Monarchs Advocate Military Training for Corps Members

AS part of measures to curb the rising spate of insurgency and other violent crimes in the country, the National Association of Royal Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NARTN) has called on the Federal Government to approve the introduction of military training for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to enable them complement the efforts of the army, police and other security agencies in the fight.

The association, after its 99th National Conference in Abuja yesterday, also renewed its call for the Federal Government to give a constitutional role to the traditional rulers to empower them to fully play their roles in identifying and helping the government to fight insurgency in the country.

In a communiqué, which was read at the end of the Congress by its chairman, Eze Thomas Obiefule, the royal fathers, who advocated the return of death penalty for offences like terrorist acts, called on the National Assembly to amend the Constitution so as to make it a death penalty for crimes like terrorism, even as they demanded that the amendment should also make it mandatory for such cases to be decided within three months.

“The nation’s constitution is not helping the country in the fight against insurgency.For instance, if someone uses explosives to wreck havoc killing so many people, he the killer will only bag a life imprisonment if convicted. This is most unfair and unfortunate. Therefore, we want to urge the National Assembly to amend the constitution to carry death penalty. Cases involving terrorists should not exceed three months for judgment to be delivered, as it is the case in other countries. Special courts should be put in place to handle cases of terrorism for quick dispensation of justice.”

The NARTN meeting, which had over 180 members in attendance, urged Nigerians to be patient with the President while backing his decision not to rush in the formation of his cabinet so as to avoid making costly mistakes.

Eze Obiefule, who is the traditional ruler of Umudioka Kingdom in Orlu, Imo State, also advised the Federal Government to take another look at the vexed issue of removing the fuel subsidy as that will put an end to the continuous sufferings of Nigerians on the account of the scarcity of fuel. He further argued that the removal would, among other things, create healthy competition as well as end the endemic corruption in the sector.