From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Nigeria is at the verge of collapsing if urgent steps are not collectively taken to salvage it, National chairman, Foundation for Civilian Peace in Nigeria, (FCPN), Commodore Yagdah Manu Danboyi (rtd), said yesterday.
He made the assertion at the inauguration ceremony of the South-South chapter of the organization in Warri, Delta State.
Yagdah noted that the country in recent times has witnessed a very turbulent moment that has threatened the existence and unity of the nation adding that mindful of that, people of like minds who still believe in its togetherness, decided to come together to see how issues plaguing its existence could be addressed.
“This foundation is conceived and borne out of the security situation Nigeria find itself in as a result of rif raft categories of insecurity plaguing the citizens of this country.
“We have insecurity in the form of agitation for self-determination, resource control, demands for religious liberty and mundane criminals resulting to the picking of arms by non state actors against the state actors in form of terrorism, armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping, piracy, militancy and other forms of violence.
“Gentlemen, you will agree with me that Nigeria is collapsing today and that is the reality.
“Worried by the daunting security challenges confronting this country, people of like minds from different parts of this country, sat down and said, let us do something at our own level, contribute to the finding of solutions, hence the Foundation for Civilian Peace in Nigeria was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as one of the NGOs in this country.
“The foundation was officially launched in Abuja on 28 of December, 2020. Today, we are inaugurating the South-South chapter of the foundation being the first zone out of the six geopolitical zones”, he said.
The national chairman said the South-South region is very key to the survival of the nation’s economy, and that all hands must be on deck to salvage it.
“The South-South region, as you all know, is comprised of six states, namely, Cross Rivers, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Edo.
“South-South region chapter of the Foundation for Civilian Peace in Nigeria was chosen first to be inaugurated because of the strategic importance of this region to the fabric of the economy of this country.
“The region has had it fair share of insecurity. One of the security problems in the region is sea piracy, illegal oil bunkering, cultism, pipeline vandalism, armed robbery and kidnapping”, he said.
In his acceptance speech, the South-South zonal commander, Samuel Umufiedo, said he would work with all relevant stakeholders to bring about lasting peace in the region.