A coalition of 17 Nigerian organisations in the Diaspora has
sent a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, expressing outrage over deaths and
property destruction during the #EndSARS protests.
In the letter dated Oct. 27, the coalition, comprising
professional, ethnic and religious bodies, made suggestions to move the country
forward.
A copy of the letter titled, “Nigerians in Diaspora Appeal
for Calm and Express Outrage over Loss of Lives and Destruction of
Properties’’, was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New
York on Saturday.
The coalition suggested seven immediate actions the
government should take to foster calm as it engaged all stakeholders on the
path to lasting peace.
They include the arrest and prosecution of those involved in
the alleged killing of unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos on
Oct. 20 and the provision of security for legitimate protesters, and protection
of properties against looters and other criminals.
The coalition also suggested that all state governors should
“speedily and fairly review cases of arrested unarmed protesters, to facilitate
quick release of innocent citizens”.
It also suggested the banning of the use of live bullets to
enforce law and order during legitimate peaceful protests.
“In the unlikely event that the use of force is needed, it
must be limited to activities that put the life of our security personnel at
risk, and it must be the last resort.
“By taking the above steps, you are by no means caving to
pressure, but doing what an effective leader must do during crisis of this
nature.
“It must be ‘COUNTRY FIRST’, to bring everyone back to the
table for meaningful discussion,’’ it stressed.
While pledging to continue to engage the Buhari
administration on the matter, the coalition urged the youth to embrace peace
and push their demands through dialogue.
“We are much better than what the world is seeing on social
media and we must not allow others to shape the narrative about Nigeria.
“We have done so much in the diaspora to improve Nigeria’s
image and would hate to see all our efforts go to waste,’’ it stressed.
The coalition said it sent copies of the letter to the
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission,
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
It said in the letter that the coalition was “painfully
perplexed, distraught and distressed’’ by negative images of the protests that
flooded the social media.
It noted that the portrayal of the protests in the social
media eroded the positive image of the country that Nigerians at home and
abroad had laboured hard to build.
“There is no doubt that we have our internal issues and that
successive governments have not equally created opportunities for all citizens.
“These issues, however, could be addressed in much measured
ways through dialogue, rather than the endless carnage we are watching from all
social media avenues,’’ it stated.
It acknowledged government’s deference to the protesters’
demands and steps it took to meet the demands, including the scrapping of the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“While the above actions are commendable, we ask that you
carefully consider what is driving the insistence of the youth for broader and
deeper reforms in Nigeria.
“Successive administrations have consistently failed the
youth to the point of despair and hopelessness.
“This protest is not just about inadequacies of the current
administration, but an accumulation of issues of over many years.
“We appeal to you to look beyond the symptoms and focus on
the root causes of what has driven our youths, our future leaders to the
streets, to attempt to shape the narratives about their future,’’ it added.
Signatories to the letter are the Igbo Organisation, New
York; Reimagining Black Matters; Akwa Ibom State Association, New York, and the
Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians.
Others are the Nigerian Independence Day Committee; the
Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee and the Regional Council of Nigerian
Muslims.
The Christ Apostolic Church, First in the Americas; Absolute
Faith in Jesus Christ International Church, and Celestial Church of Christ also
signed the letter.
The Nigerian Lawyers Association, Association of Nigerian
Physicians, Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement, Nigerian Diaspora Voice,
Nigerian Youth Diaspora Engagement Forum, Occupy Nigeria and the Association
for Credible Leadership in Nigeria are also signatories.
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