Security
THE security situation in the country hit a new low earlier in the week when troops attached to the Guards Brigade were attacked on their way from Bwari, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Not only did the terrorists succeeded in carrying out their deadly act, some officers paid the supreme price, eliciting fear among Nigerians particularly residents of the FCT.
This came on the heels of worsening state of security across the country. So sad is the situation that same week, Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gave an ultimatum of six weeks to President Muhammadu Buhari to address the scourge, failing which they will commence impeachment proceedings against him.
But despite the criticisms rightly directed at the Commander-in-Chief, the Presidency said Buhari has done more than what is expected of him by way of morale, material, equipment and general support to the military.
This is against the backdrop of the claim by a self confessed bandit kingpin, Abu Sani, in a BBC documentary that insecurity has become a business involving everyone including the government.
Speaking on the sorry state of insecurity in the country, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Umar Barde said almost on a daily basis, people of his constituency live in the fear of bandits, who kill and maim for fun.
Barde who spoke as guest of Arise Television Morning Show added that despite the cooperation of the National Assembly, not much has been achieved in the fight against insurgency since the Buhari-led administration came on board in 2015.
He said: “My people are supportive of the move to impeach the President. They live daily in the fear of bandits who kidnap and kill people without any form of restraint.
“We have never had it so bad but the National Assembly has done its part. We have approved more money for the military but how have they used these monies?”
The lawmaker who represents Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Kaduna state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, also faulted the military strategy deployed against the criminal elements, saying, “are we saying we don’t have the technology to handle this challenges? Why do we have to wait for them to attack before we react?”
In an exclusive chat with Saturday Vanguard, Capt. Umar Aliyu said the resources sunk in the fight against terrorism in the past seven years have not been matched by the results on ground.
According to him, neither President Buhari nor his cabinet have demonstrated sufficient capacity to tame the monster, adding that in saner climes, the service chiefs would have been fire continuously until a competent set takes over.
“Much has been spent on security in the past seven years but the results we have are in no way commensurate with the expenses. The expenses incurred have not been justified by the results.
“Let us face the reality: Our President is overwhelmed by the security situation in the country. It is either he is only as good as his cabinet or his security chiefs are not sincere to him . It is sad for him to tell us that he has done enough.
“Look, he can keep firing the Generals until we have the results to match the humongous amount of money we have sunk into security,” he noted.
That said, Umar questioned the role of para-military agencies such as the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service, saying “they have no blueprint in the fight against insecurity. The military has decided to fight this alone but they are overwhelmed.”
On his part, Human Rights lawyer, Abdul Mahmud told this medium that as long as Buhari remains Nigeria’s President, the security situation will not get any better.
“My take is that we have a clueless and inept Commander-in-Chief in President Buhari who, like Nero, fiddles while Nigeria burns. With Buhari in the saddle, insecurity will continue to strive,” he said.
In the words of security expert, Jackson Ojo, President Buhari ought to resign by now rather than wait for commencement of impeachment proceedings against him.
His words: “How can the Presidency say Buhari has done enough when we have achieved less than 20 per cent success rate in this war against criminal elements? Instead of staying on, he should resign.
“On the other hand, he should be fired. Who can fire the President? The National Assembly which is the voice of Nigerians.”
Ojo also advocated the convocation of a national security summit “where retired and serving military officers, traditional rulers, Professors of Security Studies and the clergy would share their perspectives on the way forward.”
He continued: “For that bandit kingpin, Abu Sani to tell us that government is profiting from this madness, we have to believe him. We need to ask ourselves? How are these bandits getting their arms and ammunition? If they buy in the black market, how do they cross the borders without some collaborations? It is a huge business.
“Since they have been fighting Boko Haram, how many of them have been prosecuted and jailed? Those they arrested have now been freed when the Kuje Prison was broken into a few weeks ago but why did they put the terrorists in one prison.
“The six weeks the lawmakers gave Mr. President is laughable because if they couldn’t fight the menace in seven year, how can they do it in seven months?
Taking a different stand is Anthony Sani, former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, who argued that though the challenges are herculean, the President Buhari-led government is doing its best to bring the situation under control.
He said: “When I read the comments credited to the government that the regime has done its best by way of provision of moral and material support for the fight against terrorism and banditry as well as kidnapping, I understood the government to mean that within the limit of resources at its disposal, it has done its best.
“The government does not intend to suggest there is nothing more it can do in the campaign against insecurity. After all, the security personnel are still in the trenches against insecurity posed by insurgence, banditry, kidnapping, armed robberies, militant activism, ritual killing and cultism.
“We have all known that most of the insecurity across the country are inspired by economic consideration stoked mostly by poverty that comes with ignorance and unemployment. Such consideration has attracted many people, including foreigners to troop into Nigeria, to partake in the lucrative business.
That was what informed the UN Resolution 1966 of 2010 which advises affected nations to address the underlying causes.
“Therefore, the ways of confronting the menace are for the government to scale down some of their programs and free some resources for the training and equipping of enough number of security personnel motivated enough to secure the nation by taking the campaigns against insecurity to the forests while effort are being made to inspire cultural renaissance by way of Nigerians coming together and unleash their synergistic potential against the collective challenges.
“If animals can hibernate to contain winter and if shrubs can defoliate to withstand fraught, Nigerians with intellect, should be able to navigate and overcome the myriad of challenges. The situation is never beyond redemption,” he added.
-Vanguard
KN
Tags: Abu Sani Capt. Umar Aliyu Jackson Ojo Muhammadu Buhari National Assembly PDP
