Ending the menace of insecurity in Nigeria
The issue of insecurity has become a major challenge towards achieving developmental programmes and policies in the country. The hike in price of commodities in the market today is occasioned by insecurity factors as farmers couldn’t access their farmlands.
The pronouncement by Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State that the military will soon establish three new forward operating Bases in Southern Kaduna, Giwa, and Birnin-Gwari Local Government Areas as part of efforts to combat the menace of banditry, kidnapping, and other related security threats bedevilling the state is a good step stopping the activities of the underworld in that red zones.
The governor who gave the hint during a meeting with members of the Kaduna Elders Forum at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna on Monday, noted that the presence of more boots on the ground in the frontline locations will enhance security.
According to him, “The only way we believe we can do that is by collaborating with the relevant security agencies. Because of our government’s efforts, we have been receiving a lot of support from security agencies. Particularly, I want to use this opportunity to thank our brother, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who has been supporting us, and the efforts of other service chiefs. Kaduna State has been benefiting from some level of intervention by the military.
“Only a few weeks ago, we concluded our arrangement with the military to set up Forward Operating Bases in the Southern and another in the Giwa and Birnin-Gwari axis. All the arrangements have been concluded, and by the grace of God in the next few weeks, we will certainly see those Operating Bases in Operation.
“As I always say, we need more boots on the ground, we need the support of the military generally. Last week also, the Chief of the Air Staff, agreed to set up one of the operating Bases in Millennium City in Chikun local government area. And I believe that will also go a long way to enhance security.
“For us, security is important, because we have to also encourage our farmers to farm. And that’s the reason why we believe without security, we cannot be able to achieve that. We distributed about 150 patrol vehicles to all the security agencies that are working in Kaduna. From the Army, Airforce, DSS, Police, Civil Defence, Customs, Immigration, all of them benefitted. The office of the NSA also benefited.”
On the other hand, Zamfara State remains the hotbed of bandit terrorism in Northern Nigeria. It was from here that bandits, consisting mainly of Fulani nomadic herdsmen who turned to crime, spread to nearby states such as Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and the fringes of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Governor of the state, Dauda Lawal, was recently on television and disclosed a number of issues which left one bewildered about the seriousness of our leadership elite. He said the Police and Army have lost their willpower to fight the bandits. Whenever they are needed, they are either nowhere to be found or unwilling to confront the criminals.
This may not be one hundred percent correct because we still read about the army neutralising three or five bandits from time to time. But obviously, enough is not being done to eliminate this vermin as a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria. The same fierce power the military demonstrates in their operations in the South does not seem visible in the North, especially states like Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Niger and states in the North West.
Governor Lawal also said the people behind the bandits and where they stay are known, expressing worry that the pressure to negotiate with them is always overwhelming. Finally, he said the obvious: that the President is always updated about the situation.
Nigerians are baffled that our Police, security, Army, Air Force and other paramilitary agencies, with their equipment and full control, cannot defend our people and remove the threat to our nation’s territorial integrity against bike-mounted ragtag bands of criminals whose main weapons are assault rifles and improvised explosives.
At first, we thought the problem was the service chiefs under former President Muhammadu Buhari. Later, we thought it was Buhari’s fault. A new president and fresh service chiefs have since a year ago taken over, yet the situation remains the same. Could it be that we no longer have the armed forces capable of defending this country? What is happening to Nigeria?
We must bear in mind that without securing this country and making its people safe again, the hunger, hardship and extreme suffering ravaging this land will continue to worsen. There is always a breaking point to every tense situation.
We cannot continue to stew in this insecurity for much longer. Something must give. If our armed forces can no longer defend us, the people should be empowered, and they will defend themselves. Many state governments have formed uniformed vigilante outfits. But without arms, they are just window dressings and a further drain on public purses.
The breeding insecurity threats in Rivers State should be collaboratively addressed by both the federal government and state to avoid the breakdown of law and order by miscreants..
