The Centre for Community Excellence (CENCEX) and Human Rights Agenda Network Zamfara has lamented the escalating and rapidly spiraling insecurity in the state and country at large, saying threat to national security must not be allowed to spread any further.
They further said the epicenter of the crises is the ongoing violent killing, abductions, and violation of human rights in communities of Zamfara and neighboring states.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday to mark the 70 National Day of Mourning and Remembrance of victims of Mass Atrocities in Zamfara State, Executive Director CENCEX and state Coordinator Human Rights Agenda Network (HRAN) in Zamfara Adamu Abubakar Kotorkoshi revealed that insecurity is escalating and rapidly spiraling into a national catastrophe threatening the very fiber of nationhood.
“The resolved for a National Day of Mourning was consequent to the resolutions reached by over 100 civil society actors on 30th April, 2018 at Abuja, to undertake a National Day of Mourning as a symbolic action capable of registering citizens’ dissatisfaction with the state of our national security, since protests no longer seem to impact the conscience of our political elites”.
“We gathered before you today with much pains and concerns as we mark the 70 National Day of mourning in remembrance of all victims of violent killings across the country”.
“Currently at the epicenter of these crises is the ongoing violent killing, abductions and violation of human rights in many communities of Zamfara and neighboring states in the North-western region of Nigeria”.
“The problem of insecurity in Zamfara State of North-western region of Nigeria has been the major challenge resulting in disruption of basic live saving activities such as livelihoods, farming and access to essential services such as Education and healthcare”.
“The increased of armed banditry attacks has become a threat to human security in Zamfara and neighboring states. The situation has become a subject of national security and public concern”.
“The multifaceted layers of criminality involved, and recurrent nature of the armed banditry call for effective mechanisms to mitigate the threat it poses to peace and security in Zamfara State”.
“One of the most visible impacts of armed banditry in Zamfara State involves internal displacement of communities.
It is so disheartening how people are being kidnapped and their families asked to pay ransom in a country where we have elected representatives. Agriculture being the major source of income and livelihood in Zamfara state has been crippled.
“A government is created within a government” where citizens are forced to pay farming levies to have access to their farmlands”.
“The criminal activities perpetuated by the armed bandits in Zamfara State heightened the vulnerability of women and girls in the region”.
He lamented that Some women in the affected communities were faced with early widowhood or death of their children, while some children were orphaned and forced to flee their villages for safety.
“This remains a critical human security concern as they also suffer varied forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as several cases of rape by bandits were reported in Zamfara. This is no longer unacceptable”.
According to him, the National Day of Mourning is intended to achieve the objectives that included
Stir the conscience of political leaders at national and state levels into developing the political will to protect lives and properties through good governance, Express solidarity with grieving communities and families in Zamfara state and Nigeria as we acknowledge and accord dignity to every single Nigerian life that has been lost, or disrupted due to violent crises.
Also to Rekindle sense of nationhood by reminding ourselves we are in this together, and that the office of the citizens is the most powerful office that can be occupied in this country, Assert as citizens, an end to docility to no longer condone narratives that seek to divide people along ethnic or religious lines.
“As citizens, we remind the government at every level that, Section 14(1) b of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that the security and welfare of the citizens shall be the primary purpose of government and therefore demand the following from Federal and Zamfara State government”.
“Fulfill its constitutional obligations under Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and ensure the security of Nigerians’ lives and property”.
“As an organization committed to the protection of human rights and the dignity of human life, we join all concerned voices in Zamfara State and around the country to condemn the continued invasion of the Zamfara Communities, North-West, and other parts of Nigeria by terrorists.
“We consider this act of terrorism an affront on the territorial integrity of the Nigerian state and a threat to its national security that must not be allowed to spread any further”.
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