It is shameful Buhari junkets amid fuel scarcity, killings – HURIWA
By Ogaga Ariemu
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Thursday, slammed the President Muhammadu Buhari, for junketing amid biting fuel scarcity and killings by armed men terrorising the country.
The Rights group said in a statement released to Nigerian NewsDirect on Thursday that it is unbelievable, unfathomable, Nigeria is practically on fire but the person elected to provide leadership and build the nation is displaying incredible tendency of someone who does not ‘give a damn’ even if the nation comes crumbling.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, lamented that the regime of Buhari has successfully handed over the governance of Nigeria to cabals who terrorise citizens economically, sociologically, psychologically and security wise.
“For over a month in Abuja now, queues have resurfaced at fuel stations has price per litre of diesel rise above N800 and price per litre of petrol now sells for over N180 but yet Nigerians still cannot get it from filling stations and have to buy the essential commodity from the black market at double price after waiting endlessly under the scorching sun for hours at fuel stations.
“In Lagos State, motorists have faced grueling long queues to fill up the fuel tanks since a week ago with increasing loss of faith that the situation can ever improve because many hoodlums and fuel dealers are benefitting from the sufferings of Nigerians.
“It is shameful that the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari has not been able to tackle just one of the challenges of the country that he listed as his campaign promises but has aggravated the sufferings of Nigerians even worse than it was in May 2015 when he took over.
“Economically, Nigerians are in a coma, security-wise, the country is suffocating from the oppression of terrorists. Electricity Power has been in shambles. The judiciary is rickety.
“No fuel supply, no active refinery despite the humongous billions dedicated to revive the nation’s four refineries.
“HURIWA is forced to think that the Government of the day is a rogue Government that has handed over to cabals to torment Nigerians, using the refinery as a cash cow and divesting the money to something else. HURIWA is forced to think that government officials are into cash rituals because it is unthinkable that a permanent solution has not been provided to the fuel issue despite that Nigeria is blessed with abundant crude oil and billions of dollars have been committed to the refinery project that has not seen the light of the day.
“More shameless is the fact that the President is fond of jetting out of the country amid national emergencies. So far this year, he has travelled overseas for about 10 times and is presently in Kigali, Rwanda for the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. HURIWA makes bold to say that the President has not demonstrated any sign of responsible leadership because good leaders don’t abandon their followers amid crises.
“It is important that the Federal Government end the corrupt monopoly enjoyed by Nigerian National Petroluem Corporation as sole importer and supplier of petroleum products into the country. The process must be decentralised for oil marketers to participate fairly and assuage the groanings of Nigerians who are suffering out of lack of power and fuel to power their businesses.
“HURIWA calls on the Federal Government to solve the lingering fuel crisis immediately and urges civil society organisations and students to embark on mass protest against the unfeeling government of Buhari. Nigerians must say, ‘No,’ to perpetual suffering. Enough is enough. Enough of irresponsible leadership and corruption-coated administration fighting façade graft,” the statement read.
