Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
A group on the platform of Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), has called on government at levels to wake up from their slumber and tackle the rising insecurity challenges in the country, saying, every citizen has a right to life.
The Coordinator General of the group, Comrade Omobude Agho made the call in a roadshow to mark the World Human Rights Day in Benin.
He said Nigerians now live in palpable fear due to rising insecurity across the country.
Narrowing it down to Edo State, Agho urged the state governor to equip the local security networks to help stem the tides of the influx of bandits and terrorists that are trying to infiltrate the south-south region of the country where Edo State is inclusive.
“We using the World Human Rights Day as a speaking point that the level of insecurity in Nigeria is very very bad. We are very scared now more than ever.
“We have heard rumours of the bandits or the terrorists already taking over our bushes and we think that the governor should wake up to his responsibility to govern and place high incentive on the vigilante, the one they call the state security network so that they can be on salaries.
“They can also be well equipped with good arms and ammunition so that they can be able to comb our bushes and our environment to scare away, because we cannot say to apprehend, to scare and chase away all these bandits and terrorists that are already traveling from the north to the southern side of Nigeria. We think the governor should wake up to his responsibility “, Agho said.
He also lamented the high level of impunity and oppression of the ordinary citizens either by the government itself or by some persons who have some political connections.
He noted that the rally became absolutely necessary to enlighten and sensitize citizens of their rights so that they can seek redress when they are being violated.
Speaking also, the Secretary General of the group, Leftist God’s Power Okunbo, said though the level of awareness of citizens rights is on the increase in the state, a lot still needed to be done to ensure that citizens are abreast of their rights.
He said in ensuring that the citizens are acquainted with their rights, they have been able to create centres across the 18 local government areas of the state where they are being tutored on their rights, using the Nigeria’s constitution as a guide.