The pan Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has passed a vote of no confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of security issues in Nigeria while calling for the immediate restructuring of the country and establishment of State Police by interested State Governments.
Afenifere, in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi described the handling of security situation in Nigeria by the Federal Government as “tantamount to ceding the country into the hands of terrorists”.
The statement noted that the confession by President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, that terrorists ‘deceived’ the government into releasing his wife and children without releasing victims of Abuja-Kaduna train was “very unfortunate and an admission of failure” as a government”.
Afenifere declared, “In view of the fact that government is expected to possess superior power in virtually everything than any others in a country, considering the fact that the primary responsibilities of the government are the provision of security and welfare for the people and considering the fact that the present administration has failed to provide either security or welfare for the people of Nigeria in recent times, one may not be wrong to state that President Buhari’s government greatly lost the confidence, trust and hope that were invested in it at inception. It is a pity”.
According to Afenifere’s spokesman, “what came out of Shehu’s disclosures confirmed a suspicion and allegation that have been in the public domain for a long time, to wit: That government not only knows the terrorists, it is aware of where they are! “Why the government refuses to confront them and put an end to the needless losses and agonies of Nigerians is a riddle that one finds difficult to unravel”.
Afenifere stated further, “The manner insecurity issue is being handled is unfortunately lending credence to the views of those who are alleging that there could be a hidden agenda to this issue of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, “otherwise, the government would have been more decisive in the way it tackles the monster that is fast eroding the very essence of our being.”
Regretting the level to which insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping and needless loss of precious lives have degenerated in the country, Afenifere then pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari “to urgently put a stop to the needless sacrifice of lives of innocent Nigerians by terrorists by, among others, calling the terrorists’ bluff, equipping the security agencies materially, logistically and in terms of morale-boosting, be genuinely committed to Nigeria and the people as well as by allowing states that are willing to set up state police forces”.
“These things are the minimum that the President can do. And they are not difficult to be done at all. It only takes the desired political and moral will on the part of the President to do so”, Afenifere stated.
The pan Yoruba group added that “there is also the constitutional reason for the President to take these steps because Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) makes it a duty for the government to provide security for the people”.
“Furthermore, if he could allow the Restructuring of the country right now, history would be kinder to him.
“The president should, without wasting any more time, get these things done as suggested above. And in doing so, he could also delegate more powers so that the engine of the state can run faster and more efficiently!” the statement concluded.
