The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), otherwise known as Pyrates Confraternity, has advocated for the creation of State Police among other security measures to combat the insecurity in the country.
It also called for autonomy for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to formulate necessary monetary policies to salvage the naira.
The NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje, in an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Independence Day titled ‘Nigeria is Bleeding,’ expressed displeasure that insecurity which ravaged Nigeria under Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, still persists.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka founded Pyrates Confraternity when he was a student in Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1952 with a mandate to fight for human rights and social justice in Nigeria.
Owoaje, who acknowledged the efforts of Tinubu’s administration to “inspire hope by making economic and political adjustments to revive the ailing economy,” regretted that Nigeria was bleeding under President Tinubu.
According to him: “In spite of your best efforts so far to convince Nigerians that your administration means well for this country, the truth remains Nigeria on your watch is bleeding profusely.”
The Pyrates leader pointed out that hope rekindled in Nigerians with the change of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Service Chiefs have not been sustained, noting that insurgents and other non-state actors were operating unchecked across the country.
Reeling out statistics of killings and kidnappings across the country as well as the dire economic gloom affecting Nigerians, he said there was an urgent need to create state police to tackle the myriad of security challenges in the country.
“We reiterate our previous demand for a decentralized policing system to tackle insecurity in Nigeria. The majority of Nigeria’s Police personnel are away from core police duty and guarding political leaders and other VIPs, leaving hapless Nigerians at the mercy of criminal elements. We believe it is imperative now that you summon the political will, mobilize the State governors and the National Assembly to amend the 1999 constitution for the creation of state police.
“It is crystal clear that extant strategies are not working therefore now is the time for the security agencies to drop their petty rivalry and work for the collective good of Nigerians by adopting new strategies to combat insecurity.
“The Department of State Services (DSS) should pay less action to ‘so-called enemies’ of the government and provide the much-needed intelligence to smoke terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements, and their sponsors, from their hideouts.
“The new security strategy should involve personnel of the security agencies winning over the hearts and minds of locals in the bid to flush out undesirable elements tormenting innocent Nigerians.
“No security will work if it does to inspire confidence in the people prompting them to volunteer information. Nigerians have become weary of ineffective directives to security agencies, they demand protection from the onslaught of criminal gangs.
On the economy, while hoping that the new Central Bank Governor (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso will be given the necessary independence to restore the autonomy of the apex bank which is the cornerstone of central banking, Owoaje added the Federal Government should galvanise the National Economic Council (NEC) to urgently seek ways to invest in Small Medium Scale industries, agriculture and manufacturing.