By Ayodele Oni

Former Senate President, David Mark, has advised the Federal Government to declare violent and murderous groups operating in the country as terrorists and should be treated as such.

Mark, also, advised the Federal Government to be more proactive in its efforts to tackle the menace of violent crimes, kidnapping and armed herdsmen devastating parts of Nigeria.

This was contained in his goodwill message to commemorate this year’s Easter celebrations.

Mark bemoaned the continued violent crimes, especially in the North Central states of Plateau and Benue, that have claimed dozens of lives and properties.

“We must not shy away from the truth. If they are not terrorists, why are they killing people? Why are they destroying communities? Why are they chasing people away from their ancestral homes?

He decried the unending activities of armed herdsmen suspected to be behind killings and kidnappings stressing that “their activities are unacceptable and should not only be condemned, but be prohibited in entirety as nobody has the right to take anybody’s life.”

On the murderous attacks on several communities in Benue and Plateau States, the former Senate President called on the Federal Government to proscribe open grazing in all parts of the country and in place of open grazing, establish enclosed ranching, which is the best practices worldwide.

The former Senate President, whose Otukpo , Benue South country home has been under suspected herdsmen attacks appealed for more inclusive approach to tackle insecurity in all ramifications.

Mark also called for the establishment of a well-equipped Border Security Forces (BSF) to halt the influx of criminals into the country, pointing out that most of these suspected herders killing people took advantage of the porosity of borders to sneak into the country from neighbouring countries.

“We must not allow criminal elements to stream into our country. We must, therefore, change our strategy. Maybe, we can begin to think of fencing our borders like India, Israel, the United States and Mexico.”

When established, he said that the National Border Security Force (NBSF) would not only be saddled with the mandate of policing our porous borders, but would also have the mandate of fighting terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

He commiserated with the people and governments of Benue and Plateau States and all those who lost their loved ones.

By Ayodele Oni

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has observed that Nigeria is presently carrying insecurity as its cross of shame.

In his Easter homily, titled “Mr President Bring Us Down From This Cross,” the activist – Bishop pointed out that allowing insecurity to persist in the country will undermine all forms of goodwill that this or any government in Nigeria espouses.

“We have all the ingredients to create a toxic mix of violence that can spin out of control.

“Right now, frustration has penetrated every spectrum of our society especially as the government and its security agencies seem to have largely become spectators in the dance of death that has overtaken our country.

“We are in a dilemma now and the question is simple: is the persistence of the insecurity a statement of the lack of capacity of our men and women in uniform, or is it evidence that those at the top are reaping the fruits of funding their own war machine?

“In other words, are Nigerians lambs being sacrificed to an unknown god? Mr. President, step up, get to the finishing line and bring us down from this cross of shame.

“Mr. President, we all admit that you neither erected this cross nor did you effect our collective crucifixion. Notwithstanding, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long.

“A culture of cynicism and self-doubt over our capacity to secure peace for ourselves pervades our land. Indeed, a majority of our citizens feel that there is no hope in sight.

“Some years back, some of our public officers confessed that they brought our current killers into our country as a strategy for upstaging the government of the day and to gain power.

“Strange as it may sound, today we have watched as the cancer of insecurity and violence have metastasized. Now, this cancer threatens the very foundation of our common humanity.

“The bandits have not only become embedded in every sphere of our lives, they threaten to destroy all that holds our communities together.

“This self-destructive cancer has invaded our communities and kidnapping is a now a dog whistle for undermining the very structure and foundation of our country. We now hang on the cross at the mercy of these forces of darkness. Mr. President, please, bring us down from this cross of insecurity.

“We are confident that a majority of the citizens of our country want to live in peace with one another.

“However, allowing this insecurity to persists will undermine all forms of goodwill that this or any government in Nigeria espouses. We have all the ingredients to create a toxic mix of violence that can spin out of control.”

Kukah also identified hunger as one of the problems of Nigerians urging President Bola Tinubu to make food security right for Nigerians.

‘Mr. President, hunger, sickness and desolation stalk the land. We still believe removing the subsidies was the right decision.

“We note that the country now has a huge volume of resources in its domestic reserves. For over ten years now, farming has become one of the most hazardous pre-occupations in our country.

‘I restate the obvious by warning that mere palliative distribution diminishes the dignity of citizens. We have remained between the rock of self-doubt and the hard place of hopelessness. Make food security a fundamental human right to all citizens. Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger.”