Beyond The Hashtags-Nigerian Activists Speak Out On Security, Justice, Terrorism And Panic Policing!

Nigerian activists this morning gathered in Ikeja, Lagos State, in South-West Nigeria, to drive conversations around critical security issues afflicting the Nigerian State.
The Citizen Town Hall Meeting, which was organized by the ‘Spaces for Change’ group, the S4C, had prominent citizens in attendance, who included, Bamidele Aturu, Ayo Obe, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, Amy Oyekunle, Laila Mathew Daniels, Olawale Ajani among others.
Addressing the gathering, lawyer and prominent human rights activist, Ayo Obe, said that the judiciary had a duty and obligation to uphold the rule of law even in a crisis state of insurgency. She condemned the Nigerian security forces for killing the   Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf. She demanded the release of suspects, especially in cases where there is no evidence of misconduct against them. She shared the opinion that the killing of terror suspects in custody will no doubt trigger “reprisal attacks” from the insurgents.  She denounced the adoption of Sharia as a state religion, as its imposition flouts the constitution. She further stressed the need for the younger generation to be more committed to the Nigerian project.
Bamidele Aturu emphasized the importance of the judiciary in the fight against terrorism. “Any country that claims to be a democracy must have an effective judiciary,” he said. Reminiscing on his days in the student movement, he said that if he were younger now, he would be leading an insurgency for the advancement of the rule of law. He said that Nigeria is currently practicing “panic policing,” and not “intelligence-led policing”. He recommended an unobstructed policy of policing, wherein operations are covert. Also condemning what he called the senseless murder of a former Boko Haram leader, and suggested that the police should be better trained, and properly funded, and that there should be “careful scrutiny” of the recruitment process in the Nigeria Police Force. Aturu described Nigeria as a rogue state where the ruling class is superior to the constitution.
Speaking on the Welfare of Security Personnel, Laila Daniels said, that soldiers in Borno get 1,000 naira allowance per day. She further said that 1 million naira is supposed to be paid out as a death allowance to families of soldiers who die in the line of duty. Yet, she said, that the families were actually paid 250,000 naira. She further suggested that the Federal Government be sued for the “wanton loss of lives and the abduction of the girls.”
Recounting her experience in Borno, Amy Oyekunle said, that most schools in the rural parts of the state are often located in isolated regions, making them susceptible to attack by the insurgents. She said that based on their interview with the locals, the first set of killings were done by the police and the military.