Nigeria’s Debilitating Insecurity And Need For Truth

The recent massacre of 67, nay 106, innocent Nigerians at Zabarmari village of Borno State did not actually came as a surprise to many. Similarly, the lack of proper response from the Presidency, apart from the usual and expected condemnation of the barbaric act, was not surprising as well. Rather what surprised all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic group, religion, gender or political inclination is the unthinkable response that emanated from the mouth of Shehu Garba, Nigeria’s Presidential mouth piece.

Garba Shehu was widely reported as hinting that it was actually the fault of the massacred victims for venturing to go their farms without clearance from the military.

He was said to be responding to questions on British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, which is an international media outfit with very wide coverage and enjoys considerable listenership in Nigeria, most especially the Northern part.

Shehu’s response, according to pundits, was not only surprising but also annoying, as Nigerians see it as an attack to their collective sensibilities. Let truth be told; when were the Borno residents, and particularly the Zabarmari residents, told to always seek clearance from the military anytime they want to go to their farms?

And also, what provision has the military put in place should the Zabarmari residents seek for the clearance that will have prevented the senseless massacre?

The issue remains that Nigerians are indeed tired of excuses because for all intent and purpose they deserve far better than what they are getting from their government. There should not be any such conditions before Nigerians get any form of security and protection from their leaders.

This is very apt as it represents one of the leading responsibilities of governments anywhere in the world.

The situation has indeed gone so bad that Senator Shettima in his motion “Notes that Borno State has been the epicenter of the despicable activities of Boko Haram for over decade during which a conservative estimate of 40,000 people – mostly unarmed civilians – were brutally murdered, 2.5 million people displaced from their homes and farms, property worth trillions of naira wantonly destroyed and over 7 million people – mostly women and children – plunged into dire humanitarian needs.”

Senator Shettima reminded the Senate that over the weekend, Boko Haram insurgents have beheaded 67 farmers who had gone to a rice plantation at Kwashabe village in Zabarmari District of Jere Local Government Area, 20 kilometres north of Maiduguri, Borno State capital to harvest ripe farm produce and destroyed the farm.

DESERT HERALD feels the Nigerian Federal House of Representatives deserves commendation here at least for its doggedness and resilience even the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Leader of the House, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, penultimate Tuesday tried in vain to stop lawmakers in the chamber from inviting President Muhammadu Buhari to explain what his administration is doing on the degenerating security in Nigeria.

The commendation is even more deserving when seen under the purview of The House’s final resolution to invite the President with a view to hearing first hand from the President what he intends to do in the face of increasing insecurity consuming apparently the whole nation.

On the other hand, the Senate also deserves commendation for coming up with a blue print aimed at bringing Nigeria out of the endemic insecurity that is threatening the corporate existence of Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation.

In this light, the Senate in its resolutions prayed the President to take immediate steps to restructure, remodel and revamp the country’s entire security architecture and provide enough state-of-the-art weapons and equipment to effectively combat the belligerent power of the insurgents.

It also urged the President to immediately initiate probe into widespread allegations of corruption and leakages within the security structure and put mechanisms in place to foster transparency and ensure all resources meant and deployed for security are actually spent on the needs on ground.

In addition, the upper chamber called on the Federal Government to aggressively explore multilateral and bilateral options of partnership with the neighbouring nations of Chad, Niger and Cameroon towards reviving and strengthening the Multinational Joint Task Force and finding a lasting solution to the scourge of insurgency in the Lake Chad region.

Accordingly, it urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, recruit at least 10,000 Civilian JTF, versatile with the local terrain in Borno as Agro-Rangers under the aegis of the NCDSC to complement the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Consequently, the Senate also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry; and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to provide succour and psychological support to the bereaved families.

While calling on the Federal Government to undertake recruitment of more personnel into the Armed Forces, the Upper Chamber advocated proper welfare for security personnel fighting in the frontlines and accord prime attention to the compensation and welfare of fallen soldiers as that would boost the soldiers’ morale and aid their concentration.

It also called on the Federal and State Governments to adequately address all immediate and remote causes of insecurity in the nation, which must include comprehensive packages on education, employment and other social vices.

As Nigerians have continued to die in droves, properties worth billions of Naira and farms, lakes, forests which provided sources and means of livelihood have practically become graveyards, the call is apt for Nigeria’s government to wake up, brace up and live up to its constitutional responsibilities, paramount of which is the protection of lives and properties.

A word is enough for the wise.