Daily Sun Editorial, dated November 15, 2023, titled "TAMING INSECURITY WITH NEW STRATEGIES," along with suggestions from other newspapers and well-meaning Nigerians directed at both past and present Federal Governments, as well as advice to Presidents Buhari and Tinubu, has been likened to a "conversation with the deaf and dumb."
This comparison is drawn due to the overtly self-centered interests of a section of the country, referred to as the "Northern Political Emirates Establishment."
The Editorial addresses the
unabated or recent successful attacks by the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic militia,
stating, among other things:
"....The federal
government should seriously consider the decentralization of the Nigeria Police
Force (NPF) to make room for State Police and Local policing. The present
centralized policing system cannot guarantee adequate security. The Nigeria
Police, as presently constituted, cannot protect over 200 million Nigerians and
other nationals in our midst."
Comment:
The Guardian, last year,
carried over 65 Editorial series emphasizing the categorical imperative of
restructuring the lopsided Federation with a decentralized security
architecture as the only panacea to effectively counter the Islamic insurgency
and supposed "bandits and criminals terrorizing the North West,"
while the pampered Boko Haram continues its onslaught and mindless slaughtering
of people in the North East.
Another brand of terrorists,
masquerading as herdsmen from the Sahel region of West Africa, has been
unrelenting in killing farmers at the slightest pretext while going about with
AK47 without a license and being overlooked by the federal government. To
expect President Tinubu to set up measures aimed at restructuring the lopsided
Federation is a pipe dream because the loquacious former Governor of Kaduna
state, Nasir El Rufai, boasted that Tinubu's occupancy of Aso Rock was made
possible by the northern Muslims. Who is fooling who?
The stark reality is that the
pervasive and intractable insecurity has destroyed whatever policies and
programmes were meant for the reinvention of the battered economy. Food
insecurity has been expanding because the terrorists masquerading as herdsmen
have scared farmers away from their villages and farmlands, while the security
agencies pretend that they are seriously engaged in curbing insecurity. Who is
fooling who?
Polycarp Onwubiko, public
policy analyst
Post a Comment