By Deborah Hassan
Irked by the spate of insecurity in the country, senior advocate of Nigeria, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Bishop Hassan Kukah, Prof. Pat Utomi and 43 other prominent Nigerians have demanded the resignation of all Nigeria’s service chiefs for incompetence.
In a statement signed by Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim on behalf of 46 prominent Nigerians including senior lawyers, clerics, businessmen, scholars and other professionals, they called on President Muhammadu Buhari as the Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to discharge his duty of addressing violence in several parts of the country.
Hinging their call on the recent killing of rice farmers in Zarbamari, Borno State, they said that incident was the breaking point and asked the president to appoint security chiefs that can address the rising spate of killings across the country.
Other members making up the 46 include Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed, Adeyemi Candide-Johnson (SAN), Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Mr. Salisu Nuhu Mohammed , Dayo Olaide, Danlami Nmodu, Dr. Chris Kwaja, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Dr. Dipo Fashina, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, Dr. Udo Jude, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, Dr. Kole Shettima, Dr Usman Bugaje, Ene Obi and father George Ehusani.
Others are Funke Adekoya (SAN), Idayat Hassan, Hon. Rima Shawulu, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, Mallam Hamza Ibrahim, Mallam Y.Z. Yau, Mr. Ledum Mitee, Mr. Chino Obiagwu (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), Mr. John Odah, Ms Ngozi Iwere, Ms Amina Salisu, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Prof. Adele Jinadu and Prof. Godini Darah.
Others are Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Prof. Mohammed Tabiu (SAN), Prof. Pat Utomi, Prof. Rufai Alkali, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie and Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN).
They said in the statement, “What we see, like others, is incompetence in governance demonstrated by a lack of ideas on how to tackle insecurity, a poor understanding of the situation and a clear failure in the pursuit of government engagement to address these problems.
“The Zabarmari incident is a grave indictment of the government. At the minimum what we should have seen is the honourable exit of the persons responsible for defence and security of our country.
“In spite of numerous calls on the president to sack his service chiefs, the president has persisted in his policy of guarantying them longevity in their positions.
“His message to Nigerians appears to be that he is not ready to sanction his security chiefs for failure. The president must therefore take responsibility for the failure as the Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces.”
The therefore demanded, “Having carefully observed and followed these unfolding events, the Zabarmari gruesome killings must be a redline for the country. The time for action is now.”
The group added that it was concerned that the unfolding security crisis was threatening to engulf the nation, while reiterating their belief in the freedom of all Nigerians to exercise the rights guaranteed by the constitution, including the right to life, dignity, personal liberty, freedom of speech, and right to freedom of association.
“Beyond these fundamental rights is the high constitutional duty and responsibility of all organs of government in Nigeria to act for the primary purpose of government being the security and welfare of the people (as set out in Section 14(2)(B) of the constitution). The prerequisite for exercising the rights of citizens rests fully on the existence of the security of lives and property of all Nigerians.
“Despite the exacerbation of prevailing pains of anguish and anger precipitated by Covid-19 and attendant stagflation, the unfortunate manner in which the groundswell united EndSARS protest was ended with illegitimate use of force by government (some disillusioned as well as criminal people), has increased tension, fear, dismay, disillusion and despair for most Nigerians,” they noted.
They also decried the unlawful detention and blocking of bank accounts of innocent protesters and concerted efforts by the state to delegitimise EndSARS by presenting it as a move to initiate regime change, as well as the inconsistent, high handed treatment of the people by the federal government.
The group also condemned the government’s ban on protests, when attention should be focused on how to address the substantive issues that led to the protest.
“Nigerians now live in a state of anomie, well outside our unsuccessful eleven-year old war against boko haram. Across the country, especially in the north, life has become extremely tenuous.
“People are killed daily, women are raped regularly, kidnapping is rife and many farmers cannot go to their farms. We are concerned that over the past five years, in particular, public safety and security have been in steady decline throughout the country.
“The security chiefs in the country have collectively failed to provide security for Nigerians and there must be consequences for this failure and in any case their tenure has expired.
“Civil society groups and communities must come out and clearly show their legitimate concerns at mounting insecurity and make it clear that they are unwilling to continue to accept the current collapse of public safety.
“State governments and community leaders should quickly put in place legitimate mechanisms for better protection of their people against mass violence, banditry, kidnapping and other crimes,” they maintained.