Chairman, Global Prolife Alliance, Dr. Philip Njemanze, has commended the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over its recent accountability demands from government on security. However, Njemanze wants the non-governmental organisation to go further than that.
Berating the Federal Government and the National Assembly for avoiding the issue of sponsors of Boko Haram, both foreign and local, he stressed that exposing them was the key to solving insecurity in the country.
Njemanze said: “I would suggest that SERAP demand that the NASS and FG commence public investigation into sponsors of Boko Haram, bandits and others. A joint commission should be established to be headed by a former federal or appeal court judge. It would include members from the NASS, representatives from all the six geopolitical zones, farmers and others.”
Njemanze argued that, since insecurity started during the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, it would be wise to commence from there to call witnesses. According to him, all ministers of agriculture, special advisers to the President on agriculture and national security advisers must give open testimony. He further said: “All foreign organisations identified with any links must testify. When foreign citizens are involved, extradition orders could be issued, if they refuse to come by themselves.
“Crucial would be the testimonies of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who was minister of agriculture in the Jonathan administration when the killing of farmers started. Also important is the testimony of the eminent person, presidential special adviser to President Jonathan on agriculture.
“Some interesting information is to examine why farmers who are seed growers are being killed. According to data from the US Council of Foreign Relations, between 2015 and 2018, 37,500 people were killed of which 85% or 32,000 were Muslims while 15% or 5,500 were Christians.
“If this is Islamisation, why are many Muslims killed? Why are seed growers killed at the same time that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) seeds are being introduced into Nigeria’s agricultural sector?”
Njemanze wondered if there was a conspiracy to capture the food security of Nigeria.
According to him, “they drove the farmers into IDP camps and came as international NGOs to distribute the GMO seeds, called improved seeds. They have killed most seed growers in the North and are now coming South to finish others. The public investigation would expose and heighten the call for international indictments and will end the security crisis fast.”