Crack down on kidnappers or resign, HURIWA tells Tinubu

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked President Bola Tinubu to crush kidnappers or resign.

In a statement on Saturday, HURIWA deplored widespread insecurity marked by incessant kidnappings and killings across the nation.

According to HURIWA, the alarming state of security, particularly the widespread and brazen kidnappings prove Nigeria is a failed state under Tinubu’s leadership.

The human rights group said the current administration’s failure to tackle insecurity is a testament to its inability to effectively address the spiraling security challenges.

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The group noted that in over one year since Tinubu assumed office, the situation has only worsened, with kidnappers becoming more emboldened.

“We are at a point where kidnappers will soon be going from house to house or even start demanding protection fees from citizens. This is because they have proven time and again that they can abduct anyone at any time, regardless of where they are in Nigeria,” read the statement signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator.

“There is no transparency within our security outfits. Corruption is rife, and impunity is the order of the day among the top brass. The President’s refusal to change the heads of these failed security departments suggests he is either complicit or simply too scared of the military to act decisively.

“If a government cannot guarantee the security of its citizens, it has lost its legitimacy. President Tinubu should, therefore, tackle insecurity sternly or resign immediately, as his administration has failed in its primary duty to protect Nigerians.”

HURIWA also criticized the National Assembly for its perceived negligence, accusing lawmakers of abandoning their responsibilities while Nigerians continue to suffer.

The group expressed outrage that the National Assembly went on a two-month recess despite the worsening insecurity, describing the legislators as “a bunch of gangsters, more like legislative bandits.”

“These legislative bandits are reaping enormous financial benefits while doing nothing to address the critical issues facing this country. Nigerians have tolerated these legislative bandits for too long. They have no vision for ending the insecurity because they are more concerned with their political ambitions, including eyeing the 2027 elections,” the statement read.