The Northern Elders Forum; pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, and the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, have knocked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over kidnappings and killings by bandits in the North.

There were series of protests in the Federal Capital Territory and in some states in the North. The protesters had converged on the Ayuba Wabba House in Abuja, demanding an end to the insecurity in the North.

Armed with placards bearing inscriptions like ‘Buhari is a weak Army General’, ‘Northern region is bleeding, Buhari is sleeping’, ‘How many have to die in the North before Buhari is asked to resign?’, among others, the protesters marched under the bridge in Garki Area 1 where they were arrested by the police.

One of the organisers, Abba Hikima, called for an end to the bloodletting in the North while insisting that security personnel be properly armed to face the bandits, who he said were more armed than security agents.

Reacting to the development, the Youth President of SOKAPU, Isaac John, said the killings in the North showed the Buhari-led regime was incapacitated and overwhelmed, adding that if the President could not ensure the safety of Nigerians, he should resign.

He said, “We have always been crying to the government concerning the insecurity that we found ourselves in. Since this government came in, Southern Kaduna where I come from has been bleeding. There is now an extension of the bleeding to other parts of northern Nigeria. It is obvious that this government is highly incapacitated. They lack what it takes to protect Nigerians.

“As it stands now, bandits are having a field day in the North. It is a good thing that people are now realising that this government is a failure. If the President is not capable of protecting lives and property, he should please resign. In some other countries, he should have resigned long before now.”

The spokesperson for the NEF, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said it rests squarely on the table of the president to secure the lives of the citizens of the country he governs.

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He added, “Mr President should realise that he is bound by the constitution and the provisions for resigning is also enshrined there. Securing citizens is the fundamental responsibility of the state and if the state cannot secure citizens then the citizens have the right to demand of the President to do whatever is necessary. You cannot expect citizens to protect themselves if the government fails to do so.”

Also, the spokesperson for Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, said the country was hanging in the balance. He added, “It is neither falling nor standing up; it is neither going up nor down. It is something that is difficult to explain. If there are people who share sentiments with his regime, it is the North. If they are out on the streets protesting, then we know it has become a serious issue.

“It is not only the north that is bleeding; the South-East and the rest of the country have also been bleeding for years now.”

Similarly, the General Secretary, Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, said it appeared the country was in its second civil war, adding that the President should use the twilight of his administration to restructure the country.

He added, “Nigeria is already in its second civil war. It is different from other previous wars. It is a war unknown in history. It is a war in which the enemies don’t know one another.”