Anambra-based Activist Berates CSOs’ Silence over Insecurity in South-East

By Praise Chinecherem

Anambra-based civil rights activist and renowned social affairs analyst, Comrade Osita Obi has decried inability of civil society organizations to keep the government on its toes, as regards matters of insecurity.

He said until the civil society wakes up from its slumber in demanding accountability from the Federal Government and Governors of the Southeast states, the insecurity and unlawful killings in the region may not abate.

Obi’s opinion is coming against the backdrop of the findings of a report titled ‘A decade of impunity: Attacks and unlawful killings in Southeast Nigeria,’ launched in Enugu last week, by Amnesty International, AI Nigeria.

The report indicted Southeast governors for not taking the necessary action to nip the assault, killings, enforced disappearances, rights violations and other acts of violence by state and non-state actors in the bud.

It also revealed that efforts by Amnesty International to meet with the governments of the various states, to discuss its findings and proffer solutions, were totally disregarded, with the exception of the Anambra State Government, which responded.

Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday, Obi, the convener of the Recover Nigeria Project, alleged that civil society, which he described as critical component of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), has become a stooge to governments, singing praises of the powers that be, to the detriment of the teeming masses.

“The civil society is not performing. It appears that they are now toothless bulldogs.

“Some of these insecurities we are seeing are sponsored by top government officials and top security agencies.

“When you talk about unknown gunmen, we know who they are, because they are from our communities.

“If we cannot arrest them because we don’t have the coercive powers of the government as civil society, then we should hold those responsible for the security of lives and property to account. But we have become praise-singers,” he lamented.

Obi also faulted the silence and docility of the civil society, while according to him, “Criminals, kidnappers, cultists and armed robbers are being elected into positions of governance.”

According to him, once these persons assume positions of power, it becomes impossible to get things right, no matter how much noise the civil society makes.

The activist advocated the radical attitude of civil disobedience by the civil society, where they will troop out to the streets to protest and demand that the government does the right thing by the people.

“When I say civil disobedience, I mean a situation where we head to the field. I don’t mean that people should be violent. What I am talking about is a situation where people would take their seats and come out to the streets and sit down.

“If a governor sees about five to ten thousand citizens on the streets, asking for answers, he will be moved to take action to listen to their demands.

“So, the civil society must stop being docile and assume its rightful position. I am advocating civil disobedience, since we have tried the talk-talk and it has not worked,” Obi insisted.