By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Government has been asked to take actionable steps to end the endemic insecurity, mitigate further attacks by kidnap syndicates and terrorist groups, and, account for persons missing in these attacks.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Monday, Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria under the auspices of the Civil Society Joint Action Group, Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, and, Nigeria Mourns, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of security across Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Group says its mass atrocities and fatality tracking across the country by Nigeria Mourns revealed that at least 2,423 people have been killed in mass atrocities-related incidents and at least 1,872 persons abducted between May 29, 2023 to January 26, 2024 under President Bola Tinubu.
It added that under President Buhari’s second term alone (2019 to 2023), at least 24,816 Nigerians lost their lives, and at least 15,597 persons were abducted.
The Group called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently fulfill the constitutional imperative of safeguarding the lives of all citizens by declaring a state of emergency on kidnapping and other forms of terrorism.
Other demands by the Group to the President include Enhancement of the country’s security infrastructure by conducting an audit of the responsibility matrix within security agencies and departments of government; Bolster capabilities and deployment of technology to effectively address the evolving challenges of insecurity; Prompt prosecution of the 400 sponsors of terrorism arrested under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
The Group also wants the prosecution of those responsible for the misappropriation of the $460 million earmarked for the provision of CCTV cameras in the Federal Capital Territory; Implementation of more decisive measures to promptly secure the release of all abducted victims; Creation of a register of victims of abductions and other forms of mass atrocities among other demands.