The Civil Society Joint Action Group, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), has reported that, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, a total of 2,423 individuals have lost their lives, with 1,872 being abducted in the span of eight months.
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), conveyed this information during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
He urged the President to declare a state of emergency to address the pressing security issues and suggested establishing a timeline for security agencies to combat insecurity, particularly in response to kidnapping and other forms of terrorism.
He said, “Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria under the auspices of the Civil Society Joint Action Group, Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, and Nigeria Mourns, are deeply concerned by the deteriorating state of security across Nigeria and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and therefore call on the Nigerian government to take actionable steps to end the endemic insecurity, mitigate further attacks by kidnap syndicates and terrorist groups, and, account for persons missing in these attacks.
“Mass atrocities fatality tracking across the country by Nigeria Mourns reveals that in President Buhari’s second term alone (2019 to 2023), after Buhari as a former military general, gained public trust to run as president by promising to curb the then fledgling insecurity, at least 24,816 Nigerians lost their lives, and at least 15,597 persons were abducted.
“This alarming trend has continued despite President Tinubu’s assurance at the beginning of his presidency in May 2023 to tackle insecurity. It has now been eight months since President Tinubu took his oath of office and yet, things have failed to improve. Our tracking shows at least 2,423 people have been killed in mass atrocities-related incidents and at least 1,872 persons were abducted since the beginning of President Tinubu’s administration till January 26, 2024.
“We are particularly concerned about the upsurge in abductions, noting that at least 230 incidents, in most of which multiple victims were involved, occurred within the first two weeks of January 2024 alone.”
Rafsanjani highlighted that over the past fifteen years, Nigeria has experienced a surge in insecurity attributed to various violent incidents. These include, but are not limited to, terrorist activities in the entire northern region, banditry in the north-west, farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt (including the Benue Valley), secessionist struggles in the south-east, piracy along the southern coast, inter-communal attacks, political violence, and cult-gang activities.
He emphasized that these security challenges have increasingly jeopardized the well-being of Nigerians. The coalition urged President Tinubu to promptly address these issues by implementing urgent measures, such as declaring a state of emergency on kidnapping and terrorism.
Additionally, they called on the government to fulfill its constitutional duty to safeguard the security and welfare of all citizens, as mandated in the Constitution.
………..
Note : To submit Press Releases, Statements, and Advert Inquiries for publication on Waffi blog (website) or Television 📺, please use the following contact details: You can send an email to info@waffitv.com or reach us via Whatsapp at 07068286500
