It is no longer debatable what the scorecard of President Muhammadu Buhari on security is to every discerning mind, the man in all fairness and reality has performed woefully beyond expectations on security issues. The reasons why a retired General of the Nigerian Army failed in mobilizing forces to deal decisively with the marauders, terrorists, kidnappers, killers, enemies of the state is still stunning to say the least.
Between May 2015 and July 2020, Nigerian citizens, men and women, old and young, pregnant mothers and their unborn babies, children have been killed in droves at night and day, in several communities, killings that are well orchestrated.
Many had campaigned for the coming of President Buhari against the return of former President Goodluck Jonathan principally to tackle insecurity and corruption. The argument was that as a retired General of the Nigerian Army and ‘a stickler to no-nonsense’, he will deal with the criminal elements, bandits, militants, who are killing and causing mayhem in the country. It is quite disappointing today that the vandals have overpowered, over-armed and appears more organized than our military. They are now in every nook and corner of Nigeria killing and dismembering bodies, raping our women, destroying farms, burning and looting properties with impunity. They are so sure no power can challenge them. They have entrenched themselves in our country since the Federal Government of Nigeria and security agencies are not a threat.
It is very unacceptable that the military authorities underlined the point that it was not its responsibility to uncover the secret sponsors of these groups. They claimed that theirs as the army is to fight and decimate insurgency in the country. This is incorrect and disappointing because the Military Intelligence unit is a very vital organ in the Army. No war, battle has ever been fought and won by the army without its intelligent unit secretly gathering information of the enemy. The army as an institution needs information of the enemy, its strength and weaknesses, arms control, possible backers, etc.
The Federal Government and our security arms are playing hide and seek with Nigeria’s unity, peace and progress by not tackling this insecurity headlong. For years, the Boko Haramists, herdsmen and farmers, bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists, criminal elements have actually over-run the country and, made Nigeria a country of worthless army. The government of President Buhari and his security chiefs have not indeed come out with any action to tackle this menace. Nigeria is now referred to as the new Golgotha, the slaughter slab, where human beings are killed with recklessness. Nigeria, a place where government allows its citizens to be executed and offers only a condolence statement to commiserate with the families is indeed a failed state. That is the present position of the Federal Republic.
The truth remains that our government and security agencies are not tackling this issue of insecurity in the land. If Niger and Chad Government and, Army could deal with, chase away these bandits from their territory, why has Nigeria, a country recognized with highly trained men, sophisticated weapons, failed to do same? There is something fundamentally wrong somewhere, our government are not coming out with facts on why this insecurity has worsened. It is disturbing that till date there is no infiltration of our security in the camps of these bandits to help in decimating it. There are no organized, well-coordinated efforts, military attacks on these groups. Yet, news has it that about #238bn was released to the military in 2018 and 2019 for Defence and to fight insurgency. It is also alleged that a particular weapon to fight insurgency in Nigeria was bought and fully paid for by our army in 2016 to a US military weapon dealer but till date has not been delivered. If this is not military sabotage on the people, what is it? Has this military not committed treasonable felony against the peoples of Nigeria? What is the government doing about the monument corruption in the military?
President Buhari must step up his grip of the security because the country is bleeding, and bleeding to death. The insurgency, insecurity in the country has lasted more than necessary. No responsible government, committed army will continue to fold its hands and watch helplessly while its citizens are continuously mowed down. Every religious and ethnic sentiments must be sidelined for the country to achieve tight security in the country. In other climes, security is not approached from any religious, ethnic or language barrier but the survival, attainment of greater heights of their country is the ultimate goal.
It is the priority of nations all over the world to protect its citizens and properties. Even in ancient kingdoms, kings and their army did not go to sleep while their peoples and domains were attacked. They sprang up to their feet, defended and protected their peoples and land. Nigeria of 2020 should not be an exception in ensuring that security issues are not compromised. For the government and military to allow bandits, insurgents, herdsmen and farmers, kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists, animal rustlers, criminally minded people to fester their evil machinations will spell doom for the country.
*** Uzodinma Nwaogbe is @ 0708.438.1845.
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