By Bob MajiriOghne Etemiku
The Conference of Non-Government Organisations (CONGOS), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to without delay strengthen the response capacity of Nigeria’s security apparatchik, so as to stem the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria.
Abiola Daisy (Mrs), president of the CONGOS made the call at a press conference titled Insecurity, Economic regression and Social Anomie at the CONGOS headquarters in Benin City Edo State. According to Mrs Abiola Daisy, Nigerians only used to complain about hunger and general poverty.
‘But in recent times, the provocation has been escalated to the point of the inability of the Nigerian State to provide security of life and property for Nigerians. In a country where the provision for economic wellbeing and the safety of lives has eluded a country or a people, the basis for sovereignty and patriotism are helplessly eroded’, Mrs Abiola Daisy said during the parley with journalists and stakeholders.
The Conference of Non-Governments Organisations, CONGOS, is a coalition of over 150 NGOs, FBOs, CBOs, and other non-state actors working in different thematic areas of development in Edo State. It has a vision of a state in which the civil society will play a role in driving development in partnership with the public and private sectors. Mrs Abiola Daisy in citing remote and immediate causes of the intractable security situation in Nigeria said that worsening crises of unemployment, collapse of the educational system promote indulgence in crime.
‘’We consider it a fallacious argument to always think always link the present spate of robberies, kidnapping and killings in our country to the 2015 election.
While the militarization of our youths for election violence elevates the dimension of arms proliferation in Nigeria, criminality and gangs have been common experiences in Nigeria before 2015. To use such premises in isolation brings an obscurantist dimension that emasculates the real causes of insecurity in Nigeria
Mrs Daisy Abiola said that what was worrisome about the insecurity dimension in Edo State was that it is antithetical to the development of the Edo State. ‘Therefore, a social anomie discourages investors from coming to Edo state negates all efforts and slogans about a realizable development plan’, Mrs Daisy Abiola said.
Presenting a 12-point solution based approach to security in Nigeria, Mrs Daisy Abiola said that President Buhari must invite the EFCC and ICPC to probe without delay allegations that monies set aside by security had been embezzled by former service chiefs.
‘We call on government to take responsibility and engender political will to effectively curtail security by a proper funding of the Nigerian military, police and allied services. In addition, we call for an audit report on the police, to be made public with details of all guns stolen from police stations during the EndSARS protests. These details will guide us on the lapses that our security network is experiencing and lead to an effective security in Nigeria.
Reacting to queries from newsmen why the CONGOS appeared to be late with addressing the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, an official said that CONGOS is not in the habit of making frivolous statements.‘We have been studying the situation, have been working behind the scenes to come up with a blueprint to present to the public and to government. That is why you have this gathering. This week, we have called broad-based coalition – representatives of market women, students, the business elite, religious organisations, and the gamut of Nigerians to a deliberation.
If they mandate us to call for the resignation of Mr Buhari, as is being clamoured for in certain quarters, then we will go ahead to form a joint action committee to mandate the National Assembly to call the president to order over insecurity in Nigeria’, Bartholomew Okoudo, CONGOS director of Administration told Alltimepost.
When asked what the position of the CONGOS is concerning allegations made by Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, that monies appropriated for tackling insecurity have been stolen, Mr. Okuodo said: ‘Get the EFCC and ICPC involved now and bring the culprits to book’.
