WARRI/Nigeria: Niger Delta-based human rights advocate and development crusader, Comrade Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has issued a stark warning over the deteriorating living conditions in Nigeria, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action to halt what he described as avoidable deaths arising from hunger, poverty and insecurity.
Mulade, in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, decried what he termed the growing disconnect between governance and the plight of ordinary Nigerians, accusing political office holders of focusing more on electioneering strategies than addressing the deepening hardship across the country.
“We must rise above the challenges and stop the avoidable deaths of Nigerians on a daily basis because of leadership failure towards citizens’ welfare and protection,” he said.
The United Nations Peace Ambassador noted that relative calm in the Niger Delta could be attributed to sustained youth engagement through pipeline surveillance contracts, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
“It is imperative to state that the current saving grace in the Niger Delta, particularly in the oil and gas sector, is due to pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and Pipeline Infrastructure Limited, among others,” he said. “These engagements have helped absorb a large number of youths and created some level of economic stability in the region.”
He warned that without such interventions, the security situation in the Niger Delta could have deteriorated beyond current realities in other parts of the country.
“If not, the insecurity situation in the region would have been worse than what we are witnessing in the North East, North West and North Central, with dire consequences for the nation’s economy,” he added.
Mulade, who is the Ibe-Sorimowei of the ancient oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, appealed to President Tinubu to sustain and strengthen the pipeline surveillance framework, describing it as critical to safeguarding national economic interests, especially as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
He stressed that the primary responsibility of government remains the protection of lives and property, urging the Federal Government not to abandon this obligation in pursuit of political continuity.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should not abandon the protection of its citizens and concentrate on re-election bids,” he said.
According to him, declining public confidence in governance at all levels is largely driven by the perception that political leaders are more focused on retaining power than addressing pressing economic and social challenges.
“It is worthy of note that Nigerians are losing trust and confidence in government because it appears that political office holders are more concerned with holding on to power instead of creating economic stability, ensuring citizens’ welfare, and guaranteeing development and protection,” he stated.
Mulade urged the President to act decisively to stabilise the country, cautioning that failure to do so could have far-reaching consequences.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must act now to save Nigerians and prevent further deterioration of our nation. We must strive to be truly the economic giant of Africa, not just in population and landmass,” he added.
