Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for the rising insecurity in the country while tasking him to stop attacking, harassing, arresting and detaining protesters who are rightly demonstrating against the serious challenges and breaches of national security particularly in Northern Nigeria.

The rights group said if there is anybody to arrest and detain, then the President should arrest the key figures who ought to ensure that there is national security and national stability such as the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu; Director General of States Services Department; Comptroller Generals of Customs and Immigration and the Ministers of Defence; Police Affairs and Interior.

HURIWA however exonerated the Service Chiefs because, according to the rights group, these military chiefs have been extremely over-tasked and over stretched with the huge war on terror which they have waged relentlessly for a decade and they have in most cases been asked to also carry out the routine internal security and policing jobs which are not necessarily their primary line of duty in line with the laws.

HURIWA also canvassed the unconditional release of all the leaders of the protests in the North who were arrested by security forces on the orders of the President because, according to the rights group, peaceful protests are covered by chapter four of the Nigerian Constitution of which guarantees citizenship rights such as freedoms of association, expression and movement.

The rights group said: “HURIWA has watched as groups of youth organisations known commonly as the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY), other youths in states across the North including Katsina, staged peaceful protests over incessant killings in Niger state and the entire northern states.

“The CNY is blaming the governments for inaction in tackling the security challenges bedeviling northern Nigeria as armed bandits kill citizens, rape women and their daughters and destroy properties with impunity while the government seems to be watching helplessly.

“The groups which made recommendations on how to check insecurity lamented that hundreds of people have been rendered homeless, properties that cannot be quantified monetarily destroyed or stolen, millions of Naira paid as ransom, children orphaned and human dignity butchered.

“HURIWA shares their sentiments that It is worrisome and regrettable that unarmed citizens have been recklessly neglected by the very same government that swore to protect them under whatever circumstances, thereby compelling locals to resort to self-help which amount to insensitivity and abdication of responsibility on the part of the government.

“Government have failed in its responsibility of, protecting lives and properties of Nigerians as sworn in accordance with the supreme laws of Nigeria which are binding and inalienable.

“HURIWA supports the protesters for saying that they presume that the government is not willing to tackle these cases of violent mass killings head-long as no group of criminals can be bigger and better equipped than government forces. The youths rightly stated as follows; Our patience has exhausted as our communities and villages are being wiped out due to incessant attacks which has left hundreds dead, many with life threatening injuries and properties are destroyed on a daily basis.”

HURIWA called on the Buhari administration to either implement far-reaching security mechanisms to tackle the nationwide breakdown of law and order or tender immediate resignation for this spectacular set-back in the area of security that we have continued to witness all across Nigeria.

“The President must exorcise himself of nepotism and favouritism in the appointments of members of the National security team and allow the Federal Character Principle as provided for in the Constitution in Section 14(3) to guide his every steps in this regard.

“The appointment of all members of the internal security architectures from the Moslem North is not only a grave constitutional breach but is the reason for the constant attacks in the North given that due to lack of professionalism and patriotism those who should deal with terrorists are treating them with mere carrots and sticks,” it said.

HURIWA has also blamed President Buhari for the mass killings because of the unconstitutional and absolutely illegal practice of releasing detained terrorists into the society as repentant terrorists as against the demands of the common laws to prosecute and punish mass murderers in accordance with the provisions of the law. “No sane society that is functional and lawful will release killers without letting them face the full weight of the law. A nation that dines and wines with terrorists like the current Administration does will inevitably be providing resources for armed terrorists to destabilise the country,” the group said.

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