The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged the government, as well as the organisers and supporters of the scheduled hardship rally, to cancel the protest and engage in conversation to turn the Nigerian people’s condition around for the better.
The NBA also urged members of the National and State Houses of Assembly to quickly engage with their constituents in accordance with federal and subnational government initiatives to resolve the people’s concerns.
In a letter dated July 29th and signed by its President, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yakubu Maikyau, the NBA also recommended convening a National Security Summit, where serving and retired military, police, intelligence, and other law enforcement officers would meet to re-examine the security situation, propose workable solutions, and implement strategies.
“Traditional institutions and religious leaders should be co-opted and assigned specific roles in this area. Civil society organisations should be included at all stages of the planned debate, as well as in monitoring the execution of any decisions that are achieved.”
The NBA President stated in the letter that the association has consistently called the government’s attention to the people’s sufferings and the need for the government to take clear and decisive steps to revitalise the economy and lift Nigerians out of hunger and poverty, which are primarily the result of incidents of insecurity and corruption.
While acknowledging that there is widespread hunger in the country, the NBA urged all Nigerians to prioritise the nation and refrain from any actions that could have a negative impact on the country.
Referring to the previous #EndSARS demonstration, the NBA President emphasised the negative impact on the economy and urged the voice of reason to triumph now.
“Without trivialising the seriousness of our challenges and experiences and the corresponding right of the people to express their dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, I would be complacent to think or assume that our detractors and naysayers may not either be interested in the planned protest or are directly instigating and encouraging the same” .
“It is against this background, that I most humbly appeal to Nigerians, particularly, those that have decided to embark on the planned street protest to have a rethink and take a second look at what could be the possible outcome of embarking on such exercise to our security, economy, and existence” .
“Our past experiences with mass protest are that they are usually hijacked by unscrupulous elements who use the opportunity to commit heinous crimes and thus turn an otherwise peaceful protest into a riot.
“Whatever we are going through right now, cannot be compared to the experience of civil unrest and the chaos that could ensue therefrom. Needless to mention nations that are currently going through wars with the attendant carnage and destructions. We do not even want to imagine what the experience would be, and we must forbid it.”
“My humble call and appeal, therefore, to both Government, the organisers and/or proponents and supporters of the planned protest, is to call off the protest, come together for a frank and sincere discussion on what must be done to immediately begin to turn around the plight of the people for good.
“Mechanisms should be put in place for government/people engagement on a regular periodic basis. Timelines for certain specific actions should be put in place and implemented as the circumstances dictate.
“We call on members of the National and State Houses of Assembly to immediately engage with their constituents based on the plans of Government at the federal and subnational levels to address the demands of the people”.
“We further recommend that a National Security Summit be convened, where serving and retired military, police, intelligence, and other law enforcement officers will assemble to reexamine our security situation, proffer workable solutions and implementation strategies.
“Traditional institutions and religious leaders should be co-opted and given specific tasks in this regard. Civil society organizations should be engaged at all levels of the proposed dialogue and in the monitoring of the implementation of the decisions that may be reached.”