Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has criticized the Federal Government for employing mercenaries allegedly connected to Mujahid Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), to protect the Abuja-Kaduna road, which has become notorious for criminal activities.
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HURIWA stated that the government, particularly the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force, have failed in their primary duty of protecting the citizens, as mandated by the 1999 Constitution. The group called for the immediate removal of all service chiefs and heads of security agencies by President Bola Tinubu, asserting that they should not be in office if non-state actors are being relied upon to perform their constitutional responsibilities of safeguarding Nigerians and national assets against internal and external threats.
The group’s call to action follows recent statements by Asari Dokubo, who claimed that his men, employed by the Nigerian government, are responsible for securing the Abuja-Kaduna road, rather than the Nigerian Army as previously believed. HURIWA quoted Asari Dokubo as saying, “It is my men, employed by the government of the Nigerian state, stationed in Niger”, during a meeting with President Tinubu at the State House.
HURIWA also raised concerns about the nature of quasi-military contracts given to Asari Dokubo and demanded that the Federal Government disclose the details of these arrangements. The group questioned the legal grounds for these mercenary duties and highlighted the disparity between the use of private mercenaries and the lack of gun licenses granted to other security outfits such as Amotekun, Ebube Agu, and Benue Guards, who are interested in procuring firearms for self-protection.
In addition, HURIWA called for the removal of current service chiefs and heads of security agencies to pave the way for a new government that can effectively combat terrorists, kidnappers, and armed killers operating throughout the country. The group emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing insecurity in Nigeria.
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