“It is obvious that insecurity, apart from corruption, has become the single most serious problem that is facing our country today. Many innocent persons are being kidnapped for ransom, many are being attacked in their homes and displaced with their properties destroyed and normal life disrupted daily. Even Policemen and their stations are being deliberately attacked with impunity. What this means is that the country is gradually drifting into a state of anarchy. This, no doubt, portends a grave danger for our collective wellbeing. This is no time to play the blame game or to play politics through sectoral efforts. There must be a collective effort through a robust consultation with all stakeholders. We all must come together to fight this hydra-headed monster of insecurity that is making life difficult for our people. So, we call upon the federal government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity and roll out practical action plans with time frames within which the situation will be brought under control.
The insecurity being experienced all over is part of an age-long systemic problem with governance at the national level. There is need to review the present structure, which, places too much power on the Centre, while the states continue to operate without adequate authority to chart the path for their development. I support the recent calls by some elder statesmen for the revalidation of the federal structure of the country as anticipated by the founding fathers of the country and articulated in the 1963 Nigerian Constitution of the country, even if the configuration of the constituent parts of the federation is different from what it was in the 1963.”
• Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.
