Barr.Niri Darong Blasts APC For Human Right Violation, Insecurity In The Country

Yakubu Busari

A Jos-based Legal practitioner, Barrister Niri Darong has disclosed that the Civil rights of Nigerians under the All Progressives Congress, APC-led government is constantly and grossly violated, thereby violating the international agreement of their fundamental human rights.

 

 

He attributed the current economic hardship, kidnapping, banditry being experienced in the country as an abysmal failure of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) ruling government’s inability to address the insecurity during its second tenure in office.

 

 

Darong said Nigerians had not had it so bad even during the military junta and Nigeria civil war compared to what the country is currently going through under the leadership of APC “Democratic” setting resulting in astronomical human rights violations, insecurity, economic and other facets of good governance.

 

 

The renowned legal luminary made these Statements in an interview with journalists in his office in Jos, Plateau state.

 

 

Darong lamented that the deteriorating state of the nation, gross abuse of human rights, and visible failure of  Buhari led APC government can be seen in what happened to some of our diplomats recently as they look at Nigerians with disdain in their country which shows that we have gone down below where we supposed to be as a country.

 

 

He said the Security agencies now leave much to be desired with the way they interact with the citizens. He said under this administration more fundamental human rights are been filed against the security, which has been the worst seen in the history of this country.

 

He emphasized that not even during military rules, even during Nigeria’s civil war when human rights are supposed to give way to Security, Nigeria has never been so harassed.

 

Barr. Niri Darong further added that the chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Makurdi Branch was recently assaulted, beaten by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from the statement of what transpired, he said the EFCC boss went to Makurdi rather than apologize, he was still defending his staff that he can’t do anything about it.

 

He cautioned that the way and manner the Security agencies are behaving, violating the rights of its citizens with impunity which now gives the foreigners the impetus and temerity to take Nigerians for a ride even in their own country.

 

Niri raised alarm over the rampaging cases of killing in Nigeria and Plateau state, the recent gruesome Killings of over 70 innocent people in Miango of  Bassa and Jebu Bassa which regrettably shared borders with military formation.

 

We want the world to know that the 3 Division share boundary with the barrack yet mayhem was committed, and the killing which is still going on as I was reliably informed that three women were reported hacked down to death by Fulani militias.

 

 

According to him, “So if Miango is not safe, Jebu Bassa is not safe considering its proximity to the military formation, where they will be safe, when we were growing up as children, any killing or one killing is a breaking news, unlike today, that is not the case anymore as it has become daily rituals”.

 

“One of the elder statesmen, who recently joined on the paramilitary organization in 1968, said they were the last set of people that we’re fully trained. He said they were given laws even after the training, he was still sent to the police college for further training for another six months.”

 

He added that today it’s a different ball game as the Security agencies are not trained let alone retraining them.

 

 

“You see police officer whom you expect to be very vast, cannot even take the statement of accused persons accurately, if it happened to police officers, what about the military who are only trained to shoot, they don’t even know the rules of engagement, that is why we continue having accidental discharge”

 

Recently in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory the government is about to start collecting taxes from the use of generators and those drilling boreholes, he said it is a very sad development.

 

 

He decried that the Federal, states, and LGs governments in Nigeria had failed in provisions of basic social amenities, and stressing that “when he was a child, we have no need for generators there was power everywhere and we  bath on tap waters.”

 

 

He , however, explained that today the government can’t provide all these amenities, and you said you want to impose taxes on people for helping themselves, I think they are taken Nigerians for granted.

 

 

Barr.Niri advised the APC Government not to push Nigerians to the wall to avoid terrible, unpleasant reactions that may be worse than that of the “Endsars” protest.

 

“This government is  pushing Nigerians to the wall when you push somebody to the wall, the day he will react, will be terrible, what happened during the “#Endsars” protest will tip of icebergs”

 

“I appeal that the government should not overstress the masses more than the necessary limit, our leaders should not take us to that extent and complained further that there are many areas the government will charge you for R of O, with the promise to provide you with the necessary social amenities that never come. Now, who will be ready to pay for Cof O and R of O when the government is not fulfilling his side of its bargain”, he said.

 

 

Darong complained that corruption On the justice system, the lawmakers make laws that only benefit them not the masses who voted them into power.

 

 

“Go to Jos prison, those who are there are all awaiting trial, most of them are innocent people kept there without bail, let alone accessing the bail conditions and you can never see top government officials in Jos prison”, this act called for the country sober reflect with the view of correcting the past mistakes”.

 

Barrister Darong further Decries the deplorable state of our primary, secondary schools which can be equated with zoo, when I was growing as a child the best schools you can ever attend is public schools.

 

 

Everybody was waiting for limited space, but today it’s really sad that in most of our schools no chairs, no teachers.

 

Look at government secondary schools that were once upon a time the dream of every child, is now an eyesore even animal cannot live there.

 

He said the insecurity in the country has reached an alarming stage where the schools’ children are no longer safe in their schools, contrary to what is obtainable before where the schools were the safest place.

 

 

“Today see armed Security men guiding schools this creates a dent in the Psyche of the innocent children and urged the leaders to think of what to do and way forward.

 

On the issue of electronic voting that was thrown out by the lawmakers, that it was passed into law would have given credence to our electoral system, he Condemned the action of the lawmakers for failure to pass the bill Into law.

 

“They wrote jamb in every nook crannies of this country with the aid of phone and computer, and the transmission of results, and when it came to electronic voting, they said you cannot transmit results even when the national electoral umpire said they do it the national assembly said they cannot do it.

 

 

What is their fear is that they don’t want the vote of Nigerians to count, the earlier we begin to think the better for us all, he maintained.

 

 

He further complained about the money send on our elected Representatives, civil servants hardly are paid salaries, you see the take-home pay of one single member of the national assembly can take care of millions of Nigeria, yet they threatened to retrench civil servants whenever they asked for stipends increment in their salaries. “They claimed they don’t have money to pay.

 

Darong lauded the recent High Court Porthourt Division delivered by justice Steven Dalop Pam on Value Added Tax (VAT) as commendable.

 

 

It is only States that should be empowered to collect (VAT)I think it’s fair if claim alcohol is “Haram”, why then are you then collecting (VAT)from states that alcohol is not” Haram”.

 

Suggested that states should begin to collect their VAT, not just limited to river state alone to see how well they can manage their resources.

 

“The federal government didn’t have business in collecting taxes accruable to the state, let the Niger Delta also enjoyed their oil, in so doing, it will help us in the Plateau to look our tourism, agriculture, untapped solid minerals abound in the state.

 

Oil money has brought laziness to the Nigerian states, the groundnut pyramids in Kano is no longer there because of oil money.

 

He condemned the actions of the local government chairmen in the state who never stay in their respective local government which is their place of assignment, but rather choose to stay at the capital city while their local government suffered.

 

 

“Look at the Government chairmen, most of them didn’t stay in their localities; they rather stay in Jos the headquarters, they only of to their local government every month end when it’s reaping to pay salaries.

 

He proposed the enactment of a law that will force all elected chairmen and councilors should stay in their respective localities.