The Nigerian Bar Association has reflected on the prevalent specter of insecurity that cast a shadow over many parts of the country in 2023.
Expressing deep concern about the prevailing insecurity, NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, in a statement on Tuesday, implores President Bola Tinubu to accord greater priority to safeguarding the lives and properties of citizens in 2024.
Maikyau strongly condemns the Christmas Eve attacks in Plateau State, denouncing the tragic loss of over 100 lives.
He noted that the attack could be a result of “poor intelligence gathering or a deliberate failure to act.”
Maikyau, however, called on the president to ensure that no space is left ungoverned in the country.
The statement partly read, “The NBA decried the state of insecurity across the nation and condemned the December attacks by bandits on villages in Plateau State, leaving nearly 200 Nigerians dead.
‘The attack in Plateau is clearly indicative of poor intelligence gathering or a deliberate failure to act despite the intelligence on the impending attacks on the villages or notice of the attack on the villages by the bandits, as reported by community leaders.’
‘The NBA therefore urged the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to show a demonstrable commitment to prioritizing the security of the lives and properties of Nigerians.’
‘Government, through our Armed Forces and other security agencies, must ensure that no square inch of the Nigerian territory is left ungoverned; no part of Nigeria should be left under the control of criminal elements by whatever name so-called.’
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‘The government must make deliberate investments in security, of such a scale and magnitude which will leave Nigerians in no doubt as to the sincerity of the statement made by the president.’
‘The Federal Government must adopt a holistic approach to the issue of security while not overlooking the peculiarities of each region and design bespoke measures to deal with them. In this wise, the government must neither be “scared” nor “ashamed” to make the right investments in security, in line with global trends in security, without compromising our sovereignty.’
Africa Today News, New York, reports that between May and December 2023, no fewer than 4,258 incidents of insecurity were recorded in 573 local government areas, leading to the deaths of at least 5,691 people, while 2,719 were kidnapped.
Commenting on the accidental airstrike in Kaduna, the NBA president described the incident as inexcusable and unacceptable.
The strike, which occurred on December 4, 2023, according to Amnesty International, killed 127 civilians.
Maikyau said the incident brought to the fore the lack of synergy among security agencies in the country.
“The earlier drone strike by the military on Tudun Biri in Kaduna State which claimed the lives of over 100 Nigerians, is inexcusable and unacceptable.
‘From the information made available by the military and other security sources, the Tudun Biri incident is suggestive of the gap in our security architecture—a lack of inter-agency synergy and coordination,’ the statement added.
In response to the economic conditions, the NBA President calls for the government to implement additional measures to address the rising difficulties associated with the subsidy removal.
Additionally, he appeals to the president to initiate budgetary reforms aimed at invigorating the economy without triggering inflation, while also enhancing electricity generation and transmission.
Maikyau said, ‘With the passing of the 2024 budget by the National Assembly, it is now left for Mr. President to demonstrate to Nigerians that these are not mere rhetoric. Nigerians need to be reassured that their sacrifices will count for something and genuine efforts are being made to ensure that their pain and suffering will be short-lived.’