PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CITIZENS ARISE MOVEMENT OF NIGERIA (CAMON)
Recall that on the 30th of September 2014, on the date the Citizens Arise Movement of Nigeria was presented to the Nigerian public through a press conference, we gave a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address and respond to some fundamental national questions and burning issues of grave concern to the Nigerian people. Unfortunately and sadly, well over a week after the 14 days ultimatum, the Federal Government has remained indifferent and has not made any attempt to respond to the least of our demands.
It is in the light of the above and the necessity to ensure that we are not in any way taken for granted, that we have decided to re-serve our demands on the Federal Government as contained in our first list of demands and to inform the Government that we shall remain consistent, resolute and unwavering until there are satisfactory responses and actions towards addressing the stated demands. Once again, these demands that bothered on issues of intolerable level of corruption, impunity, gross incompetence, official misconducts and threatening national security challenges are here restated as follows:
1.   That the Nigerian Government should show capacity to contain and defeat the Boko Haram insurgents.
2.   That the President as the Commander-in-Chief should address the nation on the actual threat posed by the insurgents and the conviction of the Government to urgently defeat them.
3.   That the Federal Government should constitute an independent panel to determine the following:
·      The involvement of the former Chief of Army Staff, Patrick Ihejirika, and former Borno State Governor, Modu Sheriff in the sponsorship of Boko Haram
·      Invite Dr. Stephen Davis and involve the Australian Government to unravel the truth
4.   That the federal government and military authorities ensure adequate care and compensation for the families of our soldiers and men of other security agencies who have lost their lives in the course of defending the security, unity and integrity of our nation.
5.   That the names of these our beloved fallen heroes be published and their identities revealed so that the entire nation can honour them and show respect to their gallantry. They must not perish in obscurity and be reduced to mere numbers.
6.   That the Federal Government should ensure that the death sentence passed on the 12 soldiers accused of mutiny is immediately reverted since the case of official corruption, perceived insensitivity and neglect has been established against the former Brigade Commander.
7.   That we condemn in absolute terms the provision of excessive military protection and security to Alimodu Sheriff who has been alleged to be a sponsor of Boko Haram.
8.   That the Federal Government should come out clearly on the question of the 9.3 million Dollars impounded by the South African authorities since the laws of both South Africa and Nigeria have been expressly violated. So, the case of black market arms racketeering, money laundering and official corruption has been committed by the Federal Government of Nigeria having claimed ownership of the said 9.3 million dollars. That those involved in the criminal act be prosecuted and jailed for breaking our laws and the laws of a foreign country and bringing so much disrepute to our image as a nation.
9.   That the Federal Government immediately order the Attorney-general of the Federation and Ministry of Justice to resume immediate prosecution in the mega corruption cases (Halliburton, Malabu and Siemens) and make the culprits face the full wrath of the law.
10.            That Mr. President who is the custodian of our values and constitution should immediately reverse the clemency granted to Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha who has an international warrant of arrest on him.
11.            That the Federal Government of Nigeria must visibly and adequately equip, mobilize and encourage our Military to go full blast and defend our country against insurgency and recapture every inch of Nigerian territory occupied by insurgents.
12.            That the Federal Government should deploy our arsenal to bring back all missing persons subsuming the abducted Chibok school girls.
13.            That the Government must demonstrate total commitment to free, fair and credible electoral processes leading to the 2015 elections.
14.            That we condemn in its entirety the militarization of elections and gross disenfranchisement of voters in any part of Nigeria.
15.            That the Federal Government and Mr. President must prosecute Ministers, Directors- General, Managing Directors and other heads of MDAs indicted of corrupt practices i.e. Diezeani, Stella Oduah, Godsday Orubebe, Maina, Emeka Wogu of labour, Orosanye, etc.
16.            That the Federal Government must declare the production and sales capacity of our crude oil per day.
17.            That we demand transparency in the production and sale of crude oil in Nigeria per day and furthermore, request that the Federal Government wedge total war on illegal oil bunkering and illegal refineries.
18.            That we decry both quality and infrastructural standard of education in Nigeria. Furthermore, we therefore demand that the 26% budgetary provision by all nations to education as contained in the UNESCO Charter must be implemented. Education at all levels must be a right of every Nigerian and not a privilege.
19.            We demand that the Justice System in Nigeria be reformed from the present commercialization and monetization of the carriage of justice to a system of equity that conforms to the Nigerian constitution and the Rule of Law.
20.            We also demand that the Federal Government take seriously, the issue of job creation and combat unemployment that is responsible for the social malaise bedeviling our country i.e. insurgency, kidnapping, drug abuse, human trafficking, etc. An idle hand is the devils workshop.
21.            We recommend a Unicameral Legislature for the Nigerian National Assembly as the Bicameral Legislature presently practiced is expensive, time-wasting, cumbersome and bogus.
22.            We demand for Civil Service Reforms and restoration of the middle class in Nigeria – a reform that will check abuse of office and corruption.
23.            We demand that the National Assembly members carry out holy oversight functions over the MDAs and an end to the existing marriage where there is a sharing formula of public funds among the Legislature, Public and Civil Service.
24.            We demand for an agricultural revolution for economic integration and social reliance.
25.            We ask for qualitative, accessible and comprehensive Health Care delivery system which will discourage medical tourism. There should be a comprehensive health insurance scheme for all Nigerians.
26.            We demand that the Federal Government create a social security system that takes care of indigents, the aged, physically and mentally challenged citizens.
27.            We demand affordable and stable power supply to all Nigerians and transparency in the generation, transmission and distribution of power. We demand furthermore that the Federal Government diversify effective sources of power in Nigeria.
We wish to reiterate that as a movement of the Nigerian people, our faith in the unity and indivisibility of the Nigerian nation is unwavering. We will continue to bridge the various divisions in the country, forge a united front for all Nigerians to work together for the unity of the country and its emancipation from the vicious grips of the draconian system of corruption and bad governance, human right abuses, ethno-religious and sectional sentiments as well as its attendant effects of poverty, economic backwardness, underdevelopment and general disenfranchisement of the people.
We wish to call on all Nigerians to come out with boldness in the spirit of patriotism and sacrifice and lend their voice to the demand for accountability, probity, and transparency, and key into this noble opportunity to return our nation to the part of honor and glory. Our nation will be what we make of it. We must build it into one we will enjoy and be proud of. Join our protest and various activities that will be unveiled in due course.
This protest will last for 3 days and we are giving an additional 21 days to the Government to respond to our demands, failure of which we shall compel it through massive nationwide protests in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory to do the needful.
Thank you and God bless Nigeria.
Otunba Dino Melaye
ON BEHALF OF CAMON
