Insecurity: Why You Shouldn't Wait for US's Help, Falana Tells Buhari, Reveals 4 Things President Should Do
- Popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has advised the Buhari-led administration on what to do to address the worsening security crisis in the country
- Falana said the president should not wait for foreign help, noting that the western leaders had turned deaf ears to Nigeria's plea for help since 2009
- The senior lawyer added that Nigeria has become a failed state and the security crisis may cause civil war if immediate actions are not taken to address it
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Femi Falana (SAN), popular human rights lawyer, has cautioned the Muhammadu Buhari-led against giving a false impression that the United States government will send its troops to defend Nigerians.
The Punch reports that Falana stated this on Thursday, April 29, at a public lecture to mark the 80th birthday of an academic, Prof Omotoye Olorode, in Abuja.
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Legit.ng notes the senior lawyer was reacting to President Buhari's earlier call for foreign help to solve the nation's numerous security challenges.
The Nigerian leader had on Tuesday, April 27, asked the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, for the support of the Joe Biden administration to tackle the security menace in Nigeria.
President Buhari also called on the US to consider relocating US Africa Command from Stuttgart, Germany, to Africa, nearer the Theatre of Operation.
Don't wait for the US
Reacting to Buhari's plea for help, Falana said Nigeria has been calling for help in battling the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, noting that the western world has not been supportive.
He added that rather than provide help, the US and its allies also prevented Nigeria from acquiring vital security equipment needed to combat the insurgents "due to the abysmal poor human rights record of the armed forces and the police".
Falana added that the superjets which the Buhari administration was allowed to pay are still yet to be delivered since 2018.
What the government should do
Rather than wait for the US intervention which may not come, the senior lawyer advised the Buhari administration to take three important steps:
1. Embark on mass recruitment of military and police personnel
2. Equip the security operatives
3. Motivate them to defend every part of the country
4. State and local governments should set up defence committees to collaborate with police
Meanwhile, Falana also noted that the current security collapse is due to the diversion of the huge fund earmarked for the procurement of arms and ammunition for the armed forces and the police by successive administrations.
Nigeria has become a failed state
Also reporting Falana's statement, Nigerian Tribune stated that the human rights lawyer said Nigeria has become a failed state.
According to the newspaper, Falana warned that the worsening insecurity in all states of the federation and the federal capital territory may lead to a breakup or another civil war.
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Nigeria can never be a failed state - Senate President Lawan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Senate president Ahmad Lawan disagreed with those who believe the current high state of insecurity could turn Nigeria into a failed state.
Lawan made this known while speaking on Saturday, April 10, at an empowerment programme in Katsina state.
The senator noted that even when parts of the northeast were shut down due to Boko Haram activities, Nigeria never became a failed state.
Source: Legit.ng
