The Progressive Youth Caucus (PYC), a coalition of youth groups in the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast in ending the killings in the country, in order to salvage the image of the nation.
In a message signed by its Chairman, Comrade Bamidele Olagoke, the PYC urged the President to immediately conduct a review of the security apparatus and architecture in the country, and do away with all non-performing service chiefs and heads of security organization to help bring back Nigeria’s positive perception amongst the international community.
The PYC cited the recent report by Amnesty International and the letter by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, as clear indicators that the international community views the security situation in Nigeria as a threat to the sovereignty of the nation, therefore, President Buhari must urgently heed the previous recommendation made by the National Assembly to modify the national security architecture of Nigeria.
The statement reads: “As young people in our party, we have observed with great worry the ongoing killings, robberies, abductions and other cases of insecurity that have transpired across the nation. We understand that there is a need to exercise extreme caution when commenting on all matters of security, however, the truth, as it stands, is that Nigerians no longer feel safe in their homes, on the streets, and in their places of work.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, as our President, and the leader of our great party, must immediately heed the international communities warnings and take drastic action to end the rampant bloodletting across our nation.
“Amnesty International’s poser on the response time of our security forces should serve as a clear indictment on our police and other security forces that they are either incapable of dealing with the problems as it stands or just out-rightly slow and insensitive to the carnage across the nation.
“Right now, President Buhari must heed the earlier call of the National Assembly and now, the United Nations and Amnesty International and:
“Make our security forces more accountable and effective: If this means making drastic changes to the heads of the Police, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, this must be done.
“Reassure the nation: Nigerians are in mourning. Mr. President must re-echo his pre-election commitment to the sanctity of human lives. We cannot continue to live in a nation where people are being killed and kidnapped on a daily basis.
“Collaborate: Mr. President must immediately look beyond his conventional advisory networks and reach into the states, the local governments, the National Assembly, the international community, and the traditional/religious leaders, and seek their advice and collaboration on the way forward for our nation, and in order to get a clearer assessment of the real situation across the country and the mood of the nation.
“Without doing these things, we will continue to live in a nation where the receipt of President Buhari’s condolence statements for these mass killings will become the order of the day. We cannot continue to live like this.”
