A citizen’s thoughts on insecurity and other matters

It is with great concern how security issues in Nigeria are taken with levity especially where it matters most.  As a citizen, it is my right to demand for adequate security and basic amenities when and where necessary as the constitution gives me such right which also is a primary duty of every government to […]

It is with great concern how security issues in Nigeria are taken with levity especially where it matters most.  As a citizen, it is my right to demand for adequate security and basic amenities when and where necessary as the constitution gives me such right which also is a primary duty of every government to provide.

Since the First Republic, politicians are always known for making same campaign promises that are centered on provision of infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, water, security and employment. But the question is: how much of these have been achieved since independence despite such promises made?

It is no longer news that most Nigerian families for long have resorted to taking their destinies into their hands when it comes to providing amenities such as: water either by digging wells or boreholes; generators to power their houses and businesses; hiring of security guards or getting security dogs to guard their houses.

Secondly our productive youths have turned into forced vigilantes at night which has led many into taking hard drugs and the consumption of alcohol to keep awake at night.

It is obvious that since independence no government has adequately addressed its campaign promises despite funds released. My recent worries are not farfetched but bothers on the ongoing genocide in the country by so called suspected herdsmen in some parts of the country especially Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Enugu and of recent Southern Kaduna.

From my analysis and understanding going by proffered solutions towards stopping the killings, these solutions are rather in favour of the killers not the people that are being killed. For instance, recently, tax payers’ monies were given in Kaduna (as reported by Governor El-Rufai) to the killers to appease them to stop the killings, instead of arresting, prosecuting and even jailing culpable perpetrators

More worrisome is the fact that we have more security personnel deployed to protect Ballot Boxes during elections but such heavy number of security are not deployed to protect the communities that give those votes whenever they are attacked.

While I am very confident that our security agencies are capable of addressing these issues if the political will is there and if the politicians equip them sincerely, it is my candid opinion that government should channel those funds given to the killers to security agencies so as to enable the security agencies employ and deploy more security personnel to crises areas to stop the killings.

Those culpable should be arrested and prosecute if found guilty while communities that have come under attacks should be rehabilitated.

 

While government should look into the living condition of IDP camps in affected communities, those behind the killings should be arrested, prosecuted and jailed not compensated. 

 

We can never be better if we don’t get it right. 

 

 

 

Dachung Musa Bagos, Garki, Abuja, [email protected]