..An attempt to declare state of emergency
..Pass no confidence vote on NSA
By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
Coalition of Nigerian Civil Society Groups, (CNSCG) has described as a great shocker, the declaration of Zamfara high way as “No Fly zone” by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, last week, saying the state is yet to have an airport.
The Coalition, in a press briefing in kaduna also stated that the National Security Adviser (NSA) General Babagana Monguno (rtd) was politically influenced to intimidate the sitting Governor of Zamfara State Mall. Bello Matawale, because the Governor is not a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Briefing journalists at Arewa House Kaduna, the CNCSG Spokesperson, Amb Lukman Salaudeen, noted that the action clearly shown that the NSA completely lost touch with reality, adding that up till date Zamfara state has no functional Local or International Airport, and therefore passed vote of confidence on him.
“Zamfara state till date has no functional Local or International Airport, but an Airport under construction and the work progress is below 60% completion.
“The advice of the NSA to President Muhammadu Buhari to declare Zamfara State a “No Flight Zone”, is nothing but a political influenced decision and deliberate act of intimidation of a sitting Governor in our dear country.
“It has clearly shown that Major General Babagana Moguno (Rtd), the NSA has completely lost touch with reality, because up till date Zamfara state has no functional Local or International Airport.
On the question of why Zamfara State, the coalition said this has become necessary on the “ground that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration, to the knowledge of everybody is characterized by Mass abduction ranging from the kidnappings of the Dapchi School girls in Borno State, Kankara Boys in Katsina, Kangara school boys in Niger State among others.
They lamented that no security personnel or Chiefs were even queried or pronounced suspended, “which spur out the fundamental questions of why Matawale, who put up his efforts to negotiate the release of the children so as to save the government from the face of shame despite the fact that he is not of the ruling party”, adding that the “first lady as well fled the country citing insecurity as major reasons.
“Historically, under this present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, series of mass abductions, Kidnapping, of Secondary School children has occurred, notably are in Borno (Dapchi Girls) , Katsina (Kankara Boys), Niger (Kagara Boys) and most recently Zamfara (Jangege Girls)”, the coalition stated respectively.
“It will interest you to note; that the most ridiculous, embarrassing and daring school children abduction occurred in early December 2020 (Over 300 Kankara Boys) during the presidential private visit to his home state (Katsina).
“It’s the most embarrassing one to the entire security architecture and our dear nation in the recent time, because from Kankara where the students where abducted in a large numbers is less than 300km to Daura where the president and the first family were residing at that moment, so it simply implies that our President and his immediate families are also vulnerable to abduction as the security under this regime become worse ever in the history”, they noted.
The coalition also compared Nigeria with other countries of the world that has the interest of their people at heart, stressed that should patriotism prevail in the country, General Babagana alongside others would have vacated their seats long ago.
“In a sane society or nation where patriotism, commitment and service delivery to the nation takes the lead, the NSA and our immediate past Services Chiefs would have resigned voluntarily without chasing any shadow long ago.
“No flight zones in Zamfara now is an attempt to declare a state of emergency in the State, being an opposition governing state with just 1 record of mass abduction while Niger, Katsina, Kaduna, Borno with several records of unimaginable banditry kidnapping and terrorist activities is enjoying non of the treatment melted on Zamfara state.
The group rejected the decision on the ground that sincerity is lacking, condemned the act and stressed that despite huge budgetary allocations year in year out, no meaningful results have been achieved.
They also passed a vote of no confidence on the NSA over an alleged failure to live up to expectations despite having spent over five years in the same office as a retired Major General in Nigerian Army.
“We as a forum pass a vote of no confidence on the NSA for failing to live up to expectations despite having spent over five years in the same office and as a retired Major General in Nigerian Army we are disappointed.
They also alleged that the current insecurity in Zamfara State could be traced back to over 6 years, during the reign of Governor Abdulazeez Yari when series of ugly events took place and the current administration of “President Buhari of APC did not take such action in the state, just as same treatment was not served to Katsina, Borno, Niger, Benue and Kaduna State where similar activities has become events of the day.
They applauded the peace efforts of the current Governor of Zamfara State and called on the National security adviser to advice the government to buy drone and other latest sophisticated weapons and not declaring Zamfara a no flight zone, called on the Presidency and other security chiefs to as a matter of urgency address the security challenges of the country in good time.
Recall that President Buhari on Tuesday last week declared the State a no fly zone, suspending all mining activities in the region till further notice until the insecurity situation of the area is addressed.
