Insecurity: Arewa Youth Threatens Mass Action, Gives FG 14 Days Ultimatum To End Killings

A coalition of nine Arewa youth groups has threatened to embark on a mass protest if the Federal Government fail to address the security problem ravaging the region within the next 14 days.

In a statement in Kaduna on Monday, the coalition called for an end to the mindless killings of their people, particularly in the villages, and “the nonchalant attitude displayed by government and its agencies” to the plights of people going through horrific experience in the hands of criminals in the region.

It also declared support for the state policing mechanism as a good initiative to combat the menace of the criminals.

It further gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to end the killings or its members will hit the street until their demands are met.

“It is on a sad note that this coalition wishes to remind the Federal Government and government at all levels, that the primary responsibility of government anywhere, particularly the one that was democratically elected by voters, is to protect the lives and property of citizens,” the Arewa Youth coalition stated.

“Recall that Nigerians, particularly Northerners, voted President Muhammadu Buhari enmass to power in 2015 in anticipation that as a former military head of state, and a retire General, he is positioned to deal decisively with all forms of threats to the security of our people, particularly challenges of Boko Haram that had caused hardship and unprecedented destruction of lives and economy activities.

“Alas, five years into President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, instead of reducing insecurity, it has escalated, thereby exposing great numbers of our people to avoidable deaths and loss of property in a manner that history has never witnessed before.

“It is our constitutional duty to raise voices and call attention to the killings that are taking place across states of the Northern region on a daily basis and mobilize citizens on how to constructively engage government at all levels and make demands to end the killings.

“The coalition is saying enough is enough and an end must be put to the mindless killings of our people, particularly in the villages, and the nonchalant attitude displayed by government and its agencies to the plights of people going through horrific experience in the hands of criminals that seem to have overwhelmed our security agencies is unacceptable.

“The coalition strongly supports the idea of community policing and calls for its immediate implementation nationwide.

“The coalition reiterates here that enough is enough and it can no longer tolerate mindless killings of innocent citizens of northern Nigeria without the government doing much to stop it. The Coalition from today (yesterday), June 15, 2020, give a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to end killings in the entire states of the north.

‘’After the expiration of this ultimatum, any reported case of killings will leave the coalition with no option than to mobilize citizens to take to streets until government does the needful.”

The statement was signed by Isa Abubakar of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria; Yerima Shettima of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum; Yusuf idris Amoke of Northern Anti-Corruption Front; Mohammed Salihu Danlami of Arewa Youth Assembly; and Murtala Abubakar   of Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations.

Others include Dr. idris Mohammed of CUPS; Gambo Gujungu of Arewa Youth Forum; Muhammad Isah Imam of Northern Youth Forum; and Mikailu Abubakar of Arewa Defense League.