Secure Nigeria in 3 months or face mass protests, Northern group orders Buhari

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has issued a three-month ultimatum to the Muhammadu Buhari government to end the worsening security challenges in the country or risk mass protests.

This was contained in a statement issued by the spokesman for the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, which he made available to journalists in Kaduna.

The statement warned that if the Nigerian government fails to address insecurity in the country, especially in the North, the youths might be forced to embark on mass protests.

To this end, CNG gave President Buhari three months to sanitise Nigeria and bring to end the wanton killings in the country, especially by the killer Fulani herdsmen.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the CNG shall see no course in holding back the commencement of renewed protests on a much wider scale if, at the expiration of the three months, the government’s commitment to safeguarding the lives of citizens all over the country remains mere rhetoric,” the statement reads.

“In place of the halted protests, the CNG hereby resolves to direct its state coordinators to raise their levels of vigilance and to assist the security forces with credible relevant intelligence needed to tackle the situation.

“All CNG state coordinators and officials of affiliate groups to commence the immediate process of compiling all aspects of security worries in their respective states to deliver to the various state commissioners of police for onward transmission to the chief executives and thereafter, address the press at NUJ (Nigerian Union of Journalists) centres in groups of not more than 25 each.

“The federal security forces must carry out a proper threat assessment of the situation to review the current poor law enforcement, poor intelligence, and the lack of synergy among other vulnerabilities.

“The federal authorities must tame the exponential rise in the rate of attacks and the number of terror gangs, halt the proliferation of illicit arms and mop up the estimated 350 million small arms and light weapons already believed to be in Nigeria with a large percentage in the North.

“Government must take steps to ensure that all security budget allocations are released in full to the relevant agencies on a quarterly basis to ensure efficiency.

“The federal and state governments must commence the process of resettling the displaced communities.

“The federal legislators must do their job by quickly moving to amend the clause in the Constitution to allow for multiple security and public safety arrangements in the country – at the federal, state, and local government levels.

“Legislators must move for enactment for the provision of special welfare packages for front-line security personnel, including hazard allowances to their family, scholarships for their children’s education and health insurance for their families.

“The Northern states governments must halt treating security issues with kid gloves, and address the current threats with the seriousness and purposefulness that they deserve.

“Meanwhile, we urge improved public cooperation with security efforts and concerted rigorous prayers for divine intervention to grant our troops victory in stemming this deadly menace once and for all and for the restoration of a lasting peace and enduring stability.

“We also call on the business community and the wealthy in society to replicate the gesture they extended to support the Covid-19 fight to the current war against insecurity.”