As Nigeria marked her 21st Democracy Day celebration on June 12, 20202, the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) has called on the federal government to keep to its mandate of securing live and properties.
The National Coordinator, NOPRIN, Mr. Ikule Emmanuel who made this call in his goodwill message to Nigerians made a case for Nigerian lives to matter again adding that the President should as a matter of urgency address the killings in the country especially in Kaduna, Katsina, Benue, Taraba, Niger States amongst others, mostly perpetrated by herdsmen and Boko Haram.
Ikule noted that “The case of these murderers should be addressed once and for all and the families of these victims compensated, before Nigeria becomes an IDP camp instead of a country.”
He continued, “Nigeria should work on the gaps in our laws especially the Constitution and the Police Act (Re-enact the Police Act not just partial changes) to reflect rule of law and give security the attention it deserves. The decongestion of our correctional centres should continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 especially in Borno State where inmates have been tested positive. This calls for improvement on our health facilities, from tents to hospitals.”
While felicitating with Nigerians on this great occasion of their 21st Democracy Day celebration, the National Coordinator observed that the journey which marked the beginning of the nation’s freedom from military era had lasted for 21years.
“This is a great milestone and worth being grateful for, firstly to God almighty and then to all those who have contributed positively to aiding us reach the level we are now. It has not been an easy one though but we still continue to remain hopeful towards having a better country.
“Indeed Nigeria has come a long way. We have survived very tough moments during these 21 years of Democratic system of government that has made many wonder if truly Democracy is still a viable option for us. The challenges faced mostly crop from politics, ranging from security, finance, leadership, infrastructure, corruption, SGBV and a host of others.
“Despite all these challenges, we have managed to somehow make it thus far. But the big question is, for how long…? What are we really doing to move from this current state of our country to where we can enjoy the true dividends of Democracy? Our own people have hijacked the system and tune it to satisfy only a handful when we have so much that can take care of everyone.
“We have not allowed the quality of being the most populous black nation on earth with diverse culture and tribes, to unite us and be a source of pride. We are instead making the country unsafe and unhealthy for our future generations. Democracy was supposed to build us and make us better, but instead, it had made us enemy to our own people. So many sectors retrogressing and the few that are being developed are being used to drain excess resources; allowing for siphoning of public funds and corruption. We have a big task to perform to ensure that we are revitalized again.
“As we continue in the celebrations, let us remember to keep safe and not forget the pandemic that has hugely impacted our lives and existence. The regular washing of hands with water and alcohol based sanitizers, and social distancing should be etched always on our mind”, he said conclusively.
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