JUNE 12: Lagos Govt Promoting Cultism, Other Crimes for Selfish Political Interest – HURMA

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STATEMENT BY HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING AGENDA ON JUNE 12 2021

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Gentlemen of the Media/ Fellow Nigerians,

The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda wish to join other faithful Nigerians to celebrate this historical date of June 12 which is “Democracy Day” for Nigeria, this day 12th of June 2021.

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The day is historic because it was a day that Nigerians across all tribes came out to actually choose for themselves someone to represent their interest in governance. Our society is divided into two classes; the government and the governed. If the government is not representing the interest of the governed, it will definitely translate automatically into the oppressor and the oppressed or in other words, the exploiter and the exploited.

Nigerians in June 12 1993 came out en masse to choose who they want to actually represent their interest. They were actually agitating for true democracy in Nigeria after several torture experienced from military rule. Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people, that is, a government chosen by the people to represent them at every aspect of government.

After several agitations from the people, President Mohammed Buhari decided that June 12 would be remembered as democracy day. We need to give kudos and appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for this bold step which others before him failed to implement. He actually implemented the desire of the people by making June 12 democracy day. This therefore is a day Nigerians gather to reflect on where they are coming from and the journey ahead. It is a day we reflect on the challenges confronting the nation and the way out. But it is disheartening that today people are being prevented from coming out to express their heart desire as regards the pains and desire for their dear country. We must appreciate what the government is doing because democracy is about good governance, good economy and security. Some people exploit the opportunity of gatherings to commit of sorts of crime.

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The location of the venue for this year celebration by HURMA is a police station that was built to fight cultism by the Lagos State Police Command. This anti cultism unit of Nigerian Police Force located in Gbagada area, Charly Boy bus stop. This station was burnt among other police stations that was recently attacked during the end sars protest by evil minded Nigerians. We join the faithful Nigerians that believe in the oneness of the nation and will never compromise the unity of the nation for any material gain to, condemn such criminal act .
We in the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda pledge to continue in our defence for the oppressed masses and this will never be compromised, but to achieve a truly democratic environment we need the cooperation from both the government and the governed. The police stations which were built with tax payers money were recently attacked by some sponsored elements and it is actually disheartening to see that after several months of this attack on police stations the Lagos State government folds its hands, doing nothing to rebuild all this burnt police stations. We won’t take it as rumour any longer but see it as the truth that the Lagos State government is indirectly hiding under some disguise to promote cultism in the state and we say with all sincerity that if the Lagos State government does not desist from promoting cultism in the state, their children would fall victims of hoodlums or be initiated into cultism and end woefully. We believe the Lagos State government can prove us wrong by rising immediately to rebuild all burnt station.
The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda will continue to defend the right of the oppressed but not only within the governed but we have oppressed people in the police whose basic salary cannot cater for their basic needs, yet they remain faithful and dedicated to their work. We will not condone any act of terrorism or injustice against any citizen of Nigeria, it is our responsibility to fight with the instrumentality of the law, so if the police too are oppressed, attacked or fall victim to oppression, it is our responsibility to as well stand to defend their right within the context of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

We call on parents and community leaders to warn their children and their wards to desist from any act of terrorism. They should not make themselves instruments for the enemies of the country to attack the facilities built with our collective resources. We warn the government as well that we will not condone any act of injustice against any citizen. We will continue to fight injustice on any citizen to any extent but with the instrumentality of the law. We appeal to both the government and the governed to please come together and lets make democracy a reality in our community
It is very pathetic what our community has turned into, everywhere has become unsafe, people are crying and yearning on fundamental necessities that are enshrined in the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, and this is really disheartening. We chose this day, June 12 to reflect the yearning and aspiration of the people, so that is why we come out and we appreciate the officers of the Nigeria Police Force that stood with us on the platform of truth. We are hereby calling on the government. The government is working but they need to do more, because we have not reached the promised land.

Again we repeat that the government of Lagos State is promoting cultism in the country. The government would be lying and completely insincere if the government should continue to say it cannot fish-out the hoodlums and elements that are destroying the community within the state, because this people are being nurtured by the same government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in preparation for the coming election. Otherwise nothing stops the government to actually flush out all criminal elements. We see them all around in every garage and bus-stops. It is a sign that they are actually working for the government and the family will ultimately fall victims unless we come together now and do justice to this.

Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak
Executive Director
Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA)