The Advocacy Centre for Development has lamented the killing of 2,545 security officers, and 17,886 civilians and the abduction of 15,597 persons from 2019 to 2023.

Disclosing this on Friday in Gombe State at the end of a one-day roundtable engagement with stakeholders on National Day of Mourning, the Convener and Team Lead, Ibrahim Yusuf, blamed the political class for the wanton killings.

This year marks the 7th National Day of Mourning, as declared by the Joint Nigeria Crisis Action Committee on May 28, 2018.

The day was called to denounce the level of impunity and frequency of violent killings in the country.

A statement in 2018 by Chidi Odinkalu, Yemi Adamolekun, Abiodun Baiyewu, Ier Jonathan-Ichaver and Auwal Musa (Rafsanjani) on behalf of the Co-Ordinating Committee of JN-CAC said the day of national mourning would witness a set of activities for remembrance, solidarity and awakening to the challenges confronting the nation.

Speaking on the seventh edition in Gombe, Yusuf decried the reckless use of the military in civil matters, calling for an end to killings and abductions in the country.

Yusuf said, “The killing of 2,545 security officers and 17, 886 civilians as well as abduction of 15,597 persons from 2019 to 2023 across the country were the clear absence of political will.”

While lamenting the surge in atrocities against women, children, Persons with Disabilities, students, teachers and the most vulnerable, schools and institutions of learning, he regretted that the government appeared unwilling to take urgent action to protect the demographics.

“The armed forces are deployed in all 36 states of Nigeria on internal security operations, thereby retrenching the constitutional role of the Nigeria Police Force. This is a constitutional anomaly. The rise in fatalities from military operations shows that the military is over-stretched. This cannot continue.

“Here in Gombe State, we have issues of farmer/herder clashes in some communities of the state during the rainy season and we are calling on the state government and the security agencies and the traditional institutions to do the needful, without fear or favour, by putting an end to the issues of unrest in the state,” he said.

He lauded as timely, the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs and the inauguration of Operation Hattara and Gombe Security Traffic and Environmental Corps by the Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya.

“As Nigerians bleed, we have come together on this seventh National Day of Mourning to ask the people in authority to take urgent steps in preventing the menace,” he said.

The group, in a 10-point communique signed by Saidu Malala, chairman; Abubakar Jibrin, member; and Garba Ubale, member; asked communities to participate in providing useful, timely and accurate information to security operatives.

It called for the reactivation of the roles of traditional institutions in society and, the reintroduction of educational marshals in schools to guard against drug abuse, youth restiveness and other social vices.

It added, “Religious leaders should at all times preach the gospel of peace, tolerance and mutual understanding in their places of worship.

“Operators of social media handles and platforms should refrain from posting unverified information that may trigger friction between communities.

“Conventional media have been described as key players in sensitising the public on the importance of peaceful coexistence.

“Proactive measures to be taken by both security operatives and citizens in bringing lasting peace in the country.

“The roundtable also emphasised peaceful coexistence among communities, irrespective of the diverse ethnic, cultural, political and religious settings in the country.” (The PUNCH)

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