The Southern and Middle-Belt Alliance (SaMBA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and all governors from the South East to as a matter of urgency identify and apprehend the sponsors of the “Unknown Gunmen” in the region.
The group in its statement issued on Monday and signed by its Spokesman, Prince Rawang Pam Jnr. appealed to President Buhari to take immediate steps to tackle the growing spate of violence in Anambra and the South East at large.
SaMBA, whilst commending the Nigeria Army’s proactive action against insecurity as it plans to commence three security exercises nationwide code named ‘Golden Dawn, Enduring Peace and Still Water’, further advised the Army to conduct these exercises with restraint and respect the human rights of civilians.
The statement reads, “Recent activities of the so-called “Unknown Gunmen” in Anambra state and the South-East in the past few weeks call for concern among peace-loving Nigerians as the Federal government has failed in its responsibility to protect the lives and properties of citizens.
Scores of lives have been lost and government and private properties worth billions of Naira have been destroyed.
“The right to life is a fundamental right and it’s so entrenched in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) in Sec 33, which clearly states “that every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in the execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offense of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.”
Likewise, Section 14 (2b) states that “the welfare and security of the citizens shall be the primary purpose of government.” This government has failed in that duty and continues to fail until it does the necessary.
“It is heartbreaking that recent happenings in Anambra state and the South East at large have breached this right. If the federal government cannot guarantee the security of lives of its people, which is on the Exclusive list, it is well-advised for the National Assembly to amend the Constitution and place Internal security in the concurrent list to enable governors become effective chief security officers in their respective States.
“We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari to fish out the sponsors of the so-called “Unknown Gunmen” in South East and bring them to justice without further ado.
“Furthermore, we call on the Federal government to urgently investigate allegations that the current upsurge in the criminal attacks in Anambra state has to do with the forthcoming Anambra state governorship elections on November 6, 2021.”
