EKPO PATRICK UYO
The Pan Niger Delta Forum has said that soldiers have no business trying to do “police” job, and need not have been involved in the “EndSARS protests.
The organisation statement came after the shooting and killing of protesters at the Lekki TollGate in Lagos.
It said that soldiers are probably more needed in the North East and North West, where Boko Haram and bandits are making life unbearable for citizens.
The national President of the Forum, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (retd), in a statement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, warned that if the situation is not properly handled it might degenerate to a national crisis whose outcome might be unpredictable.
The former military administrator of Akwa Ibom State said the present situation in the country reinforced the agitation for restructuring which the forum has been clamouring for, adding that, a situation whereby some parts of the country are saying #EndSARS, and others are saying “We Want SARS”, clearly indicated that the “house” is already divided and that the centre can no longer hold.”
The group, therefore, called on the President, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd), to immediately address the nation again rather than unleashing the police and military against the protesters.
The group wondered why the president has not deemed it necessary to speak to Nigerians in the face provocative and senseless killings of innocence protesters in parts of the country particularly in Abuja, Lekki and, Benin.
“PANDEF condemns the brutalisation of peaceful protesters by hired hoodlums, and the police in various cities across parts of the country, particularly, in Abuja and Benin City, Edo State.
“We demand an immediate halt to these attacks, harassments and intimidation of young Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating their frustration over how the affairs of their country are being conducted.
“We further demand for the commencement of an unbiased investigation of these incidents in order to bring to book all those behind the undemocratic actions across the country.
“This country belongs to all of us, including the youths who are protesting. And we will not sit and continue to see our children being brutalized or killed. Enough is Enough!
“PANDEF would like to warn those who think Nigeria belongs to them alone, and therefore, others have no right to protest against abnormalities in the country, that it is no longer acceptable.
“If SARS, which virtually became a terror gang in some parts of the country, is strange, being esteemed in another part, to the extent that they are calling for the retention of SARS, then there is a fundamental problem in the country.
” It was expected that President Muhammadu Buhari should have addressed these young people, openly, and assuage their anger, instead of the deployment of the military and police against them, and allowing hired, armed thugs to unleash terror on the peaceful protesters.
“PANDEF also considers the nationwide “Operation Crocodile Smile” exercise announced by the Army, as most provocative, and an unnecessary distraction for the military, at this time.
