Show Leadership, Sack Service Chiefs, Prominent Nigerians Tell Buhari

By Chuks Ekpeneru

Some eminent Nigerians have described the recent killing of farmers in Zarbamari, Borno State as one of several reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari as the Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces, should take charge and halt the unbridled violence in several parts of the country.

The group comprising forty-six prominent Nigerians, including senior lawyers, clerics, businessmen, the academia and various other professions on Thursday demanded an end to the prevailing insecurity in the country, starting with the resignation of all the service chiefs.

In a statement signed on behalf of the 46 by Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, they said the Zabarmari incident is a grave indictment of the government.

The prominent Nigerians who made the call were: Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed, Adeyemi Candide-Johnson (SAN), Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Mr. Salisu Nuhu Mohammed , Dayo Olaide, Danlami Nmodu, Dr. Chris Kwaja, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Dr. Dipo Fashina, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, Dr. Udo Jude, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, Dr. Kole Shettima, Dr Usman Bugaje, Ene Obi and Father George Ehusani.

Also listed were: Funke Adekoya (SAN), Idayat Hassan, Hon. Rima Shawulu, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, Mallam Hamza Ibrahim, Mallam Y.Z. Yau, Mr. Ledum Mitee, Mr. Chino Obiagwu (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), Mr. John Odah, Ms Ngozi Iwere, Ms Amina Salisu, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Prof. Adele Jinadu and Prof. Godini Darah.

Others were Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Prof. Mohammed Tabiu (SAN), Prof. Pat Utomi, Prof. Rufai Alkali, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie and Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN).

“What we see, like others, is incompetence in governance demonstrated by a lack of ideas on how to tackle insecurity, a poor understanding of the situation and a clear failure in the pursuit of government engagement to address these problems.

“The Zabarmari incident is a grave indictment of the government. At the minimum what we should have seen is the honourable exit of the persons responsible for defence and security of our country.

“In spite of numerous calls on the president to sack his service chiefs, the president has persisted in his policy of guarantying them longevity in their positions.

“His message to Nigerians appears to be that he is not ready to sanction his security chiefs for failure. The president must therefore take responsibility for the failure as the Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

“Having carefully observed and followed these unfolding events, the Zabarmari gruesome killings must be a redline for the country. The time for action is now,” they demanded.

The eminent persons stated that the senseless killings must be stopped.

They also said that the right to participate in peaceful protests and in processions without harassment or intimidation from any person or authority should be guaranteed.

“Nigerians now live in a state of anomie, well outside our unsuccessful eleven-year old war against boko haram. Across the country, especially in the north, life has become extremely tenuous.

“People are killed daily, women are raped regularly, kidnapping is rife and many farmers cannot go to their farms. We are concerned that over the past five years, in particular, public safety and security have been in steady decline throughout the country,” they lamented.

“The security chiefs in the country have collectively failed to provide security for Nigerians and there must be consequences for this failure and in any case their tenure has expired.

The president was also asked to demonstrate real leadership in the crisis Nigeria faces as a nation with the president showing empathy and compassion, using power of his voice to calm nerves.

“The federal government should unfreeze all accounts and free all persons detained on account of organising the EndSARS protest, charging to court anyone it finds to have a case to answer for any crime.

“The federal government should stop all acts evidencing dissonance in government, labelling innocent and legitimate activity as criminal, ridiculing government by misrepresenting facts, and labelling the reportage of facts as fake news,” they insisted.

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