A dramatic altercation occurred on Wednesday evening at a hotel in Wuse 2, Abuja, involving members of the Civil Society Network on Economic and Social Advancement, who clashed over the allocation of alleged funds received for the recent #EndBadGovernance protest.
Eyewitnesses reported that the group’s leaders and members were involved in a heated dispute, with some individuals engaging in physical confrontations. Efforts to contact the group’s leaders for comments on the cause of the disagreement were unsuccessful.
This incident casts doubt on the integrity and motivations of certain civil society organizations, especially those advocating for government transparency and accountability.
In a related development, the Arewa Youth Network for Transparency has called for a comprehensive investigation into the leadership of the Civil Society Network on Economic and Social Advancement. The group’s convener, Comrade Musa Abdulkadir, raised concerns about the anonymity of the leader, Abubakar Yari, and the organization’s lack of openness.
The statement read: “These anonymous civil society groups lack verifiable credentials, hence they hide their identities. We call on Nigerian security agencies to investigate these groups.”
This controversy follows the group’s recent threats to protest at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) headquarters over fuel shortages and their demand for the removal of the company’s Group Chief Executive Officer.
As the situation develops, Nigerians are questioning the true motives of some civil society groups and the need for increased transparency and accountability within these organizations.
