NCM Calls For Action On Demands For Victims Of #ENDSARS, Casualties Of Ethic Crisis

NCM Calls For Action On Demands For Victims Of #ENDSARS, Casualties Of Ethic Crisis

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, Northwest, Nigeria

The Northern Consensus Movement, (NCM) has in collaboration with various associations and bodies expressed concern over current happenings in the country.

The group in a press conference held during the week has made demands for victims of #ENDSARS and that of ethnic crisis.

The demands it said will help cushion the effects of prevailing hardships posed on citizens by the unfortunate occurrences.

This was stated  while briefing journalists on previous efforts made to realize this goal which is yet to yield any fruitful results.

According to the spokesperson of the group, the President of the association, Comrade Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, they will continue to press until their demands are met.

” You may recall that recently in collaboration with 75 other notable groups, we demanded for the compensation of the victims of the #EndSARS and casualties of the ethnic crisis whose lives and means of livelihood were completely destroyed at Sasha in Oyo state, a demand we still strongly ask to be met without delay.

That the North is increasingly running out of patience over the killings of traders of Northern extraction in parts of Imo state, in Orlu town and Umuaka in Njaba local government which it said is deliberate.

It is therefore calling on the government to urgently do something about it to avoid a reprisal attack and disunity.

” Until something is done by the federal and state governments to bring an end to the senseless killing of Northerners in the south, we may have to renegotiate our togetherness.

” Recall also that we demanded for the return of our toll gates at strategic areas across the country to serve among others, to curb the insecurity presently threatening the very foundation of the country. While we appreciate the government paying heed to these demands and the baby steps taken so far towards their implementation, we frown against government’s lack of commitment towards achieving these goals in the collective interest of all Nigerians.

These ideas and the actions taken by the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) played a key role in preventing retaliatory attacks on Southern Nigerians residing, schooling, working and doing all kinds of businesses undeterred, unhindered and uninhibited across the large expanse of Northern Nigeria. As always, we shall continue to bring up sound ideas to move our nation forward along the path of progress and development.

The group has during the briefing put forward the following demands.

” In the light of the above we wish to insist on the following demands which were made previously and for which no willingness has been shown on the part of Government to satisfy:

” That a national Legislation criminalizing the payment of ransom to Kidnappers, bandits and terrorists be promulgated while government should live up to her responsibility of protecting lives and property of the Nigerian people. If government shirks from this primary responsibility, then it should grant Nigerians the right to carry arms for their own self defense. Furthermore, it makes no sense to us that the NCC has registered all phone lines in the country yet kidnappers use their phone lines to demand for ransom without trace.

 ” That the federal government in collaboration with the 19 Northern State Governments work out modalities towards the creation of regional markets for Northern traders and these markets should be situated at the border towns between the Northern and Southern parts of the country to serve as measure towards avoiding further bloodshed arising from crisis at any slight provocation and opportunity.

” Without mincing words, we demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of all the culprits and master minds of the heinous crimes against our people and of the extrajudicial killing and destruction of properties of Northerners particularly in Sasha, Akinleye LGA of Oyo State as well as in other parts of Southern Nigeria. The need for these culprits to be brought to justice so as to serve as deterrence to other ethnic and tribal bigots fanning the embers of hate cannot be overemphasized.

” We unequivocally ask that the traditional institution in this country be given a constitutional role in order to mitigate against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry in the country. Their constitutional involvement will strengthen their resolve to identify, network and engage everyone within their communities for enhancing peace at the grassroots level. A National Traditional Rulers Council with statutory powers to fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and terrorism will not be out of place.

” We also demand that special schemes, grants and loans be made easily and readily available as well as accessible with non stringent conditions to the huge number of Northern farmers and traders in order to make them economically independent and engaged.

 ” We demand for a legislation to bring an end to the manufacturing, importation, trading and usage of illicit drugs in Northern Nigeria.

The group also demands that

 ” the killers of Alhaji Rabiu, Abdulkadir Muktar, Aminu Amadu, Rabiu Issyaka, Darna kilya, Rabiu Hanai, Saminu Ma’azu, and Bello Ali Gwadabawa ” all from Sokoto State who were murdered in the South East be fished out and made to face the wrath of the law. The Northern community leaders in Owerri, the state capital have already stated that they will not burry the dead persons, until something is done by the state government to stop what they called serial killing and unprovoked attacks aimed against the Northerners. And Compensation be paid to the families of Dead as well as those who lost their properties.

However, the group stated that the

demands should not be misconstrued, misrepresented or misinterpreted as they represent the demands of an overwhelming majority of Nigerians who desire tranquility, peace, progress and unity.

It added that the demands are borne out of the belief held by majority of Nigerians that the prevailing insecurity in the region is a deliberate and calculated attempt to cripple the political, economic, socio-cultural and educational development of the northern people.

” We shall not rest on our oars in demanding all that is best for Northern Nigeria in particular and Nigeria in general however huge the blackmail from any quota.

The group stated while calling on

 the government to do the needful and that their tears have dried on their faces and patient waned.

” We wish to call on the Federal Government to be proactive and nip problems in the bud rather than waiting for them to manifest and grow despite the usual tell tale signs before their occurrence. This isn’t rocket science and only needs federal might which for now seems and looks unutilized in a country in need of strong leadership. Let us also state it categorically that, this course is a non violence one as we’re ever ready to follow due process of the law (both local and international) to get justice for our people.

” OUR TEARS HAVE DRIED on our faces and as such our patience has waned. Only the right thing on the part of government will wipe them ”.