Insecurity worsens under Buhari, says Musa, Falana

Former governor of Kaduna state, Balarabe Musa and Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana have accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration of failing to tackle the worsening insecurity plaguing every part of the country.

A statement issued by the duo on Sunday said that Nigeria was increasingly being defined by insecurity, as killings had become almost a daily affair in Nigeria.

“In response to the flourishing crimes in the face of the worrisome incompetence of the state, ethnic and regional champions have resorted into the dangerous ethnic profiling and demonisation of others. It is the reign of hate speech and marketing of prejudice. Claiming to speak for “our people,” they issue irresponsible ultimatums and orders for which they lack constitutional authority to enforce. Some of those who are supposed to act as statesmen at this critical hour have instead joined the ranks of issuers of prejudicial statements.

“The appropriate response to these sectional voices is not to glibly question the patriotism of any person or group. The effective response is to compel the Nigerian state under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the constitutional duty of keeping Nigeria secure. Nigeria must not be turned into a killing field. The way to take the wind out of the sails of merchants of hate is for the government to confront the worsening insecurity in Nigeria squarely and honestly,” they said.

According to Falana and Musa, law enforcement and other security agencies should fight crimes competently and strictly according to the law and that in doing so, the ethnic and religious identity of the criminal was not of any importance, as ethnic and religious profiling could distract from the urgent task of stamping out crimes.

“The truth is that every ethnic and religious group has its own share of criminals. We must separate crimes from prejudice so that criminals could be fought with a unity of purpose as a nation. It is also an indisputable fact that the victims of criminal activities belong to the various ethnic grounds and religions. We are convinced that the urgency of the situation should compel the Buhari administration to rethink its internal security strategy by considering some of the patriotic suggestions from conferences and panels set up by government in the last few years.

According to them, the justice system, especially in the states should be alert to their responsibility of diligent and swift prosecution of arrested suspected criminals, saying that it was the duty of the respective attorneys-general in the affected states to prosecute suspected killers, kidnappers and armed robbers.

“The President should address the nation specifically for the purpose of giving assurance of his commitment to the unity of Nigeria amidst adequate security. It is also the duty of genuine lovers of peace, freedom and development of Nigeria to speak up in order to save the nation from descent of anarchy. It is time that pan-Nigerian voices are heard loud and clear,” they added.