively address the varying degrees of issues of mutual interests.
“While reiterating the issue of insecurity is most important matter on the table, while we see the hydraheaded challenges of FSARS, with much emphasis for its scrapping in the Southern Nigeria, based on recorded excessive highhandedness, serial extra judicial killings and wanton corruption, we must as well consider its positive vantages too in fighting the dreaded scourge of terrorism, banditry, cultism and other violent crimes in Nigeria.
“Hence, the need for a deliberate call for a National Security Dialogue on State of the nation, for we cannot afford to go back to the locusts days of street armed robbery and violent crimes.
“While withdeep heart of grieve, we commiserate with the families and friends of the heroes and martyrs of the struggle of #LekkiEnsarsMasacre.
“It goes to say that we seek out explanation from the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff to jointly explain who authorized the monumental disaster of of 20-10-2020.
“With deep regret and disappointment, we eqaully condemn the lies of ‘No Casualty of loss of lives” from Governor Babajide Sanwolu of Lagos State, it indeed shows proven lack of empathy and understanding of the magnitudes of the offense against humanity.
“This is crystal clear genocide committed against harmless and peaceful protesters.
“It is high time we workout a best solution approach towards resolving the growing tide of violence and arsons, particularly within Southern regions, hence the need to join our voices with the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) for fundamental demands for police reforms and adequate funding.”
While expressing displeasure over what is described as misguided looting of shops and other ugly activities, the group said: “We are displeased with the invasion and removal of starf of office of Oba of Lagos and burning of the palace of Oba Elemoro in Ibeju Lekki by hoodlums who took advantage of the Endsars protest to wreck monumental havocs and irreparable attacks on our High courts, local government secretariats, police stations and Area ‘J’ Commands, mass destructions of government infrastructures across the country built with tax payers money.
“We therefore take a joint stand with our Northern friends onthe end insecurity campaign, as a matter of necessity, indeed we did all to avert this double jeopardy but yet the inevitable occurred.”
