TERRORISM AND INSECURITY IN NIGERIA BY TIJANI MARIAM

A day has not gone by without reporting any form of crime in Nigeria.

Nigeria as a whole is plagued by different cases of insecurity on a daily basis caused by various reasons especially in the eastern and northern parts of the country.

If we lived in a world where insecurities win you laurels, Nigeria would have been one of the most decorated countries in the world or perhaps one of the greatest and powerful countries in the world…Yes, the North Korea’s, the United States’, the Germanys. But, Insecurity continues to plague our country leaving us fighting states in the Middle East for the top spot on the list of terrorized nations in the world.

Boko haram insurgency is one of the major problems Nigeria is facing. These are groups of people terrorizing the nation since 2009. They have always been involved in abducting people,bombing of churches and mosques, killing numerous people. What an horror!

This act has claimed the lives of innocent people and people who would have made relevant changes to economic growth and development have been maimed and rendered useless.

On 16 June 2011, Boko Haram claimed to have conducted the Abuja police headquarters bombing, the first known suicide attack in Nigeria. Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands and displaced 2.3 million from their homes,according to the Global Terrorism index.

Nigerians must be free from these terrorists to ensure no other person goes through what the victims have been through.

These kidnappers and bandits target Nigerian schools. Students who are supposed to be in school studying for the betterment of themselves,their parents and the country at large are being kidnapped. Most kidnappings of students are happening in the north. Have we wondered why?

Barely 24hours after the government science college Kagara students were kidnapped, some communities in Guarmana ward of Shiroro local government area of Niger have been attacked. There is no assurance that they wouldn’t spread their reach beyond the North later.

While the heat is going down in the north,the Nigerian army are in orlu, Imo state ignoring bandits and their location all in the pursuit of ESN(Eastern Security Network) soldiers and the government is chanting the same mantra over and over again, “these criminals will be caught and dealt with”. Haven’t Nigerians heard enough?

The frequent kidnappings and killings are ascribed to banditry. A state might have a long history of banditry or terrorism but it doesn’t mean banditry is something to be inherited or saying not all bandits are criminals. There’s no sanity in saying such,these people are criminals. It is no other act than terrorism, these people must be apprehended and justice meted out to them.

It’s a pity that Nigerian government is granting amnesty to these criminals all in the name of dissuading them from killing and maiming citizens. Even paying them off, imagine what this money could do if put into development.

Amnesty is not the solution, likewise paying them off. It will only give them courage and continue breeding such acts so far they are aware they will go scot free in the end.

Fulani herdsmen is also one of the major problems facing Nigeria especially in the south west. These people not only make life miserable for residents and farmers due to their open grazing but also engage in kidnapping of people for ransom,raping and killing of people.

Lagos-Ibadan expressway is no longer safe to travel anymore, people are getting kidnapped by Fulanis in the South.

Open grazing should be banned, Is only in Nigeria,you will see a civilian — Fulani herdsmen going around in broad daylight armed and no one dares challenge him.

No wonder Gina Yashere once said in her comedy skit, ” if one commits a murder in Nigeria, you will get away with it”

The minister of defence,Major General (Rtd) Bashir Salihi Magashi said “It is the responsibility of everybody to keep alert, defend yourselves, we shouldn’t be coward”. Do Nigerians even train citizens on simple defense combat?
Isn’t that tantamount to him saying Nigerians be armed to protect yourself because the Nigerian government can no longer protect you. Interesting!

Imagine him saying Nigerians are cowards, cowards to face bandits who sometimes carry three rounds of ammunition.

People are cowards because they are scared for their lives, would firearms be given to every citizen or should legalization of firearms be a solution to Nigerian problem? Have we thought of the negative consequences? People would be killing each other over trivial matters which is in fact a bigger problem.

The big question begging to be asked: Is the government, the system or the people to be blamed? Why hasn’t the government found a solution to insecurity? It is the duty of the government to provide security. Yet,we see people being kidnapped and killed. Hence,the government needs to find a better approach to solve the problem of terrorism, we cannot continue using a failed approach to solve an ancient problem and still expect a different result.

We need to restructure our system so development and growth will gallop positively.

These people need to be enlightened so their minds can be renewed. “With guns you can kill terrorists, with education you can kill terrorism”.

Many have started to question whether their lives have importance in their own country and have started looking for a means to survive or wait to be raped,kidnapped or killed. Give Nigerians something to fight and stand for. It is high time the government and concerned authorities found ways or means to ensure our great nation, Nigeria is safe again.

(Polity Reporters)