Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been urged to demonstrate leadership and moral courage by immediately suspending Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the country’s National Security Adviser (NSA), and others, so as to give way to a proposed independent probe by a joint national and international investigation panel, with the view to bring those culpable to justice.
This and other demands were made by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), a United States of America-based not-for-profit, via a statement issued by its President, Stephen Osemwegie, and Victor Onyeka Ben, Director of Media.
President Tinubu was tasked to act swiftly due to the “disturbing reports from Kwara State, indicating that a captured Fulani Islamist militant, caught with identification card, confirming him as a member of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), who allegedly confessed to receiving weapons and logistical support traceable to state-linked security channels, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu”.
The group emphasized that it was appalling that mass kidnappings of school children and worshippers, persistent attacks on Christian communities and vulnerable Muslims, and other coordinated violence, continued in the country, particularly across Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Benue and Plateau states of the Middle Belt region. It also bemoaned what it called government’s inertial as security outfits are unable to bring its under control and perpetrators and enablers are not brought to justice.
The US charity further expressed its worries for the grave outrage and deep alarm over Nigeria’s rapidly deteriorating security situation, as marked by relentless terrorist attacks, mass kidnappings, targeted killings, and credible allegations of internal compromise within the nation’s security architecture.
The NGO, that has been supportive of the ‘Country of Particular Concern’ categorization of Nigeria, about which a ‘Christian genocide’ claim had been established against the country by Donald Trump, the US president, vowed to drag perpetrators and backers of the crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
SNG made more demands to President Tinubu, which include public disclosure of all backers of the terrorists, appraise the extent of the crisis, give a clearer timeline to stop the insecurity, respond swiftly to the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), address the alleged official compromise within the Nigeria polity and make the country a place where the rule of law holds sway.