Incessant killings must end

IT is high time government gave priority to the need of the armed forces and stop politicising the security situation of Nigeria for the safety of lives and properties.

Since 2011, about 6,000 Nigerians have been killed but in 2018, 1,071 people were killed in the first four months. This is a tragedy of monstrous proportions and there is a need to put an end to it.

There seems to be a lackluster attitude to the situation and the perceived duplicity of the Nigerian security agencies has made it difficult for people to trust the government on the issue of insecurity.

However, it should be pointed out that it seems many Nigerians are not even aware that the situation is a serious one because it is not yet in their immediate vicinity. The issue of insecurity must be taken seriously by all and there should be a sensitization on this.

‘Kill those useless bishops’ ―Philippine President

This is the reason I appreciate individuals and groups that have taken it upon themselves to lend a voice to this cause and take concrete action. Few days ago, a nongovernmental organisation under the aegis of Peace Action Coalition (PAC) and some other human rights groups took to the streets of Lagos to protest the incessant killings and bloodshed across the country.

The walk tagged ‘Stop the Killings, Stop the Bloodshed’ which was in collaboration with Builders of New Nigeria and International Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice, was taken round the streets before terminating at the governor’s office. This is good and more organizations must emulate this.

The coordinator, Dr. Richard Ikiebe, said the peaceful walk was to call the attention of governments and stakeholders to put an end to the bloodshed as continuous killings have assumed a desperate and frightening dimension in the country and can no longer be ignored.

There is, indeed, a need for urgent and timely intervention, else, more people will be killed and people that are still resolute and committed to the New Nigeria Dream will get disenchanted.

There should be active constitutional commitment to the stoppage of all the mindless bloodletting that has overtaken the land and threatening to consume the entire nation.

Nigerians have come of age and must henceforth insist on not taking anything that is less than the best from anybody that wants to rule us.

It is time we demanded that the Federal Government as a matter of urgency without regard to religious or ethnic affiliation provide a guaranteed assurance of security, safety and protection on the right to life for all Nigerians.

Government should develop a diverse and comprehensive approach to security management in a manner that provides adequate resources to security forces to address the violence and rehabilitate all those that have suffered injustice and horrific killings in our land.

Ranti Thomas, Lagos.