By Omoh Gabriel
There are things that look so ordinary that we all take for granted. We are so familiar with them that there importance is lost on us. The police, soldiers and other paramilitary are some of such that we ignore there importance until we are endangered. Last year while having a media briefing Governor Babatunde Fashola said that if Lagosians continue to vilify LASMA, he would ask them off the road for one day so that Lagos residence will know their importance in traffic maintenance in Lagos. Every journalist shouted in protestation saying no.
Imagine road safety, LASMA off the road one day, what will be the situation in our roads. Yet these men are always on their own in the eyes of the average Nigerian. Think for once if the police service commission asked the police off the nation’s streets, followed by the army, who in Nigeria will leave his house, yet every day, you hear of police men being killed for no just cause. No nation in the world allows its security forces to be undermined by any group by what ever name. Under mining security operatives amount to a return to Hobbes state of survival for the fittest. Nigeria is going down a path never seen in its history. It’s a pretty dangerous path, one that the whole world is watching.
How has Nigeria degenerated to this low level of animal behaviour of killing one another across the country? Nigeria leaders are pleading helplessness. When as a people we collectively surrendered our sovereignty to the state to take care of all, it is the expectation that the state will protect us all. It will act in the best interest of all of us. Nigerians are afraid of their safety in almost every part of the country and the North East in particular. At a time, many well meaning Nigerians taught the problem was corruption and power failure, but now security has taken over.
With what is happening nation wide, killings, kidnappings and hostage taking, the President whom Nigerians have collectively mandated to act on their behalf owe Nigerians a duty to come out strong and call the shots, he has to face the security challenges. He should be the President he was elected to be. He must come out of his captivity and rule as a man. He owes no one any apology to do the needful to secure the country. It is better for a man to answer his father’s name and posterity hold him in high esteem than for him to bury his father’s name and answer the name of a stranger.
It is very clear from all indications that not enough is being done to address the security challenges. Or is it that Mr. President and the Service Chiefs are afraid of certain set of people? Or is it because of 2015 election? Mr. President should say to hell with second term and come down heavily on those promoting insecurity in the country who ever they may be. The President cannot be passive about this security challenge. One thing is clear in all of this the President has failed in his constitutional duty to defend and protect the people he swore to protect thus far. He should go to the root of these security challenges; the state of insecurity must be attributed to the menace of the extremist/criminals to security lapses, everything in this country is been polarised even down to the security agencies. All they now do is to promote their own religion instead of protecting Nigeria.
The President has several options to tackle this menace once and for all. He should as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency in any part of the country where criminals in what name are reigning supreme. He should along with this close the Nigerian land, sea and air space and begin an immediate house to house search for arms, weapons and criminals. Until the menace is solved the borders should remain closed. When criminals were terrorizing Nigeria from Benin Republic, Obasanjo simply closed the Land borders and a week later, Tijani who was the brain behind the criminal activity was handed over by Beninese authority to Nigeria. Just last Month in the United States of America, the government shut down Botson and Waterfront town in search of two terrorist who killed a policeman and three civilians at the Botson marathon bombing. Botson residents were asked to stay indoors. Rail, road water and air transport in Botson were shut down, no movement until the criminal was taken to custody. Why should this government be afraid in applying the same principles? This government should as a matter of national urgency overhaul security system. Mr. President must realize that he can only be president if there is Nigeria. With what is going on across the country the stage is being set for the unexpected. What that may be is a guess for all.
President Jonathan must act now to avoid the fulfillment of the America prediction that Nigeria may disintegrate by 2015. Nigeria occupies an enviable position in the world with abundant natural and human resources. The President should look deeper in other to find a lasting solution to this carnage. This President should not allow this country to disintegrate. Nigeria as a country does not have a record of arms and bomb manufacturing. The citizens at this time are tired with the usual press release issued anytime a crisis happens. This is a challenge to Mr. President; the Federal Government must move urgently to shake up the security apparatus to assure Nigerians and the international community of its capacity to guarantee the security of lives and property in the country.
