According to the coalition, engaging ex-militants in oil economic administration and distribution contributes to the country's current fuel crisis.
A coalition of civil society groups on Tuesday began a global campaign against the award of pipeline protection contracts to ex-militants in Lagos with a rally.
According to the coalition, engaging ex-militants in oil economic administration and distribution contributes to the country's current fuel crisis.
It stated that it would continue to protest to get the attention of the Presidency, members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations Security Council to ensure that Nigeria stops awarding pipeline protection contracts to people with a history of terrorism, banditry, and rebellion against the Nigerian state.
Members of the coalition gathered in Lagos with placards calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt the growing custom of giving such contracts to people associated with violence and banditry in Nigeria.
The Civil Society Coalition for Mandate Protection, (CSC-MAP) established in 2010 said the campaign was necessary to stop the proliferation of arms in Nigeria.
The coalition said the crisis in the oil sector as seen with the current fuel scarcity could partly be blamed on the engagement of ex-militants in the oil economy.
It said such contracts strengthen them to hold the country to ransom and sometimes use their network to create artificial scarcity.
The group said the most dangerous threat to democracy is the proliferation of arms and pockets of violence across the country.
Addressing the rally held at Allen Roundabout in Ikeja, Lagos, its General Secretary, Mr Popoola Ajayi said President Tinubu needs peace and stability to be able to deliver the dividends of democracy.
He said, “Today, we have launched the beginning of mass campaign to free Nigeria from the source of terror to create a free, prosperous and strong country.
“We have started building a network with groups across the country and in the West Africa sub-region. This is the second of such rallies to sensitise Nigerians on the need to immediately stop the award of oil pipeline contracts to people associated with violence,” Popoola Ajayi said.
He said the group will hold rallies in Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja and at the ECOWAS headquarters, adding that the rallies will be peaceful.
He continued, “It is to deepen democracy and create peace and harmony in Nigeria. It is to block a major source of arms proliferation which undermines democratic development and sustainable livelihood in Nigeria.
“We are going to write letters to Presidents of all OPEC members. We are producing 1 million pamphlets to be distributed across Nigeria. We are also producing T-shirts that every Nigerian can put on. We are also going to stage a protest at the National Assembly in Abuja.”