As insecurity continues to escalate with spiraling attacks by gunmen across the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, has 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.
Stirring up the government to arrest the worsening insecurity, Anyaoku noted that the ugly trend of killings had continued unabated because of lack of arrests and subsequent prosecution of perpetrators of the dastardly acts.
Making the call yesterday 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.
Making a similar call, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Sunday called on President Bola Tinubu to give more priority to the security of lives and property in the country. The association’s Senate President, Elvis Ekudina, made the call at a news conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State.