From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
As part of its cardinal objectives to campaign for peace in Africa and the entire globe, a non-governmental organisation under the aegies of Africa Global Development for Positive Change Initiative (ADIafrica) has called on the Africa Union and the Economic Community of West African States to work in synergy to ensure peace and tranquillity in Africa.
The International President of ADIafrica, Prince Dan Mbachi made this call yesterday, while speaking with The AUTHORITY in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on the recent crisis that engulfed parts of Africa, particularly Guinea Conakry and Nigeria.
Mbachi expressed dismay over the political situation in Guinea Conakry where according to him, the opposition party UFDG was reported to have declared itself the winner of the elections held recently in that country and the intervention of the police that led to loss of lives.
He observed that although, protest is part of democracy, it should not be allowed to be hijacked by miscreants who take laws into their hands thus, creating a vent for confrontation between them that the security operatives.
He maintained that “if protest is as peaceful as it should be, there wouldn’t be casualties in alarming rate resulting from protest and counter protest.”
Commenting on the crisis in Nigeria that led to imposition of curfew in some parts of the states in the country, Mbachi described as tragic, the Lekki-Lagos incident that sparked off a nationwide protest that already had claimed many lives on both sides of the protesters and the security agents.
He further explained that “in an ideal society, every protest is supposed to address certain issue that is adversely affecting the entire living of the populace”, noting that anything contrary could be bad.
Prince Mbachi lamented, that protests and counter protests in time past and recently had sent many protesters as well as many security operatives to their untimely graves.
As a measure to control the ugly phenomenon in Africa, he urged the AU, ECOWAS, as well as other relevant bodies and organisations not to stand aloof while lives and property are carelessly wasted.
Mbachi advised that “security operatives should be properly schooled on how to handle protesters particularly those who are not armed with offensive weapons.”
The group pledged its commitment to work with AU, ECOWAS, corporate and individual outfits to put Guinea Conakry, Nigeria and the entire continent of Africa on the path if peace.
