Human Rights Group Charge FG to Improve Nation’s Security Architecture 

Segun James

Human rights organisation, Centre for Public Accountability and Coalition of Civil Society Organisations has charged the federal government on the need to improve the security architecture of the country, saying it to took the threat of American President Donald Trump for issue to be seen as a wake- up call.

The human rights body also called  on the United States(US) government to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and work with the country through diplomacy, intelligence-sharing, and development partnerships — not threats of military force.

Briefing the press in Ikeja Lagos, the spokesperson of the body Declan Ihekiare stated that while it is right that there is insecurity in the  country, they reject any attempt to use religion to divide the country as claimed by America president that the attack was a genocide on the Christians.

“We reject any foreign threat to our sovereignty. We reject narratives designed to weaken our collective resolve.

“We affirm that Nigeria’s security challenges, though grave, are surmountable, and we remain confident that with sustained reforms, responsible leadership, and strong citizen cooperation, our nation will rise out of this crisis stronger than ever.

“It is therefore, unfair, misleading, and politically motivated for anyone — foreign or local — to suggest that the ongoing killings across the country began recently or that they are the result of negligence by the current administration.

“We categorically reject the divisive and inflammatory claim that the insecurity ravaging parts of the country is exclusively targeted at Nigeria’s Christian population. Such narratives are dangerous, simplistic, and deliberately engineered to inflame religious tensions,” the group stated.

The human rights body explained that those behind terrorism and insurgency — and their sponsors — are intentionally attacking certain Christian-dominated communities in certain regions, not because the crisis is religious, but because they aim to manipulate emotions, fuel sectarian suspicion, and fracture national unity.

The group added that while it acknowledged the progress made so far by the federal  government on confronting insecurity “we also challenge the Nigerian government to intensify efforts in: identifying, pursuing, and apprehending the masterminds of insecurity — including financiers, informants, collaborators, and foreign enablers.

“Conducting  thorough investigations into the economic, political, and external interests benefiting from the prolonged insecurity. Strengthening community-based intelligence systems, empowering  traditional institutions, and improving local policing frameworks.”

The federal government was also urged to accelerate judicial processes so that terrorists and bandits do not return to the society through loopholes or weak prosecution.

“Nigeria must demonstrate that no individual, group, or external actor is too powerful to face justice,” the group said.