Clem Oluwole
Within 10 weeks, Abuja and its environs have come under heavy Boko Haram attacks. On April 14, this year, the Nyanya motor park was bombed during the morning rush hours. Two weeks later, another explosion occurred opposite the same park in the late rush hours. In the two episodes, several people lost their lives, while hundreds were either injured or maimed for life.
Forty eight hours ago, an explosion rocked the popular Emab Plaza in Wuse 2, killing over 20 people and fatally injuring 50. Before the recent incidents, about four major explosions had occurred in the city. In June 2011, the first suicide bombing in Nigeria took place at the Police Headquarters located along Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja. Two or so months later, another suicide bomber targeted the United Nations Building and blew himself and the edifice to smithereens. Scores of lives were lost and several others seriously injured. The This Day Newspapers office in Abuja was not spared about a year later when a bomber smashed his way into the premises and wreaked havoc. Much earlier, a bomber targeted the Mogadishu Barracks near AYA that claimed scores of lives.
The now sporadic bombings of the nation’s capital patter into insignificance when compared to the madness taking place in the North-east axis where the terrorists are having a field day in spite of the state of emergency that has subsisted for over one year, killing innocent Nigerians, burning down communities, kidnapping women and looting property without any let or hindrance.
It is now very clear to those who were under the illusion that the insurgency is a lunacy peculiar to the three beleaguered states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa must be having a serious rethink. The recent bombings in Jos, the several ones that have occurred in Kano, Kaduna, Gombe and the domino effects experienced in other parts of the country as exemplified by the wanton killings daily, are pointers to the fact that this country is steadily descending into a state of anarchy.
Because of the poor handling of the Boko Haram conundrum by the federal government at its inchoate state, the insurgency has festered over the years and garnered confidence and international support from terrorist organizations. Today, they are operating with incredible ease. Why would they not, considering the superior firepower at their disposal?
Now that there is no escape or hiding place for anyone as shown by the recent attacks on the nation’s capital, it is hoped that the federal government will do the needful. I was appalled by the recent disclosure that the strength of our army has been reduced to 100, 000. I had always thought that the figure still hovered around 250, 000. Little did I know that I was still living in the 70s. I was also under the illusion that our air force could boast of sophisticated fighter jets. But I have since realized that our armoury is not only virtually empty but also boasts of antiquated weaponry, and the army is a shadow of its past. And that the military I am so proud of has gradually gone rusty and is blown away by the wind of the 70s. All the hype about our soldiers and police personnel doing so well at peacekeeping operations was an illusion thrown up by the UN that lavishly equips and funds such operations.
It is also noteworthy that successive military administrations deliberately rendered the army ineffective. They made sure that the military was not strong enough to pose any threats to their regimes. In their reasoning, what do you even need a strong army for when you are surrounded by weak neighbours that look up to the country as a Big Brother in Africa?
The Nigeria Police Force was also a major casualty during the military interregnums. The police personnel were poorly paid and ill-equipped. That state of affairs gave rise to bribery and the notorious “wetin you carry” mentality the Nigerian policemen are known for till date even when their conditions of service have improved comparatively. Presently, the strength of the police force is about 400, 000.
In the light of this, I want to revisit the issue of state police which has dominated this column for several months now. Aside from being ill-equipped and poorly motivated, the total number of police personnel cannot secure Nigeria of 170m people. Similarly, in the 70s, the population of Nigeria was pegged at a little above 50 million, secured by 250, 000 soldiers. Correspondingly, the strength of the army ought to have risen to 750, 000. As it is today, the present strength of our army is not even sufficient to secure the entire North-east axis against the insurgency not to speak of the challenges of waging the war with antediluvian arsenal.
While receiving the report of the Gen. Sabo committee on the missing Chibok girls last week, President Goodluck Jonathan charged the governments in the beleaguered states to provide security at the various boarding schools in their domains. Pray, how are they going to achieve that? Is it by engaging “maigadi” or the local hunters? The lasting solution lies in the formation of state and local government police. A well-equipped and well-motivated home grown state and local government police system will be more committed and effective than the federal security personnel. For instance, last week, an ASP of South-east extraction attached to the Central Police Station, Nnewi, in Anambra Police Command, slumped following a directive from the office of the Inspector General of Police, posting him to Maiduguri. He was among the 149 officers affected by the postings to different parts of the country.
The posting to the volatile town was like pronouncing a death sentence on the ASP. He was, however, rushed to a nearby hospital where he was later revived. The ASP’s experience is a food for thought for those opposed to the establishment of state/local government police systems.
