Deteriorating security situation puts Nigeria on the brink  

OlusesanLaoye

The deteriorating crisis of  insecurity  all over the country, has put Nigeria on the brink, leading to significant expressions of concern and worry across the country and beyond.

Since the past 10 years, when the insurgency  escalated in the North Eastern  parts, Nigeria  has known no peace.

The insurgency which started as a child’s play of sorts started escalating and without any significant advance inkling, it has now grown to become a serious matter, which has now fully drawn the attention of the Nigerian State  which initially  did not take it as a serious concern.

With the continuing onslaught of the desperados of the Boko Haram in the North East, their activities led to full blown Military operations  on the Nigerian government side, but despite that, their activities were waxing stronger and led to a new diametion of kidnapping.

The first incident was that of the Chibok girls and this drew the attentions  of the whole world as different organisation were asking for their release.

As if that was not enough, the Militant group intensified  their operations and activities defiling the Nigerian forces and stamping  their authorities  in villages and towns across the North East.

The theater  of  terror which began in  the North East, has now spread to the entire Northern region’ where  there were  reports of banditry, arson  kidnapping’ rape and other vices.

Nigeria today,  is no longer a safe country  as citizens now live in fear because no one knows when it would  his or her turn or the community  that would be invaded by the bandits and kidnappers.

The recent upsurge of incidents of disorder and spike in the rate of killings in the hands of bandits across the country has troubled many as no state or zone  can today boast  of being safe. This has resulted in a situation where Nigerìa is now being rated  as one of the most deadly nations in the world.

Indeed in some emerging reports, Nigerìa has been described as being six times worse than Senegal, Mali Niger, Somalia and the Central African Republic in terms of insecurity in recent time.

The kidnapping of school children in Niger, Kaduna, Yola Zamfara  and Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Jigawa and pockets of kidnapping for ransom in other Southern States has made  banditry  and kidnapping a lucrative business, as those who engage in it, make brisk money from these illicit activities. All these have also clearly  shown the deplorable state of  insecurity in Nigeria.

The present situation in Nigeria forced the Senate to want to review  the constitution  and call for the meeting of all stake holders  including the traditional rulers, where the Ooni of Ife Oba AdeyeyeEnitanOgunwusi  Ojaja 1, lambasted  the law makers and those in government for not doing  the needful, which resulted into the break down of law and order, which now experienced  in Nigeria.

He said that to build Nigeria into a better country, there is a need for mutual understanding from all citizens, to  correct some things.

While reacting, Oba Enitan said, the traditional rulers are the most active leaders in the Nigerian system of government, while, he accused the lawmakers and other stakeholders of abandoning the traditional rulers, the district heads and the Baales in their locality.

He then asked the lawmakers if any one of them can go to their local government area and stay there for just a week. “Not even the speaker can do this,” he added.

“We stay with the people, we know what the problem is and we can feel the problem with them.
It is better to tell ourselves the truth because the people are hungry and they are angry.
Oba EnitanOgunwusi advised the lawmakers to make an amendment and do the needful before the issue goes out of hand.

Part of the issue which made the Ooni bitter  about what is happening  in Nigeria is the recent and the ongoing activities  of the militias  in the South East which has led to burning  and destruction of Several police locations and settlements, destruction of  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  and agitations over insecurity  of lives and property in the South West, South South, and even the grievous attacks  of farmers in the Middle Belt particularly, Benue states has shown clearly that the present government of PresideñtMuhammadu  Buhari has lost the purpose for which he was elected to govern and failed in his promise to secure lives and properties

It has shown that the  present government has lost control  and confused of what to do to redeem its image concerning insecurity  and other  aspects  of governance.

Right  now, no parts of the country  is safe and the people are gripped with palpable fear  of imminent  attack irrespective  of where  you are.

Although the northern parts especially the North  West and the North Central are more vulnerable  to attacks  and kidnaing because  the unemployed youths  who were found as Almajiris and who are  now being used as tolls makes good money and are ready to die for the huge amount  of money being paid by those who recruits them for their nefarious activities.

All these happenings  have  made  the United States  of America to conclude  that the federal government  of President MuhammaduBuhari has lost the  the grip of Nigeria.

The recent  report  of the US think tank, the Council on foreign Relations (CFR) and the Harvard Kennedy School,  designated  Nigeria  as a failed country  based on the outcome of the research  on the country.

The report which was released  by the former US Ambassador  to Nigeria, John Campbell  and Mr.RobertRptberg a founding Director  of  Harvard Kennedy School’s programme  on  intrastate and President emeritus of the World Peace  foundation,  indicated  that Nigeria  has moved from a weak to fully failed country, due to the inability  of government to protect  the citizens, largescale of violence  and festering insurgency.

The report which also stated clearly that the admittance of President Buhari that  things have  been out of control, comes with negative consequences  for peace and security  in the African Sub region  as well as Europe and US.

Experts have said that  the incessant  security threats all over Nigeria is hinged on some major factors  which are unemployment  of the youth who are easily engaged  for crime, high level of poverty  among  the people, marginalisation  of some  ethnic groups at the corridor  of pover’ herders farmers clash, in virtually  all parts of the country, inadequate  man power of people in the security  agencies, especially  the police, the forest reserves scattered  all over Nigeria which have been left unmanned and neglected by government
which for many decades has become  ungoverned spaces where bandits now hibernate to commit  crimes and the porous borders of Nigeria.

The latest  it was argued encouraged terrorists  from other African and west African Countries,  such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Chad and Niger.

These terrorists  it was said could come into Nigeria unchecked and before you know it,  they have scattered  all over the place.

Again it was argued that these foreigners because they speak Hausa the common language in the northern parts  of Nigeria,  blend effectively  and they are found useful in operating illegal mining  and also for crime activities, such as kidnaping, which now attracts  heavy money.

A Zanfara based  analyst  Yusuf Anka has said that  people in the North West, are no longer  interested in any work because they have found very easy ways of making money in kidnapping.

According  to him, government now have to deal with the situation  ruthlessly “if not the activities  of the bandits would ruine the whole Nigeria.”

He pointed  out  “kidnapping  is now established  criminal  Industry  more prosperous  than cattle rustling.
My fear is that if care is not taken and government fails  to deals with it decisively, the bandits are capable of over running the entire  country”

The Yoruba Elders Council (YCE) in  its reaction,) raised the alarm that Nigeria is on the brinks and  ready for disintegration.
The YCE after its recent meeting  in Ibadan  Oyo State capital of Nigeria,
through  its President Justice DemolaBarkre and General Secretary  Dr. KunleOlajide wants the 1999 constitution  withdrawn  and be replaced  with a new one based on the experience of Nigeria in the last 60 years.

This the body argued  that this would end the constant banditry  and all sorts of crimes, that could lead to the disintegration  of Nigeria.

The issue of insecurity  which resulted in the killing  of the former President Goodluck  Jonathan’s aide Ahmed Gulak  in Imo State, led the coalition  of Northern  groups to blow hot stating that “it is no longer realistic  for the North to co -exist  with the south East any more, arguing  that the killing of Gulak was a plan to replicate  the events of 1966.
The group through its spokes person AbdulazeezSulaiman condemned the recent  meeting  of Senate with other stakeholders  on the review  of the 1999 constitution, arguing that it was not in the best interests  of the North.
In his reaction  former Senator and now the next in line to the Ibadan of Ibadan land Chief  LekanBalogun said the insecurity  situation in Nigeria is really quite alarming and that the government must be serious  about it and put Nigeria together, failure of which  could lead to each  zone going its separate  way.
“The government  and the leaders have failed and I am sorry for Nigeria,” he lamented