Ozhekhome’s Abduction: CACOL Decries Insecurity In The Country, Urges Govt To Address Unemployment
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has decried high rate of insecurity in the country and has urged the government to address unemployment rate.
This followed the abduction of the human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozhekhome by some persons along Benin-Auchi Road in Edo State last Saturday.
The abductors were said to have been intercepted by the men of the Nigeria Police, which resulted in a gun duel between the duo, hence the death of four police officers in the fight.
Reacting on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran who lamented the high rate of insecurity in the country, called for sober reflection from well-meaning Nigerians.
He said, “The state of insecurity in the country should be a cause for concern to well-meaning Nigerians. This is an evidence of security lapses in the country. It is very disheartening that law abiding citizens could be abducted despite the huge sum of money spent on security in the country. Insecurity rate in this country is something else. Boko Haram killing thousands in the north; kidnapping in the south, diseases outbreak in many states and most of our leaders remain unperturbed. It is very disheartening that Nigeria has not fared better since we resumed democracy in 1999. The plight of an average Nigerian in this present democratic dispensation is worse than what was experienced in some past political regimes.
Speaking further, Adeniran noted that the high level of insecurity is a shame on the government and its security apparata.
“The various security challenges bedevilling this country make a mess of whatever effort the present government is making to safeguard the lives of the Nigerian citizenry. The government has failed the Nigerian masses because the huge sum allocated to security vote is not yielding the desired result. As a matter of fact, everyone should take care of their own security because government, despite all the claims, have proven that they are incapable of securing lives and property.”
Stressing further, the human rights activist called on the government to address youth unemployment in the country.
“It is high time the government of the day frontally tackled the unemployment in the country. Nigeria is sitting on a keg of a gun powder except the teeming unemployed youths are positively engaged. Or what do you expect when many of the youths are unemployed? The saying goes that ‘an idle hand is the devil’s workshop’. The government should, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency on unemployment.”
Adeniran, however appealed to the abductors of Chief Mike Ozhekhome to release the human rights lawyer immediately.
