Direct funds for police, military to vigilantes, hunters, coalition tells South, M’Belt govs - Nexus News

An organization of self-determination groups, led by a United States of America-based movement, the United Indigenous People of African Foundation (UNIPA Foundation), has advised governors in the South and Middle-Belt areas of Nigeria to implement the doctrine of necessity and provisions of Chapter VII, article 51 of United Nations Charter on Self-Defense.

Also, it implored the governors to procure arms for their regional security outfits, including training and retraining of vigilantes and hunters to safeguard people in their territories.

The organization, which made the call against the backdrop of rising insecurity in the country, also applauded Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, for creating the security outfit, known as Community Volunteer Guards, and implored governors in the region to follow the same path.

In a press release, Spokesperson of the organization, Mr. Joseph Ekwo, advised the governors to start expending resources presently used in financing the police, military and civil defense corps to train hunters and vigilantes.

Members of UNIPA in Nigeria are Oodua People’s Sovereign Movement (OPSOM); Ohanaeze Youth Council; Freedom From Nigeria (FFN); Conscience of Niger/Delta Forum (CONDEF); Middle-Belt Patriotic Front; Concerned Indigenous Nigerians in Georgia; United Middle-Belt and Igbo National Council (INC).

MEANWHILE, following a fresh update over insecurity in the country, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, has directed the deployment of personnel to protect schools, hospitals, health workers and important national infrastructure.

He also directed non-stop patrols, stop and search operations, raids and shows of force by tactical commanders, with a view to clamping down on pockets of crime and criminality in some states.

Police spokesman, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, who made the disclosure said: “The IGP gave the directive while reviewing the general security situation of the nation, via reports from commands and formations.”

He added: “Nigerians are, hereby, urged to cooperate with the police, as many operatives will be seen at strategic areas, routes, and communities, to suppress the antics and criminal activities of men of the underworld.”

THIS was as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, disclosed that foreign Fulani assailants are not solely responsible for worsening insecurity in Nigeria.

Fadahunsi, who retired as Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, spoke during an interview with journalists in Abuja, yesterday.

He reported that young learned Nigerians are creating kidnapping gangs and targeting high-profile individuals, especially in government.

He stated that investigations have revealed that these Nigerians, having failed to make government accountable after the 2020 #EndSARS protests have taken laws into their hands.

He said: “The youths are seeing the flagrant display of affluence by the elite and their children, and they have now given our leaders and the elite, in general, a red card.

“They had earlier issued a yellow card during the #EndSARS agitation but Nigerian leaders ignored them.”

Meanwhile, the National Chairman, Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, yesterday, took a swipe at the Federal Government’s handling of the security situation in the country, emphasizing the present approach won’t yield positive results.

According to him, the government was only tackling the symptoms without looking at the roots.bSpeaking to journalists shortly after emerging as national chairman at the party’s convention in Abuja, Dantalle said: “When you are trying to solve a problem, you just don’t address the symptoms of the problem. What the government is doing, today, to us at APM, they are only addressing the symptoms. They are not addressing the root cause.

“Everyday, you here that the military killed bandits or terrorists. But they keep coming out. Why do they keep coming out? That tells you that so many things are wrong with the socio-economic and political arrangement.

“When people live hopelessly and they do not believe the system, as established, would protect them, then they would be forced to innovate their own means of survival.

“If people are gainfully employed and they believe that the socio-economic arrangements would provide them with, at least, 50 to 60 per cent of what they want, they won’t go into terrorism.

“Today, the Academic Staff Union of Universities is on strike, and students don’t know when they will go back to school. People do not have what to eat, and they are not living the life they want. The leadership has failed. And until we address the situation, this will continue.”