Insecurity: Combing forests across zones for heavy clampdown
Security mayhem in Nigeria has brought into bear the cacophonic myriads of tingling sounds. Recently, the fear of the stretch of terror -insurgency from the north to the south has been taking course. The flashes of threat signals have shown enough reflections to signify the building blocks of terror structures in the South.
The response to same can be perceived not to have attracted the commensurate clampdown to eliminate the looming cloud with fervent heat, thus bearing apparent reflections that the perceived threats are still lurking in secrets of forming their diabolic formations. Recently, the attack on worshippers at Owo in Ondo State, was a flash point signalling the formation of terror operations in the southwest region. While this has not been the only case of threat signals, as there has been other forms of arrows of looming terror threats, it is apparent the mode of the operation is typical of the manner of which the mayhem of insurgency assumed at the onset in the north.
The mode of the operation is a reflection of an organised formation already existing with deliberate, calculated and conscious plans driven by sinister plans and agenda.
However, the response to the attack has remained unconcerted to reflect convincing firmness that the claws of such rising formations and their agenda have been exterminated and the situation kept in full control for unbroken climate of peace and order. It is apparent that prevailing records across States in the zones of the South, are reflective of danger-signals demanding full weight of pursuit to extinguish their touches of threats.
Recently, fears over intelligent reports that terror formations have made their way into forests across the Country have pose frightening worries. The veracity of the fears have been reflective in the testimonies of victims of kidnap-for-ransom mayhem, many of whom after release have given narratives of their ordeals and the constructive orientation of their captors, dwelling in their hideouts in the forests.
On Tuesday, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu made a plea call to the international community to help Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. Akeredolu who raised alarm that forests across the country had been taken over by terrorists, had while receiving members of the Council of All Saints Church, Jericho, Ibadan, who came on a condolence visit, submitted that Nigerians be trained on basic civil-defence, emphasizing that the people must be prepared for any eventuality. He was quoted: “We have terrorists in Nigeria. We need the world to assist Nigeria. If Nigeria doesn’t want it, Ondo State wants it. They still attacked somewhere in Ogun State recently. There are terrorists lurking in our forests.”
Nigeria is deeply challenged by the mayhem of terror formations. While insurgency is not newly born in the Country, allowing same to take the length and breathe of the Country is an albatross the polity may not recover from. Leaving situation to degenerate till all parts of the Country are engulfed with terror is an ugly disposition which speaks, overwhelmingly, ill of the Government. The docility of the past have seen particular zones of the Federation taken over by the scourge of insurgency. It would be no sensible to watch situation degenerate by giving terror groups the ample chance to outgrow the State apparatus, leaving the entire Federation in shambles. It is high time the authorities of the Nigerian State arisen to task from its slumbering state, in its response towards the rising scourge of terrorism, extending its foothold across the Federation.
The central government which holds the preserve of security in the Country has a central role to play, While the subordinating structures, where the State Governments
lie, should move concertedly beyond the subsisting structural limitations to prevent the degeneration of situation by giving ample chance for terror to deepen in their jurisdiction of authority. The firmness of local security architecture to combat the formations has become a necessity, just as the Federal Government must rise with force to its duties. Combing forests across the Country, particularly at troubled and threatened zones, could be a starting point for a heavy clampdown on terror groups and their formations along forest lines.
