International rights activist Alhaji Musa Saidu has spoken about the coup in the Niger Republic, saying there is no alternative to a democratic government that guarantees the people’s rights and freedom.
Saidu, President International Human Rights Commission, Ecology and Marine, also called on African leaders and President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that gave rise to the military takeover of government in Niger Republic.
He further told Tinubu to focus intensely on redressing internal security challenges in Nigeria, adding that Nigeria should now deploy its military strength towards resolving the myriads of security problems across the country’s length and breadth of the country.
“This is not really a time for Nigeria to ignore her own internal security problems. We cannot pretend to be the giant of Africa when all is not well with our internal security.
“We have enough security challenges in the country that should demand the attention of our military.
“Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and several states in the north have enough security problems; the government should be more concerned about addressing our own problems first.
”We cannot pretend that all is well internally. We must first tackle the security problems in our home front. Travelling from Kaduna to Abuja, we all know the security challenge.
”In the southeast, non-state actors are ordering residents to sit at home for days against their will. Businesses, market places are forced to close by non-state actors. We have enough trouble in our country.”
Also, Alhaji Saidu advised the Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS and the Nigerian government to thoroughly investigate the root cause of the military takeover in the Niger Republic.
Saidu said he heard the citizens of Niger Republic were bitter that foreigners control their country’s economy and also disenchanted with the level of insecurity in their land.
