Security of lives and properties of citizens, understandably, should remain the top priority of any leader in power, or for those angling to take over leadership role in the future in any clime, Nigeria inclusive. It is based on this premise also that funds allocated to security in every budget cycle usually receive unprecedented support and never touched, but instead padded during budget defence. This is so because, with the level of insecurity and security threats all over, leaders who are not prepared to protect the people and their means of livelihood may end up governing empty spaces after elections are won and lost.
The level of insecurity in Nigeria for many years is better imagined than experienced. Everyone knows this. It has become a nightmare and a source of worry, leaving everyone to wonder where all those funds voted to fight insecurity all these years went to! Puzzling also is that technological discoveries that have helped other countries curb security challenges are not effectively deployed here for reasons best known to the authorities. With the aid of science and technology, countries now launch unmanned electronic surveillance such as drones into space that can easily cover, dictate and protect citizens and their properties from danger and unwanted destruction.
Regrettably, much is not heard about it here, even when the adversaries are said to be using modern and sophisticated weapons to fight the military and other paramilitary organisations. Their sources of supply, and those shielding and protecting them from being apprehended have remained embarrassing to the security operatives, so to speak. We may have decimated and degraded the enemies in the past, according to previous administrations, but till date, Boko Haram, Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP), kidnappers, ritualists are on the loose daily, rampaging and killing innocent citizens, without receiving adequate measure in return.
The problem of the Nigerian government ever, and the Chief Security Officers have never been that of shortage of funds, but rather the tactics and command chains of those in authority to find lasting solutions to the lingering resistance of terrorists that has lasted almost two decades. Beyond the lack of capacity, we also understand the issue of sabotage within the ranks, which the authorities complained about. That is also a major blow to this fight. Whether the authorities have dealt with the issue of black sheep within the rank and file is a question for another day. In all these years, the Nigeria military have paid heavily, both human and materially in this struggle, and are still embattled.
The question therefore is: How many more years would the Nigeria military face these rag-tag armies and their sponsors? How many are these marauders, and where are they coming from, such that every part of the country now experiences one barbaric attack or the other? Why has no one been brought to account in all these? Why do we have different laws for different people in the fight against insurgents and terrorists? The reintegration of the so-called de-radicalised Boko Haram members back into the society remains a fundamental error by past administration. This is the only country where government pampers those who caused it pains by killing others, unprovoked.
This is also the only country where some persons use their own businesses in the name of animal rearing to destroy other people’s ventures, yet nothing is done about that, instead when the unexpected happens, it becomes simply farmer/ herders’ clashes! A former top brass in the military, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd), once asked Nigerians to defend themselves, alleging that some of the military personnel colluded with those killing us. That was few years ago when the accusation hit major headlines, yet, nothing seems to change. The unending insecurity issues also necessitated the deafening clamour for state police, despite oppositions against its approval by the lawmakers.
They believe politicians would hijack the process; using state police to their own advantage, and to hunt down their perceived enemies. Politicians have used every opportunity in Nigeria to their own advantage. One expects that issues concerning the lives of the people should not be gambled with. We call on the government to ensure that the issue of state police is not treated like every other matter, since the federal police appears not to cover every ground, considering the size of the country. We have also seen that regional vigilante, like; Amotekun in the South West, and Hisbah in the North are currently filling the void created by lack of state police, and are actively assisting the government, since the police cannot be everywhere, owing to shortage of man power, especially with increasing crime rate across the country.
The Edo episode for example, where some people lost their lives is one case too many. It is not enough for leaders to talk tough each time people lose their lives; what is important is for government to rise up and prevent future occurrence. Government should also show capacity and prove that it is ready to confront this hydra headed security challenge once and for all. No life is less important, but we have discovered that governments over the years are more reactionary, instead of being proactive on security each time the unexpected happens. Insecurity has brought sorrow and misery to many homes in the country. The pattern of this fight, owing to what we see and hear has not changed.
The people want to see results, and no more wailing as it has been the case. Non-state actors who go about carrying AK 47 in the name of cattle grazing should be brought to account, and those whose movements are suspicious and dangerous within their host communities should be restricted. We also advise that people should not take laws into their own hands, but rather report to police suspicious movements to avoid creating more security problems in the country.
