Group begins mobilisation for another occupy Nigeria mass protest

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A group, Nigeria All Patriots Assembly (NAPA) has called for
the sack of the country’s service chiefs due to the mounting insecurity across
Nigeria, even as it called on pressure groups, cultural organizations, civil
society groups, students, among other concerned Nigerians to join it proposed
mass protest.

NAPA has gone a step further to organise a sensitization
rally to protest the continued stay of the service chiefs in office at the
popular Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos on Monday, March 16.

In a statement sent to journalists on Monday, March 9 by its
director of communications, Bolanle Oluwaseyi, the group said there is a need
for urgent mass action to salvage Nigeria from its current travails.

Part of the statement read: “We are witnesses to the serial
multi-sectoral damage done to our collective national interest that has
adversely affected the economy, social cohesion, politics and every other
national development index in the last five years.

“First, there was the total mutilation of the electoral
system by discarding all rules of fairness, credibility, decency and
inclusivity that are basic demands for every working democracy.

“This was followed by the emasculation and
bastardization of the nation’s justice system by vandalizing the established
judicial regulations and turning the judiciary into a temple no longer of
justice, but of suppression of the popular will of the people.

“As if these were not enough, we are today faced with
maniacal desperation to mortgage our collective security by compromising the
entire national security structure. Insecurity in Nigeria: Catholics protest in
Abuja over nationwide killings

“As the nation reels in harsh economic realities and a
thriving criminal industry take a huge daily toll through insurgency, banditry,
kidnapping, ethnic and religious conflicts, the administration has stubbornly
refused to heed calls to review and adjust its ineffective security
arrangements.

“Calls from the nation’s National Assembly, the civil
society, religious and cultural leaderships and even subtle rebukes from a
section of the international community have been swept aside by an unrepentant
club of a few who have caged the presidency and held the entire nation captive.

“In the wake of these unfolding realities and the unyielding
destructive stand of the clannish federal leadership, the entire country is
gripped by palpable fear, traumatic uncertainty and agonizing daily losses to
lives and properties.”

The group said it has become necessary for a mass
mobilization to rescue Nigeria. It said the mass protests will among other
things: 

1. Expose the ineffectiveness, incompetence, contradictions,
partisan affiliation and professional compromise of the current service chiefs
and heads of other security agencies.

2. Expose the serial lies, complacency, doublespeak and
deceit of particularly the Chief of Army Staff and his determined desperation
to suppress the truth and contrary views.

3. Demand for the immediate sack of the service chiefs and
heads of other security agencies and a complete overhaul of the national
security machinery.

4. Demand for the consequent probe of the activities of the
sacked service chiefs and their conspirators in the last five years.

NAPA called on pressure groups, cultural organizations,
civil society groups, students, women, trade and labour unions and on other
concerned Nigerians to join its protest which it noted, will be held nationwide
after the Lagos rally.