A coalition of civil society organisations yesterday protested on the streets of Lagos against incessant killings across the country and also demanded an end to the Boko Haram insurgency.
The coalition, under the aegis of Peace Action Coalition (PAC), embarked on the peaceful walk from Maryland Bus-Stop, through Obafemi Awolowo Way to the Lagos State Governor’s office, Alausa – all in Ikeja.
The protest, it was learnt, was organised in collaboration with the Builders of New Nigeria and International Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice.
Addressing the protesters, Dr. Richard Ikiebe, the coalition’s Coordinator, urged the federal government to stop politicizing insecurity across the nation and give priority to the needs of the Armed Forces.
“The peaceful walk is to call the attention of government and stakeholders to put an end to the bloodshed.
“We speak against the continuous killings which have assumed a desperate and frightening dimension in the country; it can no longer be ignored.
“Stop politicizing the security situation of the nation for the safety of lives and property.
“We believe the urgent and timely intervention will reassure our disturbed, dismissed and distressed populace that there are still people who are resolute and committed to the New Nigeria Dream,” Dr. Ikiebe said.
He said the perceived duplicity of the Nigerian security agencies had made it difficult for the populace to trust the government on the crisis.
Also speaking, Mr. Yinka Quadri, said the killing of over some soldiers by some supposed faceless militias in the North East was “unimaginable and unacceptable.”
“Nigeria is in crisis, we cannot pretend otherwise, Nigeria is bleeding, we need to rise up to save the nation,” he said
The protesters, who wore black T-shirts, also displayed banners, placards and distributed handbills, with inscriptions such as “Stop the Killings” and “Stop the Bloodshed”, “Nigerian lives matter,” “Let Peace Reign,” “Enough of violence,” “Save Humanity,” “We are tired of Bloodshed,” and “We want a Better Nigeria,” etc.
Receiving the protesters at the Lagos State Governor’s Office in Alausa, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said that insurgency had become a worldwide issue and was impacting negatively on Lagos state in terms of population explosion.
Ambode, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr. Benjamin Olabinjo, said: “In 2018, Lagos State budgeted for 20 million people but by the middle of the year, the state is catering for 26 million population due to influx from other states.
“Be reassured that Lagos state is taking the matter of the killings and insecurity seriously.
“We are trying our possible best to make life easier and better for all Lagosians and the nation as a whole.”
Among the demands of the protesters were the need to guarantee the security, safety and protection of the lives of all Nigerians.
They also called on the government to develop a diverse and comprehensive approach to security management by providing adequate resources to security forces to address the menace.
They also called on the federal government to rehabilitate all those that have suffered injustice or have been incapacitated by killings in the country.
