The union maintained that a government that allowed her people to be murdered daily wwas totally irresponsible and has failed to fulfill the social contract of protecting lives and properties. Conveying this position to the public, the ASUU Chairman of the University of Ibadan, UI, Dr Deji Omole, in an interview with newsmen shortly after the congress of the union in Ibadan demanded adequate security of lives and properties of Nigerians from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Union also called for the de-politicization of security by heads of security agencies, saying loyalty must be to Nigeria and not to Aso Rock residents. Omole, who noted that Nigerians who were already battling with poor economic conditions were now afraid that their lives could be terminated anyhow, pointing out that the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government had been issuing ineffective condemnation speeches.
According to Omole, it was a sign of irresponsibility for the government to fold its arms while people were being killed only to approve N10 billion for rebuilding affected communities, saying “a serious government would have prevented destruction from happening but the government allowed the carnage to happen.”
The ASUU boss noted that while land transportation was hellish for Nigerians, it was now more deadly to travel since criminals had positioned themselves on major roads, kidnapping, raping, dispossessing and killing people at will. Omole said food production was now threatened because communities affected were farming communities while those displaced were farmers who were supposed to be farming during raining season but that the herdsmen had allegedly taken over their lands.
He said, “every day you open newspaper and what you read is news of killing and some people will sit inside air conditioner offices in Abuja and issue condemnation speeches which have not done anything in the last three years since they came to power. If Nigerians are already denied quality health facilities, quality education, quality social services, they must not be denied right to life. This is the worst form of treating the governed by a government that promised hope to the masses but which the rich have continued to benefit from. We demand security of lives and properties from the Muhammadu Buhari government. Only the living can demand for other rights. It is sad that one state claimed to have lost about 500 persons to herdsmen terrorism and nobody has been prosecuted for this”.
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