By BASHIR BELLO, Abuja
Youth Wing Christian Association Of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has among other suggestions, advised the Federal Government to convene a round table discussion with different youth leaders across the nation with some key government officials to bring about ong-lasting peace in the country.
The call.was made by YOWICAN at a press briefing held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre
Abuja on November 3, 2020.
Reading the text of the statement titled, “National EndSARS Press Conference Conference By The
president Youth Wing Christian Association Of Nigeria, YOWICAN President, Apostle Nyeneime Andy also tasked the government to implement the five-point demandd of the youth.
“Establish a Bureau for crisis prevention and recovery should be set up with a lot of young people inclusive of the bureau set up.
“This bureau is to enhance the Government’s efforts for sustainable development, working
with partners to reduce the incidence and impact of disasters and violent conflicts and to establish solid foundations for peace and recovery from
crisis.
“Community Peace Building is both a social and structural process. It aims to prevent conflict and achieve conditions which reduce community vulnerabilities to violence from internal or external causes and ultimately, it seeks to influence attitudes and behaviors through promoting values of peace and tolerance.
“A round table discussion with different youth leaders across the nation with some key government officials will go a long way to bring a long-lasting peace in the country,” they demanded.
The group said that the EndSARS protest in Nigeria was an upheaval for the scrapping of notorious police unit, special anti-robbery squad (SARS) from the Nigeria Police Force, for the acts of brutality and pre-meditated killings meted on innocent Nigerians.
“It became a wisdom tool and a plan executed nearly flawlessly across Nigeria by our Nigerian Youths, and made community-driven responses to press in their
myriads of grievances to Nigerian Government,” he noted.
Speaking further, he said that the office of the President. Youth Wing, Christian Association of Nigeria, and all Nigerian youths are in full support of the EndSARS protests demanding an end to police brutality, extortion, torture and killings of young person’s by different units of the Police Force, with special emphasis on SARS.
“Quite a number of our young people have fallen victim to the barbaric and callous manner of
operations of different units of the Police Force.
“So, the outcry for an end to police brutality, and call for holistic police reforms is timely,” he added
YOWICAN said that EndSARS is not only about the end of police brutality and killings of our
Innocent youths and Nigerians, it has evolved as an agency of all sector reforms which Nigerian youths and all Nigerians are ceaselessly asking for good
governance and demanding decent living amongst other things, until the Interruption by criminals to cause mayhem, vandalism, looting, and destruction of properties and critical infrastructure; tearing down our society across the nation leading to the eventual breakdown of law and order.
“The Youth Wing, Christian Association of Nigeria notes with sadness, that the #EndSARS protest took a different dimension from the legitimate people who
originally conceived the protest and those who meant well by asking for SARS to be disbanded.
“Knowing that both the Executive and Legislative arms of government have received the thorough demands of the EndSARS protesters, and motions with
respect to it had been taken in National assembly, we met the federal government to implement those demands it accepted with a faster resolution.
“We need to learn to love ourselves first. In all our glory and our imperfections, if we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love Nation Nigeria or our potential to create,” he stressed.
The group emphasized that nation building is a collective task of all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliation.
“The government and security agencies must team up to
bring peace in their spaces of leadership,” they advised.
They therefore, commended all the state governments that have set up their Judicial Panels of Inquiry and to work and deliver on the directives of the Federal Government.
“We encourage young people to be part of the panels as the right way to ensure that it achieves its,” they urged.
The group condemned the killings at Lekki, while sympathizing with those in some parts of the country that have experienced looting and vandalism.
“To the families of members of the
the protesters, citizens and police force that have lost their lives during this process, we pray that the souls of all the departed find eternal rest.
“Let it be known that we remain committed to the unity and indivisibility of this country Nigeria and that we are indeed stronger together as one nation
“We also extend our support to the Police Force. We appreciate the fact that there are more disciplined and dedicated members of the police force than the bad set.
“We understand that they are humans and Nigerians too, and the past couple of weeks must have taken its toll on their commitment. Nevertheless, we want them to understand that the push for police reforms is for their own good
too,” YOWICAN explained.
They took the opportunity to advise all well-meaning Nigerians, political and religious leaders: that lives are one indivisible whole, and all their activities run into one another, and they all have their rise in insatiable love to mankind.
“We must show interest in Nigeria’s survival and allow peace a chance.
“I urge the youths to be calm and peaceful because as youths, we are Peace Ambassadors,” they further adviced.
They assured the government that on our part, they are reaching out to their peers, the Muslim youth (NACOMYO).
“Our doors are always open for contact and positive output on how to end the trends and move the nation forward,” they stressed.
