News
Give order to provide effective security across Nigeria – Coalition, concerned youths tell president Buhari
A CALL FOR PEACEFUL, LOGICAL AND PURPOSEFUL STRUGGLE
President Mohammodu Buhari as the commander in chief of the armed forces has been charged to give order to provide effective security for the country especially at this time of civil unrest across Nigeria.
Coalition of civil society in conjunction concerned youths in Osun State made the call in Osogbo at a press conference to address the state of the nation.
The group include, Nigerians For Good Governance; Justice Now Foundation; Oduduwa Youth Initiatives; Centre for Sustained Dialogue; Osun Youth Alternative; National Youth Democratic Network; Committee For the Defence of Human Rights; Independent Masses Forum; Social Development Monitoring Group, and World Institute for Peace
While the group asserted unequivocally their support for agitations of Nigerian youths and all the demands raised on the banner of EndSARS protest, it however condemned reported violence that has greeted it in virtually all States of the Federation.
We the Nigerian youths and members of Civil Society Coalition from Osun State wish to express our concern on the current EndSARS protest across Nigeria and our dear Osun State in particular.
“Let it be clearly understood that system failure and inability of the Government at all levels of the Nigeria political structure to meet daily yearnings and aspiration of Nigerians is responsible for the current outburst of mass anger of both young and old Nigerians being championed by the youths”.
“We accept the proposal of the Federal Government to initiate public panel of enquiry across the 36 States of Nigeria to look into various incidents of human right abuses at the behest of officers of the disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad -SARS and other abuses by officers of the Nigerian Police Force in general”.
The group therefore call on all State Governors to ensure that such committee or panel is composed to include representatives of the youths, civil societies and other sections of the society to reflect democracy and integrity.
It also condemned planned deployment of military personnel to quell peaceful protest but rather advised that the military officers be deployed to combat insurgency to reclaim Nigeria territories under the control of Boko Haram.
“It is important to also state that we are not alien to the civil disobedience and protests to drive home demands and agitation of Nigerians and cannot keep quiet in the face of violence being recently imported into the EndSARS protest by some anarchists and vandals, who have been exploring the protest banner to unleash violence on the society with destruction of both public and private properties and looting as being witnessed in Osun and some other parts of Nigeria” the group stated.
“This is nothing but double jeopardy on the part of Nigerians who are equally being oppressed by the ruling class and few opportunists. It is pure anarchy to burn down the Nation without regard for the right of others whose sympathy resides with the protest. Panic being created from such acts is defeatist in nature and gives strength to argument for indispensability of the Nigerian Police. It is also a collective blackmail on Nigerian youths who genuinely want changes”.
The group therefore condemned rising scale of violence and criminality being experienced during EndSARS protest saying, it is pure distraction to derail the protest and shift its focus.
It also condemn in strong words the attack on Governors Gboyega Oyetola and Kayode Fayemi of Osun and Ekiti States, the looting at Osun Mall and extortion of money from commuter busses and private businesses.
It called on all concerned youths of Nigeria to join the effort to restore civility and orderliness to protests, resist anarchistic tendencies and restrain bad egg among the protesters.
“It is noteworthy that brandishing of dangerous weapons and other forms of violence experienced in some places across Nigeria is nothing but handiwork of counter revolutionary forces who must be disarmed with civility and candor of peace without deviation from the focus of our protest”.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to expedite action toward addressing the demands of the #EndSARS protesters and do so with sincerity and expression that will reflect trust. Hunger, unemployment, poverty, dilapidated infrastructures and other negative indices of human development index must be urgently addressed to avert impending national outburst.
We wish to say that with the current situation in the Nation – factors for revolution are overripe and we will not shy away from advocating a peaceful one, devoid of bloodletting”.
The group therefore, called on all units of protest across Nigeria to institute a National Forum for aggregation of demands for the purpose of engagement and consultation.
“We call for democratically chosen representation into a National Action Council of Nigerian Youths or whatever nomenclature we may choose to fine-tune our demands and agenda for immediate action and future political engagements”.
A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in Osun State, Senator Felix Ogunwale has said the Nigerian presidency should lead the way for others to follow in cutting down cost of governance.
Senator Ogunwale spoke on Wednesday in Osogbo while fielding question from a panel at a programme, The Frontliners’ organised by the Osun State Chapter of Association of Veteran Journalists, AVJ.
He said the right thing to be done was for the president of the country to show commitment to changing the narrative by not only asking Nigerians to endure the current hardship but to demonstrate the willingness to also make all arms of government to also feel the impact in their budget.
“I have always said it that we are note being driven by ideas in Nigeria but money. You can’t be asking those in the National Assembly to reduce their pay now when in actual sense the reason for some of them being their is to amaze wealth.
“Do you know what to correct this, it’s if our president, I am not referring to the current president, it’s the day our president decide to be riding bicycle to his office, the day the balance in his account is not more than 10 million, the day our president refuses to take more aides than it’s necessary, the day our president doesn’t believe in amazing wealth.”
