By Eseoghene Emuke
The Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged has berated former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the state of insecurity in the country, accusing the former President of laying the foundation for the nation’s acrimony and insecurity.
CENTREP, a human right group, said although it agreed with the position of the former president that Nigeria is approaching tipping points, Obasanjo should take blames for the country’s current security challenges.
In a statement on Wednesday signed by its Executive Director, Mr Oghenejabor Ikimi, said while it accepts the contents of the letter as the true position of the state of affairs in the country.
Ikimi, a seasoned lawyer, noted that under the administration of Obasanjo witnessed the formation of dreaded Boko Haram and other regional armed groups including the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) in the South West and the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) in the Niger Delta.
It explained that when the nation’s security was gradually nose-diving into its current state, former President Obasanjo’s government failed to nip the situation in bud.
It added that Obasanjo’s failure to act gave rise to the present predicament in the country.
The statement posited, “Nigeria no doubt is approaching tipping points, but former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as a former coup plotter and a former Chief of Staff, a former Head of State and a former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was amongst those who laid the foundation of the present state of acrimony and insecurity in Nigeria.
“Nigeria during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime witnessed the formation of deadly groups like Boko Haram and other regional armed groups like the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) in the South West and the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) in the South South amongst others.
“Nothing was done by his administration to contain the situation then, which over the years have grown into a monster and has left the present Federal Government with hands akimbo helpless and the entire country bewildered.”
To address the situation, CENTREP advised the President Buhari-led government to urgently decentralize the nation’s internal security apparatus along the six geopolitical regions.
“For the umpteenth time, Centrep renews her call for the total decentralization of our internal security apparatus along the six geo political Regions of South-West, South-East, South-South, North-West, North-East and North-Central respectively with each of these Regions headed by a Regional Inspector General of Police and same funded according to the security needs of each geo political Region as a stop gap arrangement in case the idea of restructuring and de-amalgamation of our country is not amendable at the moment.
“Centrep believes that the citizens of this country would be more secured, united and stronger if our nation’s internal security apparatus is decentralized, funded and her personnel trained to meet the security needs of each geo political Region. We rest our case”, the statement added.
