By Angela Atabo
Building Blocks for Peace Foundation(BBFORPEACE), has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately address the nation on the concerns and demands of citizens to stall violence.
The Executive Director, BBFORPEACE,Rafiu Lawal, made the call while speaking with newsmen on Friday in Abuja.
Lawal said that the call was necessary to create calm in the face of the nationwide protest.
He said that BBFORPEACE also appealed to all security agencies to avoid confrontation with protesters but rather offer protection .
This ,he said was as required by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the country’s National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security adopted in 2021.
“BBFORPEACE condemns in its entirety the tactics and handling of the ongoing national protest over bad governance.
“As a youth-led non-governmental organization working on peacebuilding in Nigeria, we are deeply concerned by the various attempts to clamp down, infiltrate protesters, securitise young people.”
Lawal said that closing the democratic space and arena of participation for peaceful protests and demonstrations may force the aggrieved to seek other clandestine means of expressing their grievances.
This ,he said may jeopardise the already fragile stability and peace that Nigeria enjoys and reverse all seeds of peace planted in recent years by all peace actors.
“The ongoing national protest is borne out of the violence of neglect and exclusion that young people have been living with for years which has exacerbated with the rising cost of basic amenities such as food, fuel, electricity and lingering insecurity.
“For us at BBFORPEACE, it is our opinion that if the concerns of protesters are addressed, it will not only bring peace and security but ultimately lead to prosperity for all Nigerians.
“We salute the patriotism, doggedness, courage and resilience of the Nigerian youths for choosing non-violent approaches to express their grievances as guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We therefore call on all citizens, young and old, to continue to exercise their fundamental human rights to assembly in a peaceful and non-violent manner. ”
Lawal also called on both governments and citizens to shun violence and come to a dialogue.
He said that the foundation advised against any destruction of national assets, public infrastructure and use of violence as this would only add salt to injury.
