There is definitely something wrong with the government’s handling of the anti-terrorism efforts. I have wondered severally why our security agencies who have signed in to lay down their lives for our security are not provided with the required weaponry to engage the terrorists. This is despite the huge billions of naira voted to provide security and combat terrorism and other criminalities. Indeed, corruption in Nigeria is systemic and it permeates our public and private sectors. Unfortunately, our security agencies are not spared. I repeat, it is absolute irresponsibility to expose our security officers to dangers due to corruption or whatever negligence. It is a national and collective shame that our soldiers mutinied due to our inability to provide and protect them with the weaponry needed to engage the terrorists.
We equally need to provide continuous orientations to our security agents to recognize and protect the fundamental human rights of Nigerians. We must not be permissive of extrajudicial decisions. It breeds mistrust between the populace and the security agents who must be partners in progress.
The intelligence network then becomes denied of direct flow of information from the citizenry. It also helps the terrorists to attract sympathy from aggrieved individuals. We must take actions according to the law against erring officers. This will go a long way to prevent future occurrence and to assure Nigerians that the government stands for all against injustice.
We must continue to remain united as we engage the terrorists who remain committed to the destruction of our nation. We must preach unity across ethnic and religious divides, and refuse to be distracted by religious and political leaders with ulterior motives. Such characters are never found wanting in situations like this. They seek relevance only by commitment to ethnic and religious bigotry. That is the way their pockets become oiled. We must make them irrelevant in the pursuit of our national goals.
Terrorists are of their master: the devil. As devils, terrorists hide under whatever they can to justify evils. Terrorists neither speak for nor represent any faith. We must remain focused on our efforts to bring peace, unity and freedom to our nation.
Corruption at the political and military leadership has been identified by the US military (who have come to help bring our girls to safety) as a major set-back. With several unclear issues surrounding our anti-terrorism efforts, we have made it clear to the world that something is definitely wrong somewhere. Our security agencies are well known for their gallantry and excellence in international efforts dating back to the global recognition of our former Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi (and our officers) in bringing peace to crisis-torn Congo in 1960 and 1964 (commanding an entire United Nations Contingent).
Why then have we failed so far to rein in terrorism and win the war against the terrorists? It is due principally to corruption at the leadership level. It is due to the absence of political will on the part of our President to name the terrorists and their sponsors and accordingly bring them to justice. The terrorists cannot exist without financial, material and political support. Once the sponsors of terrorism are dealt with without any regard whatsoever to whose ox is gored, , victory over terrorism is assured.
Akinlolu, Abdulazeez Adelaja,
University of Ilorin, Ilorin