The Acting President of the Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, has called on the Federal Government to jettison its decision to deploy the Nigerian military against peaceful protesters across the country.
Nwosu who made the call in a statement Tuesday in Abuja, warned that deploying military against unarmed youths would be counterproductive as it may degenerate into chaotic situations.
Nwosu, also the national chairman of African Democratic Party (ADC), advised that the Nigerian Police and not the military, should be allowed to handle the protest.
The statement read: “We want to state categorically that the Nigerian Police and not the military, remains the rightful agency saddled with the responsibility of attending to Nigerians during such legal protests.
“The Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria is deeply concerned over the activities of hoodlums who continue to infiltrate the peaceful protests with the aim of undermining its very essence and causing harm to the Nigerian society.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to remain vigilant and focused on the roles of officers and men deployed to provide protection to Nigerians, as they exercise their rights during the protests.
“More than ever before, the services of the Nigerian military are needed now in the north eastern part of the Country and should be so deployed to tackle the menace of Boko haram and ISWAP terrorists ravaging northern Nigeria.
“We maintain that Nigerians have a constitutionally guaranteed right to freely assemble and express themselves and such inalienable rights must be protected by law enforcement agencies.
“We expect Nigerian governments at all levels to, as a matter of urgency, look into the demands of Nigerians, which remain the subject matter of the lawful protests, and provide immediate solutions thereto.
“The political parties are agencies of the Nigerian society and elected persons remain agents and servants of the people therefore, all political players must respect the collective will of the people.
“Nigeria remains the very light on the African continent and must be seen as such through the entrenchment of best democratic practices.”