The chairman of the event, Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji who also shared the views of the guest urged the people of the State to continue to support the Administration of Senator Ademola Adeleke to be able to achieve his dream of developing all sectors of the State.
He commeded the AVJ for championing such efforts geared towards charting a way forward on how to achieve all round growth and development of the society and the nation at large.
Earlier, the chairman, AVJ, Adepoju Atobatele had described the programme as another opportunity to get Nigerians engaged on salient issues of national and global dimensions on the Front Liners.
Atobatele said, the association considered it a duty as professionals in the pen fraternity, to deepen democracy by constantly provoking Intellectual disputes that would widen public horizon of issues that are germane to the wellbeing, progress, security as well galvanizing interest in the affairs of the Country.
He said “The FRONTLINERS has been very active in widening discussions and analytical assessments of issues, events and personalities involved in determining the socio-economic and political directions of our dear Country, Nigeria.
“These we are carrying out successfully with the resources available to us in different ways, through the instrumentality of the Media.
“Ours as a professional body of retired media practitioners, still active in the concept of information management, has thus taken it as a sacred duty to act as change agents in a society yearning for objective information dissemination.”
…as Nigeria sets to sign MoU with Saudi Arabia
The minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday, continued bilateral discussions with ministers and representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Brazil and Jamaica, expressing Nigeria’s government interest in learning from their knowledge and experiences.
This was revealed through his media aide, Ismail Omipidan, in a statement issued on Tuesday evening.
Recall that Oyetola, on Monday, held bilateral meetings with representatives of Greece, Qatar, and Mexico, on the sidelines of the ongoing 33rd General Assembly session of the International Maritime Organization, IMO, in London, United Kingdom.
During his meeting with the Brazilian Chief of the Navy’s General Staff, Adm José Augusto V. da Cunha de Menezes, the minister said Nigeria would want to learn from the operations of the Brazilian coast guards, as the ministry was desirous of setting up one so as to further secure the maritime space and the country’s waterways.
Oyetola further noted that: “We want to also focus on sectors such as Marine Renewable Energy, Marine Mining, Subsea Cabling and Piping, Marine Genetics, and Biotechnology, so as to grow the marine and blue economy.
“As we continue to expand and develop the activities of the sector, there will be need to deepen security architecture within the maritime space. In this regard, we are considering setting up Coast Guards and we believe that they will complement the existing security architecture to further secure our maritime space.”
The minister while expressing Nigeria’s desire to tap into technology to revolutionalise the maritime sector, further said “technology and innovation are vital for boosting Nigeria’s trade and investment prospects within the Marine and Blue Economy. Advanced marine technologies, including innovations in maritime logistics and smart logistics solutions, will significantly enhance the efficiency and sustainability of maritime transport and port operations, making Nigerian ports more competitive globally.”
Oyetola also met the newly elected Vice President of IMO, who is the Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, Saida Muna Tasneem and Saudi Arabia’s Saleh bin Nasser AIJasser, who is the minister in charge of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services of Saudi Arabia, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Both Saudi Arabia and Nigeria during the meeting agreed to sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cement their corporations, collaboration and partnership in the maritime space.
The Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke on Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency RUWESA, Chief Lanre Odelade has described the one year Administration of Governor Adeleke as pace setting.
Speaking with newsmen today,the Special Adviser says, the tactful method of Intervention in critical areas of the state’s economy and social welfare has given out the Administration as commited to the welfare and advancement of their living conditions.
Chief Odelade particularly lauded the state government for it’s quick response to correcting the infrastructural deficit,impaired health care delivery,and neglect of public sector workers,all of which were inherited from the previous ApC Governments.
The Special Adviser particularly noted the swift response of Government to water Provision which led to the sinking of solar and generator powered bore holes to the 332 wards in the state.
Chief Odelade is optimistic that Governor Ademola Adeleke will consolidate on the gains of the past one year with renewed focus on taking the local government Administration from the duldrums to the centre stage of development and self reliance in accordance with the five point agenda of the state government.
He called on the people to give maximum support to Governor Ademola Adeleke in his determined efforts to take Osun state to the promised land.
-
Fashion6 years agoThese ’90s fashion trends are making a comeback in 2017
-
Entertainment6 years ago
The final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
-
Fashion6 years ago
According to Dior Couture, this taboo fashion accessory is back
-
Sports6 years ago
Phillies’ Aaron Altherr makes mind-boggling barehanded play
-
Entertainment6 years ago
The old and New Edition cast comes together to perform
-
Entertainment6 years ago
Disney’s live-action Aladdin finally finds its stars
-
Sports6 years ago
Steph Curry finally got the contract he deserves from the Warriors
-
Fashion6 years ago
Model Jocelyn Chew’s Instagram is the best vacation you’ve ever had