Anyim urges Buhari to raise panel of inquiry on agitations

By Sanni Onogu, AbujaFormer Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a Commission of Inquiry as a platform to hear Nigerians out over the escalating violent and non-violent agitations in the country.Anyim in an open letter addressed to the President said he decided to do the open letter just to be sure that it will get to Buhari, because I suspect that the private one did not get to you.He said: I wish to note that every violent agitation originates from a non-violent agitation that was not attended to. Today, Nigeria is bedeviled with violent and non-violent agitations.It is also a fact that the current violent agitations originated from non-violent agitations, e.g. Boko Haram started as a non-violent procession;The herders/farmers clashes which has degenerated into a deadly conflict with many states now bloody theatres of war; ethnic conflicts in Kaduna, Ebonyi, Cross River, Benue, Plateau states etc. which are escalating to an unmanageable scale;Armed Banditry in virtually all states of the federation, particularly Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, which has overwhelmed the law enforcement agencies, kidnaping which has become occupational in most parts of the country.Read Also:Mbaka: I took three expatriate contractors to BuhariTo worsen matters, Boko Haram, has acquired new impetus that they now overrun the military and have even expanded their base to Niger State.IPOB has become a regional challenge. On the non-violent side, agitations for restructuring are scaling up in momentum, ethnic consciousness and allegiance even among the elite are far eroding national concerns.All these and many more coupled with gross downturn in the national economic, social and political space has become an apparent threat to our nationhood.I am to add that it must be known that military actions or even foreign help alone cannot bring permanent solutions to ethnic conflicts or nationality agitations. Mr. President, you need to create a platform to hear Nigerians out.He added: There is no gainsaying that reservations about the continued existence of Nigeria is building up to a dangerous time bomb.I make bold to say that no solution, except one birthed by an independently conducted engagement with fact-based recommendations arrived at with the participation of the citizens, will provide an enduring solution.The report of such a commission, he said, will put in proper perspective and provide basis for further action.Such document will be the foundation for a new Nigeria anchored on negotiated settlement derived from the legitimacy bestowed by citizen participation and the credibility of the commission, Anyim said.
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