The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), has again raised alarm over what it described as dominance of Muslims in vital positions in security architecture of the country even as it asked Nigerians to be prepared to embark on civil disobedience that will lead to ‘shut down’ of the country if President Muhammadu Buhari fails to take immediate measures to correct the situation.
The NCEF in a statement issued on Sunday noted that the heads of key security offices including the Ministry of Interior, State Security Service, Customs, Police, Immigration, Ministry of Defense, Army, Civil Defense, Prisons, Office of National State Adviser are Muslims from the Northern part of the country, a situation it said was contrary to constitutional stipulation of federal character.
While giving its support to Gen. T. Y. Danjuma over his recent call that Nigerians should defend themselves against attacks by bandits, NCEF also accused security operatives of collaborating with Islamist terrorists to kill citizens.
It blamed the inclusion of Sharia in the 1999 Constitution for “all the current agony experienced in the country.”
The NCEF, therefore, asked Nigerians to start seeking for a constitution that has democracy as the only ideology.
The Forum advised President Buhari to “dismantle the current discriminatory appointments in Security and Education and ensure new appointments in compliance with Section 14 (3) of the Constitution, commence the implementation of the 2014 National Conference and to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission as the basis of providing healing, reconciliation, and forgiveness in Nigeria.
NCEF also asked the Buhari administration to set up machinery to develop a new Constitution for Nigeria based on Democracy as the only National Ideology.
As an immediate step, the Forum recommended a return to the 1963 Republican Constitution which it said was the Constitution negotiated by the Founding Fathers of Nigeria.
It asked Nigerians to be prepared to embark on civil disobedience and shut down the country if the Buhari Administration fails to take immediate corrective measures to stabilize Nigeria and restore justice, equity and fairness, particularly to stop the reckless murder of Nigerians by Islamist insurgents.
“Nigeria belongs to all citizens and it is the highest act of treachery, betrayal, and treason for elected officials to use the instrument of government to promote sectional interests at the cost of the lives of other citizens.
“As Elders, we witnessed Nigeria pre and post-independence. What we are seeing presently, is a nightmare compared to the glorious dreams of the Founding Fathers on 1st October 1960. During the Colonial era, Traditionalists, Christians, and Muslims all lived in peace and harmony. It is disturbing that after independence, Nigerians are unable to live together in peace. We do not want to believe that the British should be invited to come back and rule us. We can solve this problem but the Islamists in northern Nigeria must be persuaded to back down from this foolish and lives costly adventure that they have embarked upon. It is an ill wind that blows no one any good, the Forum said in the statement which was issued by Solomon Asemota