-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) – From Mike SOGBOLA’, Damaturu:
The Network of Yobe Civil Society Organizations has condemned government reaction to the rising insecurity in the Northeast.
The group in a signed statement on Monday by it’s Comrade Baba Shehu, said it observes with total dismay, the growing insecurity in the Northeast in recent weeks, especially on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Highway where innocent travellers are brutally killed on daily basis yet, the government chose to be almost in total silence without a proactive measure to curtail such.”
Shehu said: “We wish to remind the government that as citizens, we have rendered every support required by the security forces on ground to curb the insurgency in our state and region, even at the expense of our fundamental rights which has faced serious abuses, all for us to live in peace and security.
“But, it seems our lives are taken for granted by tolerating insurgents to continually feast on.”
He added that: “The government should equally remind itself that our priority need from her is security, which it has not done enough to provide, but succeeded in making citizens lose confidence in her sincerity in that direction.”
He said: “We are all witnesses to the heavy security deployments whenever top government officials visit our cities, exposing us to unnecessary hardships throughout their stay. Therefore, we consider the lackluster attitude in securing our highways and communities by the government as hypocritical and the height of irresponsibility and as such we are calling on her to take proactive measures in ensuring the security of our lives and properties.”
In the same vein, the international Non Governmental Organisation, INGO community in Nigeria has equally condemned the Saturday’s attack on humanitarian facilities in the Northeast.
In a twit on it’s verifiable twitter account, @INGOforum_ng, the group utterly condemned the attack in Ngala targeting humanitarian facilities.
It called on all parties to the conflict to cease from these attacks and respect International Humanitarian Law.
The twit said: “We remind all armed actors of their obligation to ensure the protection and safety of civilians, including aid workers. The increasing insecurity and lack of adherence to International Humanitarian Law is putting the delivery of lifesaving assistance to over 7 million people in need in the most affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe at risk.
“To allow humanitarians to continue delivering much needed life-saving assistance, all parties to the conflict must respect the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. The two aid workers and other civilians still held captive should be released immediately. Aid Workers are #NotATarget.”
