The Coalition Against Killings In Northern Nigeria (CAKIN) has issued a 14-day ultimatum for President Muhammadu Buhari to end killings by bandits and other criminal elements in the region or risk shutdown of government.
According to CAKIN, failure to do so would lead to massive protests from the people of the region.
The coalition issued the ultimatum in a statement on Monday following a meeting in which it resolved that the security chiefs were incapable of finding a solution to the security challenges bedevilling the region and must therefore resign or be sacked.
The Herald can report that seven groups from the region signed the statement, including Isa Abubakar of Northern Youth Council of Nigeria; Yerima Shettima, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum; Yusuf Idris Amoke, Northern Anti Corruption Front; Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Arewa Youth Assembly, Murtala Abubakar, Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations; Dr. Idris Mohammed, CUPS and Gambo Gujungu, Arewa Youth Forum.
“The coalition from today, June15, 2020, gives a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to end killings in the entire states of the North. After the expiration of this ultimatum, any reported case of killing will leave us with no option than to mobilise citizens to take to the streets until the government is shut down,” the statement read in part.
CAKIN called for the cancellation of security votes for governors, saying that such funds should be channelled towards maintaining community policing structures to keep Nigerians safe.
“It is on a sad note that this coalition wishes to remind the government at all levels that the primary responsibility of government anywhere, particularly the one that was democratically elected by voters, is to protect lives and property of citizens. Nigerians, particularly northerners voted President Muhammad Buhari to power in 2015 in anticipation that as former military Head of State and retired General, he is positioned to deal decisively with all forms of threats to security of people, particularly challenges of Boko Haram that had caused hardship and unprecedented destruction of lives and economy activities,” the coalition said.