Insecurity: That December 31 Deadline

The recent killing of four staff members of the embassy of the United States of America in Ogbaru area of Anambra state brings to the fore, again, the heightened spate of insecurity in the country.

In an earlier editorial, we had expressed concern about this monster threatening to engulf the nation particularly in view of a December 31, 2022 deadline given by President Muhammadu Buhari to the security agencies to end the bloodletting. The unfortunate incident in Anambra state involving diplomats is another proof that the worst is yet to happen.

Nigeria is currently faced with an unprecedented wave of insecurity which appears to be defying all efforts and overstretching the nation’s security agencies. As of today, no part of the country is spared of the ugly monster.

The federal government had in October, 2022, said all security challenges in the country would be eliminated by December 31. The Minister of Interior gave the assurance at a joint ministerial briefing in Abuja. He said President Muhammadu Buhari had given December deadline for the security forces to restore order and stability in all parts of the country.

We were equally told that the President would not leave office in May this year without curtailing and effectively addressing the security challenges. He gave the deadline of total elimination of such threat to the security of lives and property by December. But it appears all the arms of government with the mandate of maintaining law and order, guaranteeing security and eliminating threats went to sleep shortly after the deadline.

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Besides, the President has severally ordered service chiefs, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), to deal ruthlessly with armed bandits and kidnappers terrorising different parts of the country. Alas, the insecurity in the country has continued unabated.

Unfortunately, despite the assurances from the federal government and efforts of the security agencies, the level of insecurity in the country is alarming and worrisome, portending rising insecurity in the country. Assurance of security from the government has become rhetoric and citizens now take such assurances with a pinch of salt. The people can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed.

We note with great concern, the worsening state of insecurity across the country, South East, North East, North West, North Central and every other zone of the country, characterised by kidnappings, banditry, assassinations, among others

What is more, kidnappings, killings, bombings, religious killings and banditry have taken a new dimension. Government has tried different methods, from “force-for-force” to carrot-and-stick approach, but nothing appears to be working.

There are several other unreported cases of killings and kidnappings in different parts of the country and the indication is that the powers that be have lost grip of the worrisome situation. Nigerians are just living as though everything was alright.

It appears that the agencies charged with the security of the nation do not have a well-coordinated leadership command to be able to work concertedly to achieve the common goal of securing the country.

As a newspaper, we are genuinely concerned about the rising insecurity in the country. The situation at hand has gone beyond issuing deadlines that are hardly carried out. The fact of the matter is that insecurity does not thrive in a vacuum. Some factors, including the environmental conditions, kindle and nurture insecurity.

The rising insecurity in Nigeria is steadily made worse by a regressing economy, poor infrastructure, including educational and health facilities, transportation and bad roads, fuel crisis, unemployment and a growing sense of disenchantment that government and the political class have failed the people. The government’s inability to provide public services and meet the basic needs of the masses has created a group of frustrated people who are easily classified as violent by any event.

The federal government must adopt a more holistic approach that simultaneously combines combating security threats more effectively with addressing the root causes of conflicts and agitations in the country. Addressing only the manifestations of insecurity without tackling its drivers is like cutting off the tail of a dangerous snake, keeping the head and the rest of its body intact.

The government must also aggressively embark on regenerating the moral values that will guide the behavior of citizens. It’s an urgent task that must be done in order to salvage Nigeria. Events have shown that the nature and pattern of security challenges confronting Nigeria cannot be dealt with efficiently using military power alone.

This also re-echoes the issue of state police. The centralised policing system is not working in Nigeria. To effectively tackle the current security challenges facing us a nation, the federal government needs to decentralise the policing system.

The security agencies are overstretched and poorly funded. The current security agencies are too centralised to effectively provide the required security for the nation.