The Offa Progressive Youth Growth Affiliation on Tuesday urged the federal government and political actors to cease utilizing the Offa theft incident as a marketing campaign narrative.
The group mentioned the continued politicisation of the tragedy, significantly throughout election intervals, was insensitive and unacceptable.
In a press release on Tuesday ,the affiliation’s Secretary, Musharaph Babatunde Abdulrauf, mentioned, “As youths and stakeholders, we name on the federal government and all political actors to instantly cease utilizing the Offa theft as an excuse or narrative for elections.”
He questioned the extent of assist supplied to victims and their households for the reason that incident, noting that many had been left to manage on their very own.
“However past phrases, we should ask an important query: What has been carried out for the victims?” he requested.
“Most of the victims and their households—a few of whom are right here with us right now—have acquired little or no significant assist. No satisfactory {financial} help. No sustained emotional care. No seen dedication to their restoration.”
Abdulrauf mentioned the state of affairs raised issues concerning the authorities’s priorities, including that survivors have been nonetheless battling trauma whereas rebuilding their lives with out ample help.
He burdened that if authorities actually cared about Offa, the main focus ought to shift from political rhetoric to concrete motion.
“If the federal government actually cares about Offa, then the main focus should shift from political storytelling to actual motion—justice for victims, assist and compensation for affected households and concrete steps to stop such tragedies sooner or later,” he mentioned.
The group maintained that its place was to not create battle however to demand accountability and respect for lives misplaced.
“We aren’t right here to create battle; we’re right here to demand accountability. We’re right here to demand accountability and we’re right here to demand respect for the lives that have been misplaced,” he added.
The affiliation referred to as on the federal government to interact immediately with victims and supply satisfactory compensation, whereas placing an finish to what it described because the exploitation of the tragedy.
“Offa deserves therapeutic—not exploitation. The victims deserve justice—not silence, and the individuals deserve management—not repeated narratives with out motion,” the assertion learn.
The group additionally recalled that the April 5, 2018 theft was not an remoted incident however the third of such assaults within the city, every ensuing within the lack of safety personnel and harmless lives.
“This isn’t simply historical past. This can be a recurring tragedy. That is our ache,” Abdulrauf mentioned.
He described it as disturbing that such a tragedy continued for use as a political device, insisting that the struggling of the individuals should not be become marketing campaign propaganda.
“The ache of Offa is just not a marketing campaign technique. It isn’t propaganda materials. It must not ever be used as a weapon for political acquire,” he added.