Insecurity, oil theft: Nigerians demand results not endless rhetoric

…Food crisis worsening as farmers abandon farms

Nigerians are expressing mounting frustration with the seemingly endless stream of threats issued by the Federal Government and security agencies in response to the nation’s security challenges.

These challenges include widespread banditry, Boko Haram insurgency, rampant kidnappings, and the persistent issue of oil theft in the Niger Delta.

While pronouncements from security chiefs vowing to crush these criminal elements are frequent, Nigerians see little tangible progress. The activities of bandits, Boko Haram, kidnappers, and oil thieves continue largely unabated.

This disconnect between threats and action raises a crucial question: how effective has been the Federal Government’s approach in tackling these menaces?

A recent report released by Beacon Intel showed that 1025 people were killed by non-state actors in various incidents across the country in June. The report also showed that 467 persons were abducted during this period.

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States in the North West and North East, including Katsina, Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna, and others, recorded the highest fatalities and abductions in June, the report highlighted.

A farmer told BusinessDay Sunday that bandits are in control of many states in the North, particularly, Zamfara and that indigenes now pay taxes to them to cultivate their farmlands and harvest their crops.

“When people talk about insecurity, it sounds like a fairy tale to many Nigerians. I know of a supplier of fertilizer who was supplying thousands of tonnes to Zamfara. He has done that for over 15 years now, but today, he can’t even supply seven trucks of fertilizer because the demand has fallen on account of insecurity.

“What we have is a situation where communities enter into a bargain with the bandits to pay taxes for them to be allowed to farm and harvest their crops. It is going on in that state up till tomorrow. Where is the government? We now have a situation where non-state actors are detecting the pace of things in Nigeria. If you ask me, the government has failed in its primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizens,” said the farmer who gave his name simply as Abu.

In June, at least 18 people were killed and dozens injured after a series of blasts by suspected female suicide bombers targeted a wedding, a hospital and a funeral in Borno State.

This disturbing trend showed that the threat and efforts of government and security agencies in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping in this region has not yielded the desired result.

The government’s strategy has often been reactive rather than proactive, leading to temporary relief rather than long-term solutions.

The unending security challenges has forced many farmers to abandon their fields, leading to food crisis across the country, which has further exacerbated economic hardships faced by Nigerians.

While terrorists and bandits continue to wreak havoc in the north, oil theft continues to flourish in the Niger Delta region.

A statement released by Edward Buba, director of Defence Media Operations, Friday stated that the Nigerian troops recovered 715,325 litres of stolen crude oil and 148,415 litres of illegally refined diesel in the Niger Delta region.

Buba noted that the recovered oil prevented the loss of an estimated $1.5 million in the south-south region.

All efforts by the government to end the economic sabotage were fruitless, including the involvement of private security company, Tanita Security Services, owned by a former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, in oil pipelines surveillance.

A few days ago, President Bola Tinubu met with security chiefs at the State House in Abuja, urging them to improve on collaboration to secure the country.

The meeting was attended by Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA); Yusuf Bichi Magaji, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Ahmed Abubakar, commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Kemi Nandap, comptroller-general of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS); Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff; and Kayode Egbeokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP).

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had also at a meeting he convened last week, which was attended by other high-ranking security officers, threatened that they would go brutal against the oil thieves in the Niger Delta.

At the meeting, Kyari Mele, Group chief executive officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), had expressed sadness that the criminality has continued in the Niger Delta despite all efforts to end it.

Many Nigerians express frustration and disillusionment with the FG’s efforts. They feel that the government has failed to deliver on its promises to end insecurity and oil theft.

The repeated meetings and threats without substantial action have led to a loss of trust in the government’s ability to protect its citizens.

“We’ve heard these meetings and threats countless times before. What we need is concrete action, not just words,” Amina Mohammed, a businesswoman from Kaduna who has lost loved ones to bandit attacks, said.

Usman, resident of Zamfara State, one of the hardest-hit states, said: “We hear of operations and arrests, but the bandits still attack our villages almost daily. We need real action, not just words.”

“The security agencies are part of the problem. There are allegations that some officials are complicit in the oil theft. This must be investigated and addressed,” a resident in one of the Niger Delta states said.

The Federal Government’s approach to tackling banditry and oil theft has been marked by a mix of military efforts, policy measures, and public threats.

However, the persistence of these issues indicates that these strategies have not been wholly effective.

The public sentiment across various regions of Nigeria reflects a deep frustration and demand for tangible results rather than endless threats.

To regain public trust and ensure security, the government must enhance the implementation of its policies, ensure accountability within security agencies, and take decisive actions that lead to lasting peace and security.