Ayodele Olalere
President Bola Tinubu has warned non-state actors over hardship, misery, violence, and hostage situations in Nigeria, saying they will face consequences for their actions.
The President spoke through Tunde Rahman, his Senior Special Assistant on Media Affairs.
According to Rahman, who delivered the keynote address on behalf of the President, at a two-day summit organised by the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement (AYDM), a coalition of 130 pan Yoruba-Itsekiri groups, held in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, non-state actors responsible for inflicting suffering, injury, and hostage-taking will be severely dealt with
“Those who use force to commit evil and cause chaos, including bandits, kidnappers, militia groups, and armed robbers, do not represent us and should face the full force of the law,” Rahman said.
He vowed that the federal government will ‘eradicate these groups’. He, however, acknowledged that some non-state actors contribute positively, such as those protecting pipelines from vandalism.
“While some criticize their actions, we must recognize their positive contributions,” he noted.
On the current economic situation Nigeria is grappling with, Rahman expressed President Tinubu’s optimism for gradual improvement.
He cited the National Bureau of Statistics’ report that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate decreased to 33.4% in July 2024 from 34.19% the previous month, suggesting progress.
“Our economic indicators are showing improvement,” he stated, highlighting that inflation is declining and the Central Bank of Nigeria has stabilized the financial sector.
Chairman of the occasion, Adewale Adeoye, in his opening remark, said the summit was coming at a time when the country was facing very difficult and unpredictable future and when the three main indices of development, notably food, human and environmental security and leadership with good conscience that brings hope to the long suffering people were threatened.
He, however, cautioned that democracy cannot just be destroyed because of its errors, saying that there was the need to confront the “challenges and work towards improving the economic and social conditions of our people.”
He also decried the call for subversion of democracy, describing such as irresponsible and, therefore, “a major reason why non-state actors must come together speak with one voice against such self-serving demand.”
“Supporting democracy is not about those in power, but about the right of the people to choose, question and democratically engage their leaders.
“I am aware that the process of even choosing the right leaders by the people in Nigeria is flawed, nevertheless, it does not in any way justify the call for military intervention in Nigeria,” he said.
Adeoye insisted that Nigeria cannot continue to go this way, saying that it must address the hydra – headed problem of food scarcity, insecurity, and leadership deficit.
“The best way to lay the foundation for the resolution is for Nigeria to go back to the dream of the founding fathers who had opted for a country where each ethnic group would be able to develop on its own terms.
“The greatest pathway to this goal is to restructure Nigeria to stem the violent clashes of civilizations.”
Kudu Abubakar representing Arewa Community, in his remark, described democracy as a fraud being perpetrated by some people from the North and South for their own selfish interest, declaring that democracy as practiced by people in power had damaged the country.
