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Military action or foreign help alone can’t bring permanent end to insecurity, Anyim tells Buhari

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Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim has written President Muhammadu Buhari over the worsening security situation and secession agitations in Nigeria, suggesting ways to end the rising tension in the land.

There have been several attacks by bandits and insurgents across Nigeria in recent times, with gunmen invading schools, security facilities and communities.

There have also been several groups agitating for secession and fighting for self-determination, with the agitators for Yoruba Nation making the headlines lately.

Anyim, who was once a secretary to government of the federation, published an open letter to the President on Monday, titled “The State of Insecurity in the Nation,” explaining to the president that military actions alone cannot solve the problem of insecurity.

According to him, “it must be known that military actions or even foreign help alone cannot bring permanent solutions to ethnic conflicts or nationality agitations. Mr. President, you need to create a platform to hear Nigerians out.

“Every violent agitation originates from a non-violent agitation that was not attended to. Today, Nigeria is bedevilled with violent and non-violent agitations.

“It has become apparent that the foundation of the various agitations in Nigeria today is that the comfort provided at independence by the Willink’s Commissions Report is no longer working.”

Anyim went on to ask Buhari to set up a Commission to probe the cause of violent and non-violent agitations across the country.

He said, “I make bold to recommend that Mr. President should make history by empaneling another commission of inquiry to inquire into the violent and non-violent agitations in Nigeria and make recommendations on the immediate-, short- and long-term solutions as a way of first de-escalating the rising tension in the land and a process for the renewal of our march to nationhood.

READ ALSO: 2023 presidency for core Igbos only –Anyim

“It is important to note that in a democracy, no action is deemed successful or completed until the buy-in-of the people is secured through a democratic process. This buy-in- is an imperative that is yet to be pursued in the fight against violent agitations in Nigeria.

“I must say that as long as the people are not part of the process of finding solutions to the conflicts, a permanent solution will be a mirage.”

Anyim revealed that he had discussed some of these in person with the President, adding that he resorted to writing an open letter only because the president might not have gotten an earlier private letter he had written.

“Mr. President, you may recall that on the 5th of October, 2018, I had audience with you in your office. In that meeting, with your then Chief of Staff, the late Mallam Abba Kyari, in attendance, we touched on a number of issues including the insecurity in the country and about which you directed that I should do a short brief on my suggestion and forward to your Chief of Staff.

“Mr. President may wish to know that I did as you directed and submitted my suggestion to your then Chief of Staff on the 20th of October, 2018.”

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