PRESIDENT, Centre for Change, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin has decried the increasing spate of killing of politicians and their followers, calling for security agencies, especially the police, to be more people and community oriented.
Odumakin, in a statement on Sunday, said such community policing was more expedient especially during the current electioneering period.
While calling for caution among Nigerians irrespective of political differences, she, particularly, tasked all security agencies to be proactive to urgently arrest perpetrators of heinous crimes, without unnecessary delay.
“We call on the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to step up on their duty of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians through their various security agencies.
“Top on the list of Security agencies that are more people and community oriented is the Nigeria Police which we expect to become more proactive in securing the lives of citizens.
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“We urge our Security operatives to please be on the alert always especially before, during and after the elections.
“We equally appeal that the perpetrators of such dastard and heinous acts are brought to book in no time,” Odumakin said.
Odumakin expressed worry that the penchant of politicians and their followers to embrace do or die politics still remained a part of the nation’s democracy.
She, therefore, urged Nigerians to erase such mindset while reminding the government to live up to its responsibilities of security of lives and properties so as to curtail politicians’ excesses.
“The prevailing spate of killings and maiming of political figures in recent times call for serious concerns and the government whose primary duty is to ensure the security of lives and properties of her citizens must curtail such excesses now.
“We are excruciatingly pained and greatly disappointed too that the players and circumstantial beneficiaries of the struggle for the enthronement of Democratic system of government in Nigeria are not playing by the rules of democracy as obtained in developed nations of the world.
“We are equally bothered and seriously troubled with the “do or die” mindset of our politicians and followers since the emergence of Democracy in 1999.
“No one with human blood flowing in his/her veins will be happy to see his/her child(ren) being hit by live bullets or felled by dangerous weapons, simply because of political or ideological differences.
“The same is the feeling that is expected of a flesh hearted and responsible government from the centre of power down to the grassroots.”