NZUKO UMUNNA
We received with shock the killing of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of nonagenarian and Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti by suspected herdsmen.
We commiserate with Pa Fasoranti over this tragic incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the entire Yoruba nation. It is instructive that even at a ripe old age, Pa Fasoranti is still at the barricades battling for the soul of Nigeria. It is therefore very ironic and troubling that the 94-year-old elder statesman is made to suffer this heartbreak in his old age. No Nigerian deserves to go through this.
We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate steps to arrest Nigeria’s descent to lawlessness and speedily bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.
We warn that if the current spate of insecurity is not tackled with the decisiveness it deserves, the country risks being plunged into a cycle of violence that may make Rwanda and Burundi seem like a child’s play.
The rising spate of insecurity in Nigeria is highly unacceptable. Nigerians are no longer safe in their homes and in the streets. This is bound to scare away investors. Investment thrives in an environment that places premium on security and law and order.
We urge the Federal Government to overhaul the entire security architecture and design an effective framework to arrest the rampaging criminality that is threatening the unity and continued existence of the country.
It must be said that Nigeria is clearly at the crossroads now. Aside from the security situation which has seemingly spiraled out of control, the ill-advised Ruga scheme which has been overheating the polity must be scrapped without delay.
It will require political will at the highest level of governance to stem this unremitting descent into lawlessness. The government must show in clear terms that it has the capacity and sagacity to navigate these slippery slopes. The time to act is now!
We urge Nigerians to be more vigilant and to give the government every support in order to commence the process of rebuilding the country into a united and prosperous nation devoid of banditry, cattle rustling and all forms of criminality.
Nzuko Umunna is an influential pan-Igbo think-tank with focus on partnering with stakeholders for development.
Signed:
Mr. Ngozi Odumuko
Coordinator
Mr. Paschal Mbanefo
General Secretary
