By Pathfinder Reporter
January 8, 2024
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, has blamed the worsening security situation in Nigeria on the failure to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the dastardly acts in the past.
The former diplomat called on the Federal Government to go beyond platitudes and strengthen efforts at tackling increasing cases of killings and kidnapping in Nigeria.
Despite assurances by the Presidency and the military that trailed the dastardly Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State, which killed over 200 and displaced thousands, attacks have continued in the beleaguered Plateau, as well as other troubled hotspots in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and Abuja.
Calling on the government to arrest the worsening insecurity, Anyaoku noted that the ugly trend of killings had continued unabated because of the lack of arrests and subsequent prosecution of perpetrators of the dastardly acts.
Making the call recently at the 2024 Summit and Award ceremony of the Old Boys Association of Merchants of Light School, Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra, the respected diplomat stated: “The Federal Government should devote efforts to find those responsible for these killings.
“What is particularly depressing is that these killings occur, and nobody seems to be held responsible and charged accordingly. The first thing the government should do is to deploy its agencies and forces to apprehend those perpetuating the killings because that is the only way to address the problem. If they are apprehended, prosecuted, and punished, that will serve as a deterrent to others,” Anyaoku stressed.
Anyaoku, an alumnus of the Merchants of Light School, advocated for endowment funds for educational institutions across the country. He said that such funds would provide alumni associations the opportunity to support their schools.
In another development, former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, yesterday, shed light on the activities of terrorists in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Sani, in a post on his X handle, said people in Kajuru now live and survive each day with bandits and terrorists in the night.
Painting a gory image of the activities of terrorists in the area, the former senator recounted how over 50 farmers were kidnapped. According to him, the Emir of Kajuru was also kidnapped and released after ransom was paid three years ago.
He wrote: “Kajuru LG is one of the ‘favorite hotspots’ for terrorists in Kaduna State. A few months ago, over 50 farmers were kidnapped. Three years ago, the Emir of Kajuru was kidnapped and released after ransom was paid. It’s also the LG that hosts the Bethel Baptist High School, where students were kidnapped in 2021.
“Some five years ago, the Kaduna state government unjustly arrested the leaders and elders of the Adara ethnic groups and kept them in prison after their people were killed by terrorists. The latest one now has 42 kidnapped. In Kajuru, they live and survive each day with Bandits in the day and terrorists in the night.”