Maintaining internal security: Everyone is involved

Sustaining peaceful coexistence especially in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious as well as a complex society like Nigeria is by no means a small feat. In most societies, especially older democracies or even non-democracies, peaceful coexistence is the impetus that accelerated national growth, rapid development and laid the template for other indices for which a developed […]

Sustaining peaceful coexistence especially in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious as well as a complex society like Nigeria is by no means a small feat. In most societies, especially older democracies or even non-democracies, peaceful coexistence is the impetus that accelerated national growth, rapid development and laid the template for other indices for which a developed nation is synonymous with. 

However, when persons with different beliefs, ideologies, culture, and political leanings decided to live in a state-structured society, definitely, there’s bound to be skirmishes, confrontations and disagreements as well as conflicts. But ultimately, a nation that salvaged such challenges and comes out top, it can be alluded that such a nation has attained true nationhood and set for an unprecedented developments whether in infrastructure or human capital. 

And has also marked its presence on the global arena and can assert its influence among the comity of nations. 

But, a nation which grapples with internal rifts arising from ethnic skirmish and conflicts like in the case of Tutsis and Hutus in Rwanda and the attendant genocide that ensued in 1994, or, the religious crisis between mostly the Muslim Seleka Rebel group and the resistant Christian Anti Balaka group who sought to counter the former’s atrocities in the Central Africa Republic CAR, such nation is doomed. 

These kinds of friction and the magnitude or impact of such insecurities stagnate a nation’s progress and development. Sadly, this has been the bane of most sub-Saharan African countries and that in a way put the clog in the wheel of progress for such nations.

Back home, events of the past week has provided surreptitiously a platform for naysayers, political jobbers, opposition as well as mischief-makers to cash in on the unfortunate situation. The killing of over 86 ethnic Beroms in Barkin Ladi,  and the surrounding Riyom villages in Plateau State was a just the perfect scenario to launch such aggressive, non-patriotic and subtle campaigns shrouded in secrecy against the government of the day. 

Worthy of note here, however, is, every human life is sacred, no life is greater than the other, and the sanctity of human lives must be upheld and respected.

But, allegations, bickering, name-calling and blame game ostensibly between Fulani herders on one hand, naysayers on the other, and the ethnic Berom also on the other. That situation took the nation on the brink of another civil unrest. It had ignited resentment among Nigerians in an already heated polity. 

Glaringly, without any form of sentiment, it is safe to allude that, the government of the day has many battles to fight, many hurdles to cross, and even to some extent contending with a myriad of crisis on different fronts namely; perpetrators of such crisis (actors), and ostensibly their covert sponsors (Politicians), and opposition whom will jump in on the misfortune of some persons to make a political gain from it. And lastly, unscrupulous journalists and bloggers who engage in sensationalism rather than professionalism, thereby giving room for the prevalence of fake news on mainstream and social media.  

Security, especially internal-base is a collective responsibility. As such, going by the concept of internal security, we can obviously see it is everybody’s business. Internal security entails the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign nation by generally upholding the national law and defending it against internal security threats. And the responsibility of maintaining it revolves around a three cyclical order – the State-Citizens-Security agencies. It is also the civil responsibility of the citizens to get involved in matters of internal security. 

Hitherto, in the pre-independence era, there was a unique inter-group relations among communities, people look out for one another. Internal security was everyone’s call. The moment a strange person comes to a community, he would be accosted until he’s deemed harmless and the reason for his arrival established by the community or Village head as the case maybe. 

In contemporary Nigeria however, palpable divisiveness promoted by naysayers and those that differ with the government of the day inadvertently led to the rise of internal security. 

Every nation has got its form of challenges, whether man-made or natural. Such challenges pop up at one point or the other. As such, the need to unite and salvage these challenges head-on is what makes a nation great.

The Buhari administration had a covenant with the Nigerian people, harped on three major electoral campaign pledge – insecurity, economy and fight against corruption.

The Boko Haram terrorist without mincing words has been decimated. Most Northeastern States whose major towns were earlier controlled by the insurgents were liberated, their activities significantly curtailed save for some spate of surprise and uncoordinated suicide -bombings. 

The herdsmen /farmers crisis though a present reality had predated the present administration. This crisis had been around since the 1960s, though on a smaller scale. 

We must note here that, a lot of factors led to the rise or escalation of the conflict in recent times. The effects of global warming which led to the receding of the Lake Chad remains one of the most pronounced. Also the acrid nature of land in the far north drives the herders down south and to the North Central States which has already played host to them and also an abode for decades.

The breakdown of law and order in the Sahel and the Maghreb led to the proliferation of arms and other sophisticated weapons into the Nigerian territories and the hands of criminal elements.

Sentiments aside, the centuries-old Fulani tradition is that of a stick-wielding and in some cases a machete. But, the proliferation of arms unfortunately found itself into the hands the criminally- minded in their folds. We now are confronted with news daily of Fulanis brandishing sophisticated weapons and engaged in arson. Whether these Fulani herders are Nigerians or from other states in the West African sub-region is hard to tell.

Security agencies in Nigeria had in the past alleged collaboration between some Jihadi groups in the Sahel region and local Fulanis. This is as a result of the porous border in the country and the Treaty by ECOWAS states of non-restrictions and free movements of persons, goods and services. Whatever the case here, government owned us the moral responsibility of protecting our lives and properties, and as citizens, we also must compliment all efforts geared towards sustaining peace. 

Now, with this form of challenges, a unilateral and collaborative approach is what is required by all irrespective of political, religious and cultural differences to put to an end, these mindless killings.

Zamfara State and Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna State with a high population of Muslim’s as well as Fulanis has not been spared of this killings, it has recorded a significant number of deaths arising from the activities of armed bandits, terrorist as well as cattle-rustlers in the past few months. 

In fact, in March this year, 12 Nigerian soldiers were reportedly killed by armed bandits in Birnin Gwari, and this is in addition to civilians killed. From Benue to Zamfara, Kaduna to Taraba, Plateau to Adamawa and Nasarawa the story is same – Sorrows, Tears and Blood.

In the face of daunting task, we must be wary of naysayers, bigots and those who stand to benefit from such crisis. The 2019 general elections is months away; little surprise we would be inundated with intrigues, scheming, name-calling, blame game as well as campaign of calumny against the presidency and its policies with the ulterior motive of pitching it against the citizens just to score a political point. 

And to those in this category, they should bear in mind that human life is sacred, at least stop playing politics with human lives.

Umar is Chairman, Buhari/Osibanjo 2019 Campaign Organization, Kano State Chapter