Chinelo Obogo
The Coalition of Northern Groups for Good Governance (CNGG) has warned those it alleges are stoking violence in some parts of the country to desist from their activities.
The group made up of about 35 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and groups across the north said youths will rise against those fanning the embers of insecurity and those behind sponsored protests.
Speaking at a press conference at the weekend in Abuja, the group’s president, Abu Mohammed, alleged that there are people bent on instigating violence and causing unrest in some parts of the north, who have now resorted to trying to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and blur the successes of the service chiefs in an effort to compel the President to sack them.
While throwing its weight behind the president, CNGG added that the service chiefs need support, as a unified front is required to surmount the various security challenges.
“We find it expedient to once again speak to Nigerians, particularly, some partisan merchants of violence contracted to cause unrest in parts of Northern Nigeria.
“The North and Nigeria is our collective heritage and it is very painful that some dubious characters are aligning with internal and external forces to destroy it. We are angered by this development and it will be a shame for our generation to bear this stigma and therefore, the imperative for caution.
“We thought with 2019 electioneering campaigns over, sanity would return to Nigeria. The renewed acts of armed banditry and killings especially in parts of the North are not only induced, but politicised by some disgruntled politicians seeking to administer Nigeria from the backdoor, as typified by their constant sermons for the sack of serving service chiefs.
“After the instigated acts of insecurity, they also proceeded to hire emergency civil society groups for public protests in the prosecution of their plans. Miscreants under different guises were massively recruited to execute these plots.
“With every attempt the administration of President Buhari makes in blighting the fire of insecurity in the country, these people, some of whom are backed by foreigners, resuscitate new plots to cause more problems for the country. The intention is to discredit the administration of President Buhari; blur the successes our service chiefs have recorded in containing insecurities’ in order to find public justification to compel the President to sack them.
“These antics are no longer strange to us and we are calling on the masterminds to be careful, least the actions they embark upon cause counter-reactions from Nigerians. Security is our collective responsibility and every Nigerian is a sentinel over his life, domain and community.
“Let us resolve to work closely with security agents to root out armed bandits, terrorists and militias in our communities. The erroneous posturing or notion that security is the sole responsibility of the President or a Governor has created fertile grounds for the promoters of this evil against our people and country to thrive. We cannot exhibit this ignorance forever.
“There is every need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders towards tackling the security challenges, particularly in the Northern part of the country. We should not allow our enemies to overwhelm us, to destroy or ruin our communities.
“To this end, we strongly condemn actions by some individuals who are dancing to the tunes of these forces and it is clear to us that they scheme to throw the country into chaos by sponsoring violence and at the same time, inducing youths to embark on protests against the country’s leadership.
“The manner of the latest protest is bafflling. Youths were sighted freely mingling in the season of Covid-19 in total disregard for social-distancing protocols and the deliberate refusal to wear Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) such as face masks and so forth. It only justifies the artificiality of the public protests and the random recruitment of youths to cause tension and further destructions.
“Nevertheless, we are not ignorant of the genuine intentions of President Buhari to ensure the security and safety of every Nigerian. Needless to stress or we contented to express with every modicum of confidence that the administration cherishes the life of every citizen and has done so much in this dimension in the last five years.
“We are compelled to acknowledge the efforts of the President in fighting insecurity in the country and pour these eulogies on him not just because he has done well considering the challenges which his administration inherited on coming on board and his skillful management of it to this hour.
“We appreciate the efforts and sacrifice of our security agents for sustaining the counter-fire against armed criminals terrorising our country. They have done so much to ensure our citizens and territorial integrity is protected from invaders and aggressors.
“We acknowledge our security agents who have paid the supreme price for the unity and stability of the country and the safety of others. We are convinced absolutely that their sacrifices will never be in vain and Nigeria will surely overpower the gangs of armed criminals amassed against it.
“We pledge the total support of all citizens to the security agencies and the leadership of the country; as we reiterate the call for a unified front for us to surmount the various security challenges,” the group said.