In recent times the security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated and assumed a frightening dimension.
Perhaps, for many Nigerians the magnitude of bloodshed and lives lost since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2010, could only be compared to the nation’s bloody civil war era of 1966-1970.
Another frightening dimension to the Boko Haram insurgency has been the incessant attacks and killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
These herdsmen have terrorised Nigerians, destroyed properties and communities, maimed, kidnapped for ransom, while leaving trails of anguish in the heart of the people.
Today, banditry and kidnapping for ransom have become a business venture, with many cases reported every day across the country and victims including some top security officers such as soldiers and police being held in the dens of the kidnappers until ransom was paid.
The situation which initially appears to be a Northern problem has now assumed a national dimension.
On daily basis, the combined impacts of kidnapping and banditry have led to loss of many lives, and property, leaving many people homeless.
It is sad that the security situation has worsened despite yearly increased budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Defence and reports of purchased of logistics and other equipment to the military to aid the insurgency war.
Just last week, more than 20 people were killed by unknown gunmen around Kwatas village, in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State. Kwatas, is a community neighbouring Plateau State University.
Last July, along the Benin-Ore expressway Olakunrin Fasoranti daughter of Afenifere leader was murdered
The police authorities and many people in Ondo State had said she was killed by suspected herdsmen in a kidnap attempt.
However, several months after no one have been brought to book, while investigations into the brutal killing appear to have stopped. This is one of many of such killings that happen every day across the country without the culprits being apprehended to face the law.
The killings and kidnapping have become a daily occurrence and ritual in Nigeria.
Observers say the impunity in the system and the inability of the security agencies to bring perpetrators to book has fuelled the attacks and killings across Nigeria.
The worsening security situation necessitated informed the Governors of the South-west states to recently launch ‘Amotekun, the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The six state governors said the security outfit would tackle the challenges of insecurity, including kidnapping and banditry in the region.
Despite virulent criticism that has trailed the outfit, the governors say they are pressing ahead with the plan.
Recall that in 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari was seeking election for his first term in office and in 2019 for re-election for a second term, a major focus among his key campaign promises to Nigerians, was to tackle insecurity and win the war against insurgency,
But there is increasing fear among Nigerians that President Buhari may be losing the war against insurgent, largely due to his reluctance to change his service chiefs.
Perhaps, the comment by President Buhari last week, that he was surprised at the current surge of security challenges across the country paint the hopeless picture of the situation at hand and goes a long way in indicating that events had overwhelmed President Muhammadu Buhari and his service chiefs.
Security expert say, President Buhari’s comment paint a picture of hopelessness, they say insurgency war are won on strategies and it appeared that the current set of service chiefs have lost touch with events on ground or lack the needed support from their colleagues.
In the last few days, there have been increased calls for the President to sack his service chiefs since they appeared overwhelmed and appeared to have lost ideas on security situation in the country.
“Personally, I think they have overstayed their time in those positions. They are fatigue, their time is up they should be allowed to go and rest let have another set of people like they say ‘new broom sweeps better’.
“From the chief of Defence staff to the Minister of Defence they should all go. Many officers are being killed; it is not reported we can’t continue this way,” Tunji Shelle, a former chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, said.
Last, Wednesday, Senators overwhelmingly called on the President to, as a matter of urgency, sack the service chiefs, contending that they have done their part at the moment, but are out of ideas and have overstayed their welcome.
The Senators’ views were corroborated by, the Publicity Secretary of the Igbo apex body, Ohanaeze, Uche Achi-Ogbaga who said they had exhausted their ideas, adding that there is an urgent need to engage people with new ideas to tackle the security crisis in Nigeria.
According to him, “You see, the concern crept from the corresponding media reports to the effect that the President is himself shocked at the level of banditry or insecurity in the country. One would wonder because if the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is in shock, then defenceless Nigerians should be in coma.
“If after five years at the helm of affairs of Nigeria as President, all he could offer is to still express shock, one should be able to say that he has no solution to the threat without being controverted by any rational and apolitical mind.
“Recall that the government has demonstrated at many fora that Boko Haram has been defeated. Today, Boko Haram is still attacking ferociously, killing innocent and defenceless citizens and more. “Other deadly criminal outfits, including dare-devil, kidnapping and massacre-infested herdsmen, are springing up here and there.
“The implication is that the government is not living up to its responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of its citizens because nothing is more precious than life and if not given priority of protection, everything is lost,” he said.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin said the service chiefs are long overdue for sack, stressing that their long stay in office may lead to grumbling among junior officers.
“If records are anything to go by, we should expect nothing from this than the hollow rituals. The only pleasant surprise we can get is a sack of the service chiefs. They are long overdue for sack for their ineffectiveness and constituting themselves into stumbling blocks to career rises of other officers,” he said.
Iniobong Iwok
