‘From the north to the south, the country is witnessing one form of brigandage or the other’

There is urgent need for the government and people to harmonise their relationship for the peace of the nation. Give to Ceasar, that which is Ceasar’s and to God that which is God’s.’ If peoples’ aspirations were largely met, there would be less crisis in the society. When the people enter into a social contract with the state, there are obligations and responsibilities on both parties in order to strike an equilibrium in the pact. The people owe the country their civic duties while the country owes the people provision of services to retain their trust and for a better society. Regrettably, those salient conventions have taken flight from our polity and thereby, paved the way for mistrust, corruption, banditry, amongst others. It is callous for a human being to take another person’s life while the country, under whose control it is to check such inhumanity, appears helpless. From the north to the south, every part of the country is witnessing one form of brigandage or the other. The Federal Government should address the situation by first improving on security. With insecurity, the nation’s unifying factors are under threat. The Church would continue to do its part to aid the country in pruning peoples’ characters while the government increases funding of the nation’s security apparatus to enable them to meet up with current challenges. • Most. Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos