By Josmat Jerry
A nation pictured as the giant of Africa, blessed with various natural resources, with great people of special gifts and talents to her outlook, a wide landscape in respect to various endowments and other life betterments in abundance now swims with pity in a pool of abject poverty, internal and external pains, selfish interest amidst rulers, weak government running system, unfavourable leaders, absence of transparency, abuse of rights, to mention but a few. To which loss has evolved a feeble system and aggressive citizens who have took a bite at the selfish cake and want to possess a share of the national cake, the nation’s security system is now tagged with a question mark.
Once a system fails in her duty to take good care and absolute responsibility of her inhabitants, basic needs like water, electricity, constant payment of salaries, health care centers, quality roads, sound education and most importantly, security, will greatly be threatened by both internal and external forces. The failure of the Nigerian government to fully utilize its resources lead to her rise as the poorest country globally (as of 2020). Notably, a nation whereby almost half of her population lives from hand to mouth will barely witness a peaceful coexistence which will thereby pile loads of pressure on her security system and such will eventually fail.
One of the most challenging issue the nation has faced over the last 3 decades till now is the battle against insecurity. From religious fights to ethnicity, bloodbath down to the Boko Haram dominion. The reckless work of some security units themselves which includes the war against SARS and police brutality, uncountable beheading by tagged named ‘herdsmen’, serial killings by gunmen, countless kidnappings, several cases of rapes, arm robbery by armed men at broad day light, the attacks of bandits and hoodlums on plain citizens and lots more.
The night of April 14th, 2014 witnessed the kidnapping of 276 Christian female students from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State. Similarly, during the evening of December 11th, 2020, over 300 schoolboys were reportedly kidnapped from a boys’ secondary boarding school in Kankara, Kastina State. Vividly, 43 rice farmers were beheaded on the 28th of November, 2020 by Boko Haram in Zambarmari, Borno State. Not to mention the countless of lives that have been lost, reported or underreported. The scrupulous bloody massacre staged in Borno State and Nigeria can only happen when such nation’s security is long rusted, dead and buried.
Actually, the point of who to blame on the issue at hand doesn’t warrant to choose an administration and tag such as the cause of the present security dilemma. The failed state of insecurity has been a term that is sequentially mounting up wings from one tenure to another. The problem Nigeria battles is a combat that began long ago and each administration contributes beautifully to the fall of the security system. Even though it’s being of failure in the past, the damage caused and added to it by the present administration is much incomparable.
The event that unfolded few days ago on the kidnapping which occurred at Kankara is dramatic, terribly amazing and questionable. How over 300 school boys were carefully taken in broad day light without the notice of whistle blower or security men is a miracle that turns into insanity when reasoned. How the schoolboys were transported without a notice or interruption is worth serious questioning. One tend to ask if there were any security men watching over the school, or the whereabouts of security men on patrol. It’s simply another clear sign of the failed system the nation portrays with her security.
Borno State is now decorated with gun shots, holes from bombs, lifeless citizens, living dead bodies, bloody soil, couples of militants, and battle ground for Boko Haram and soldiers. All these are present in a country whose leaders are busy with elections, tours, travelling all wide the world, embezzlement of public funds, stealing of finance meant for capital projects and lots more. All we see after an incidence owing to a failed security are passive moves, talks of deceit, gatherings to mourn over those indirectly killed as a result of their failed duties and responsibilities.
As the clock ticks, so does the level of security life span of Nigeria diminishes. Passionate men and women of this country never for once let off their shouts and call for a better security system, but all to no consideration by the power houses. Nothing to write about on Nigeria’s security system as the Kankara event further affirms the overtime and continuous declining status of her security structure.
