THE Progressive Youth Caucus (PYC), a coalition of youth groups in the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast in ending killings.
Prompt action aimed at halting the killings, the group said, would help to salvage the country’s image.
Its Chairman, Comrade Bamidele Olagoke, in a statement, urged Buhari to conduct a review of the country’s security architecture to enable him do away with non-performing service chiefs and heads of security organisation.
Olagoke said the measure would also help to shore up positive perception for the country in the international community.
The PYC cited the recent report by Amnesty International and the letter by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, as clear indicators that the international community views the security situation in Nigeria as a threat to its sovereignty.
The group insisted that the President should urgently heed the recommendation made by the National Assembly to modify the national security architecture.
Olagoke said: “As young people in our party, the APC, we have observed with great worry the ongoing killings, robberies, abductions and other cases of insecurity that have transpired across the nation. We understand that there is a need to exercise extreme caution when commenting on all matters of security’ However, the truth, as it stands, is that Nigerians no longer feel safe in their homes, on the streets and in their places of work.
“President Buhari, as our President and the leader of our great party, must immediately heed the international community’s warnings and take drastic action to end the rampant bloodletting across our nation.
“Amnesty International’s poser on the response time of our security forces should serve as a clear indictment on our police and other security forces that they are either incapable of dealing with the problems as it stands or just outrightly slow and insensitive to the carnage going on across the nation.
“Right now, President Buhari should heed the earlier call of the National Assembly and now, the United Nations and Amnesty International.
“Make our security forces more accountable and effective: If this means making drastic changes to the heads of the Police, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, this must be done.
“Reassure the nation: Nigerians are in mourning. Mr. President should re-echo his pre-election commitment to the sanctity of human lives. We cannot continue to live in a nation where people are being killed and kidnapped on a daily basis.”
