From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
A Non Governmental Organization, South West Women Arise for Nigeria has raised the alarm over the increasing rate of insecurity in the country and called for an end to the scourge.
Rising from its quarterly meeting held in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Friday, the group called on the federal government to ensure that an end comes to insecurity in the country in the interest of all and sundry.
According to the communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the president of the group, Dr. Hannatu Adeeko, and its first Vice President, Mrs feyinwa Omowole, the women group charged security agencies to brace up in the task of securing the country.
The communique reads “only peace can guarantee progress. Once peace is gone, everything else hangs in the balance until peace is restored.
“From the drums of war sounding across the land, it is clear that a lot of people are aggrieved, owing to the myriads of challenges, especially insecurity-related, bedeviling the nation. Truly, what we face today can be described as a war situation already. Thousands of lives have been lost to needless and inhuman acts of bandits who get emboldened by the day.
“Kidnapping now seems to be a most lucrative job, aside from oil and gas. Criminal minded individuals even connive with others to kidnap themselves just to squeeze money out of their relatives.
“But in all of this, we must remember that beyond politics, no government would watch its administration crumble or deliberately sponsor or encourage bandits and terrorists to shed so much blood as to warrant a state of emergency that could lead to any counter-action.
“We must learn from all that is happening in Afghanistan and other war torn nations. We must not allow war in this country,” the communique added.
Besides, the group lauded Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State for his women inclusive policies, saying that his administration was the only one that gives more recognition to women.
“As women, we have decided to give honour to whom it is due. In this regard, we have again resolved to single out Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State as the role model for the Nigerian government in terms of women inclusion.
“Where women are put to good and strategic use, peace and growth are the results. The result is showing in all aspects of governance in the state, including security, education, agriculture and other sectors.
“He is the first Governor ever to appoint a female ADC in the history of Nigeria. His SSG is also a woman. More important to add is the fact that all the Vice Chairmen of the local governments in the state are women.
“This is why we are saying that the problem of Nigeria is not about political parties but about the person who can do the job and take us out of the quagmire. We as women must come in and prevail on our husbands, on our children, to toe the path of peace and not allow agents of destruction use them to cause greater destruction.
“For communities and countries, peace supercedes everything else. Some tend to have taken the peace that we have been enjoying, at least before the current crisis started, for granted. And by this, we are speaking to the consciences of those bent on splitting this nation by all means, through ceaseless blood letting from across Nigeria. Two wrongs would not make a right, they would only end in disaster,” the group added.