Insecurity: Involve citizens in search for solution, Anyim tells Buhari

Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim says the search for a lasting solution to insecurity in Nigeria must involve the citizenry. Anyim, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, said military actions or foreign help alone could not bring permanent solutions to ethnic conflicts or nationality agitations.

“Mr. President, you need to create a platform to hear Nigerians out” he said.

He noted that in a democracy, no action is deemed successful or completed until the buyin-of the people is secured through a democratic process.

“This buy-in- is an imperative that is yet to be pursued in the fight against violent agitations in Nigeria. I must say that as long as the people are not part of the process of finding solutions to the conflicts, a permanent solution will be a mirage” he said.

“I make bold to recommend that Mr. President should make history by empaneling another commission of inquiry to inquire into the violent and non-violent agitations in Nigeria and make recommendations on the immediate-, shortand long-term solutions as a way of first de-escalating the rising tension in the land and a process for the renewal of our march to nationhood,” he said.

He said the commission, if formed, would help in the de-escalation of the current tension in the country and creation of a platform for exchange of ideas.