Shiites Vs Army: PPN calls for sack of security chiefs
The Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government of showing lack of value for the lives of Nigerians through its handling of incessant killings of Nigerians.
PPN National Chairman, Hon Razak Eyiowuawi, who said the killing this week of Nigerians by the military for protesting, showed that Nigerians could be killed anyhow anywhere in the world with impunity.
Eyiowuawi spoke in a telephone chat with journalists on Tuesday in reaction to the clash between the military and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shi’ites in Abuja on Sunday and Monday leading to the killing of some Nigerians.
He said: “The situation ought to have been handled in a better, matured and civil manner. The Shi’ites who were protesting are Nigerians and they have the freedom to express their rights of association and movement.
“The military ought not be involved nor use deadly force in such protest, it was not war. That should have been the responsibility of the police who were trained in handling of civil matters.
“If the military can just choose to kill with impunity, the citizens they are supposed to protest, it shows nothing will be done if Nigerians are killed in other countries. Nigerians are being killed in South Africa and some other countries and the government is not addressing the situation.
“The Federal Government should be more proactive in taking what affects the lives of Nigerians seriously. The government should learn to respect the lives of citizens. Countries that value lives of their citizens go to extremes to protect them. Nigeria should take a cue”.
Eyiowuawi said that with the needless killing of Nigerians and the insecurity of lives and property in the country which showed the country’s security chiefs are out of tune with their responsibilities, “there is need to overhaul the nation’s security apparatus.
“Men and officials of the Nigerian military and police are doing well at international assignments. Why not bring such officers back home to serve here so that we can have security agencies that value human lives and ready to protect citizens,” the PPN boss said.
