A Nigerian born International Activist, Life member, International Chartered World Learned Society, USA, ICWSL, and Secretary General Nigerian Youth Congress, NYC, Dr. Raymond Edoh has expressed concern over the Plateau Massacre orchestrated on the 24th of December, 2023 by terrorists living over 160 persons dead and over 300 injured with sundry degrees.
Dr. Raymond Edoh in a statement he signed on the 4th of January, 2024 called on the Federal government, Nigerian Senate, and other stakeholders to invite the Nigerian Service Chiefs to explain to Nigerians why such a coordinated attack should be carried out successfully under their watch and no result-oriented action was taken, stressing that this tends to harp on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pointing out that the State known as a State of Peace and Tourism has suddenly become a state of blood shed.
The statement reads in parts, " The major security threats within the year 2023 were terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, secessionist agitations and farmers-herders clashes. The threat dynamics were however defined along geo-political zones with some permeating across the regional lines.
"We understand that The predominant threat in the North Central (NC) and North West (NW) regions is armed banditry/terrorism while the Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State West African Province lingering insurgency remained the main threat in the North East (NE) region. The major threat in the South-East (SE) and South-West (SW) was the secessionist agitations of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Yoruba Nation respectively.
"The South-South (SS) region continued to experience oil theft, cultism, and youth restiveness. However, acts of criminalities such as kidnapping, armed robbery, communal clashes and cattle rustling were common across the 6 geopolitical zones. It is pertinent to point out that most security threats in the country were fueled by the proliferation of small arms exacerbated by the influx of illegal arms and ammunition through our porous borders and the preponderance of local arms fabrication factories in the country. Thus, the armed forces kinetic and non-kinetic efforts were geared towards tackling these threats in all the geo-political zones with military operations proportional to handling the issues ranging from Operation Hadin Kai (North East), Operation Safe Haven (North Central), Operation Whirl Stroke (North Central), Operation Hadarin Daji (North West), Operation Whirl Punch (North West), Operation Delta Safe (South-South), Operation Udo Ka (South East), officially funded by both the Federal, state governments and foreign donors.
My challenge is, why shouldn't these killings stop with these adequate funding, and sufficient manpower? what is happening? I remembered when the Services Chiefs, a while ago appeared before the hauled chamber of the Senate for screening. They assured Nigerians of new tactics, employing innovative measures to curb the insecurity in the country. But, it seems there are no differences with their predecessors. What a higgledy-Pigledy!
While citing some recently avoidable killings in some states if we had got a gallant and patriotic military and Police, he said, in Anambra on the 16th of December, 2024, Gunmen targeted a convoy of U.S. Embassy staffers in southeastern Nigeria, killing two of its local workers and two policemen. The assailants opened fire on the convoy along a major road in Ogbaru local government area in Anambra State, one of the epicenters of separatist violence in the region. According to police. "The hoodlums murdered two of the Police Mobile Force operatives and two staff of the consulate, and set their bodies ablaze and their vehicles.
"Again, Seven people including members of a local vigilante group were killed in an attack by gunmen on Porsche nightclub at Oba, in the Idemili Local Government of Anambra State within the same period.
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"In Southern Kaduna, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, and other states, several killings in 100s almost on a weekly basis, and yet, the Soldiers couldn't go out there and fight and all they could do is to storm a Police station in Yola, Adamawa State in their numbers to fight Police officers instead of synergizing to fight and curb insecurity. The incident comes just days after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) clashed in Kaduna. It is mind-boggling.
"Inasmuch as we tend to criticize objectively, we understand that the Nigerian troops in a sum total assessment of the troops activities for the year 2023 neutralized 6,886 terrorists and other criminal elements, arrested 6,970 suspects, rescued 4,488 kidnapped hostages as well as recovered 3,320 assorted weapons and 39,075 assorted ammunition. Additionally, they recovered 100,316,600 litres of crude oil, 60,339,426 litres of AGO, 3,465,450 litres of DPK, and 3,544,990 litres of PMS., according to Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations on Friday, 29th December 2023. But, their best is not enough. More needs to be done.
"Speaking on the Plateau attack, the citizens were informed ahead of the attack, the governor said the same and also stated that he made the information available to the security personnel, and yet, nothing was proactively done to stop the attack which has resulted to over 150 people dead and over 250 injured in their various degrees.
If the citizens had access to the information ahead of the attack, then, why should those we pay to secure us claim they don't have access to the information ahead of the attack? Sincerely speaking, we the Nigerian youths are so disappointed.
"On the other hand, a supplementary budget has been passed and yet, the Security Chiefs are claiming they don't have it yet, what is happening in the Nigerian Democratic system? Who is still keeping captive of the funds? The President must investigate this as a matter of urgency.
While outlining measures, Edoh called on the federal government through the instrumentality of the Nigerian Senate to consider the constitutional role of Traditional Rulers in Security and dispute resolution across the federation.
"Also, the minister of Solid Minerals and the Plateau State governor should be urged to stop illegal mining in the state. The Senate President should send a high-level delegation to the state to see the situation of things", he added.
"However, reiterating my points, we can not win the war against insurgency in Nigeria with the armed Forces. In my opinion, we should adopt what I see as Executive and legislative process to draw in Traditional rulers ignored over the years. I feel they have a role to play in the constitutional process.
I see it that there is need to invite the owners of Nigeria through ethnic nationality leaders together with traditional leaders or rulers. Without this, there is no way Nigeria will develop because we sincerely need peace and security to develop. I also wish to suggest that the National Assembly considers moving from nine to five transactional legislative process to transformational uncommon process", Edoh added.
