The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the government and the organisers and supporters of the planned hardship demonstration to call off the protest and embrace dialogue to turn around the plight of the Nigerian people for good.
The NBA also called on members of the National and State Houses of Assembly to immediately engage with their constituents based on the plans of government at the federal and subnational levels to address the demands of the people.
In a letter dated July 29th and signed by its President, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yakubu Maikyau, the NBA further recommended that a National Security Summit be convened, where serving and retired military, police, intelligence, and other law enforcement officers will assemble to reexamine the security situation, proffer workable solutions and implementation strategies.
“Traditional institutions and religious leaders should be co-opted and given specific tasks in this regard. Civil society organisations should be engaged at all levels of the proposed dialogue and in the monitoring of the implementation of the decisions that may be reached.”
The NBA President in the letter noted that the association has consistently called the government’s attention to the sufferings of the people and the need for the government to take clear and decisive steps to revamp the economy and get Nigerians out of hunger and poverty, caused largely by incidents of insecurity and corruption.
While noting that there is widespread hunger in the land, the NBA appealed to all Nigerians to put the nation first and hold back from any act that could have a devastating effect on the country.
Referencing the last #EndSARS protest, the NBA President highlighted the negative impact of the protest on the economy and instead called for the voice of reason to prevail now.
“Without trivialising the seriousness of our challenges and experiences and the corresponding right of the people to express their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, I would be complacent to think or assume that our detractors and naysayers may not either be interested in the planned protest or are directly instigating and encouraging the same”.
“It is against this background, that I most humbly appeal to Nigerians, particularly, those that have decided to embark on the planned street protest to have a rethink and take a second look at what could be the possible outcome of embarking on such exercise to our security, economy, and existence”.
“Our past experiences with mass protest are that they are usually hijacked by unscrupulous elements who use the opportunity to commit heinous crimes and thus turn an otherwise peaceful protest into a riot.
“Whatever we are going through right now, cannot be compared to the experience of civil unrest and the chaos that could ensue therefrom. Needless to mention nations that are currently going through wars with the attendant carnage and destructions. We do not even want to imagine what the experience would be, and we must forbid it.”
“My humble call and appeal, therefore, to both Government, the organisers and/or proponents and supporters of the planned protest, is to call off the protest, come together for a frank and sincere discussion on what must be done to immediately begin to turn around the plight of the people for good.
“Mechanisms should be put in place for government/people engagement on a regular periodic basis. Timelines for certain specific actions should be put in place and implemented as the circumstances dictate.
“We call on members of the National and State Houses of Assembly to immediately engage with their constituents based on the plans of Government at the federal and subnational levels to address the demands of the people”.
“We further recommend that a National Security Summit be convened, where serving and retired military, police, intelligence, and other law enforcement officers will assemble to reexamine our security situation, proffer workable solutions and implementation strategies.
“Traditional institutions and religious leaders should be co-opted and given specific tasks in this regard. Civil society organizations should be engaged at all levels of the proposed dialogue and in the monitoring of the implementation of the decisions that may be reached.”
