The coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors have failed in their responsibility to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday, the coalition decried the spate of insecurity bedevilling the country, lamenting that the herder-farmer crisis, ethnic imbalances, and wanton kidnappings have dominated the country’s atmosphere.
It, therefore, called on the House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President, if insecurity persists in the country.
“Despite government’s denial, the abducted schoolboys of Kankara told the Wall Street Journal that a ransom was paid for their release. After Wednesday’s abduction of 27 students from Government Science School, Kagara, the Federal government finds itself, once again, in a dark spot.
“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, what has now become the government’s standard state policy of using taxpayers’ money to pay terrorists thereby funding and encouraging terrorism and criminality,” the statement noted.
The coalition demanded that the President provides political and moral leadership for the security crisis militating against the country, in line with Section 17 (2) C of the constitution which calls on the government to be humane with its actions.
It challenged the President to end the persecution of the media; end impunity for the abuse of power and sectionalism through his appointments and seek international cooperation to ramp up security assets.
The groups also charged the National Assembly to exercise the provisions of Section 143 of the 1999 constitution to begin impeachment proceedings against the president, should he fail to heed their call.
The Civil Society Organisations that formed the coalition are: Centre for Democracy and Development, Centre for Democratic Research and Training, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Media Rights Agenda, Centre for Information Technology and Development, Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project, Zero-Corruption Coalition, Molluma Medico-Legal Center and Femi Falana Chamber.
Others are; Partners on Electoral Reform, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, National Procurement Watch Platform, Praxis Center, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civil education, Social Action, Community Action for Popular Participation, Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress, Global Rights, Alliance for Credible Elections and House of Justice.
The remaining include; Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement, Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria, Women in Nigeria, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Community Life Project, Nigerian Feminist Forum, State of the Union.
Alliances for Africa, Spaces fir Change, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, BudgiT Foundation, Action International Nigeria, HEDA Resource Centre, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Organization Community Civic Engagement, Say NO Campaign—Nigeria, Women in Media, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, and Sesor Empowerment Foundation.
