By Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we saw how this government has severally promised to deal a death blow on the Boko Haram insurgency, but has instead exacerbated the security situation with the addition of armed bandits, rampaging herdsmen, vampirous kidnappers, killer squads, etc. Nigerians are in a quagmire. What next? Many Senators and others had waded in. Today, we shall continue the search for solutions. However, the most recent kidnap of about 333 male students from a secondary school, Kankara, Katsina State, right before the very nose of President Buhari who is holidaying in his Gusau country home, underscores Nigeria’s insecurity predicament. The report of the release of these young innocent boys gladdens my heart. I am not here interested in the ongoing conspiracy theories of whether the entire kidnap and release was a mere cooked up melodrama and simulated histronics, to give the semblance of a performing president. With peoples’ lives? With Nigerian lives?
However, former Senate Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, had contributed to the debate of insecurity at the Senate Plenary, by saying troops lack modern arms and were hardly provided with support. He said people in Borno State were paying ransom to Boko Haram before being allowed to go to their farms or move around in their villages. Indeed, Boko Haram are said to have audaciously mounted checkpoints and road blocks in most LGAs, collecting toks and levies. Can you believe that? Fello Nigerians, can you now see why GEJ deserves to be garlanded? Trust Ndume. He shot from all cylinders, when he called for the hiring of mercenaries.
“I can tell you that people fighting war are sharing ammunitions. They have no arms or proper kits. I have a not seen a Nigerian soldier holding a new AK47, Last week, some people came to me in Abuja and they asked for money to help them pay their dues to Boko Haram terrorists before they can harvest their crops. If government is serious, this terrorism can be stopped in six months.
America engage mercenaries. Why can’t we get that? We will be failing in our responsibility if we fail to do the right thing. In his contribution, former Kebbi governor, Mohammed Adamu Aliero, wondered why Buhari has refused to visit Borno after the attacks. “President Buhari should have gone to Borno State and not to send a delegation.”
RESOLUTIONS OF THE SENATE
The upper chamber later urged federal and state governments to address issues fueling insecurity. It similarly called for massive recruitment into the military and Nigerian police force.
President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, was blunt for once, even against his appointers. He warned that excesses will no longer be tolerated. He Said the resolutions of the Senate must be implemented by the Executive.
Lawan must have shocked his benefactor when he said, “this is not the first or second case of insecurity in the country. We will take additional steps and insist that our resolutions are implemented. These are recommendations the Executive must implement because they are frivolous. This is one thing that will gladden the hearts of Nigerians when implemented. Enough of any excuses. Those who have nothing to offer in terms of securing the country, should be shown the way out. We need people who can do the job. Nothing is more important than to Nigerians than their lives”. The security of Nigerians should take the centre stage. Time has come to find solution”.
This was not all. Further reactions poured in:
THE CHURCH
RESIGN NOW IF YOU CAN’T GUARANTEE SECURITY OF NIGERIANS, CLERICS TELLS BUHARI
Two clerics, Adewale Giwa and Pastor Ebenezer Ologunowa, told President Buhari point blank to resign if he cannot guarantee security of lives of Nigerians.
Giwa, senior Pastor of Awaiting the Second Coming of Christ Ministry, Akure, Ondo State, however urged Nigerians to stay strong despite the challenges confronting them, saying “it’s unfortunate that we have a president who doesn’t listen to the yearnings of his people”.
He claimed the president’s highhandeness has set to Nigerian in all ramifications.
“if they could kill a first class monarch in Ondo state, who is now safe in this country? If the wife of Ondo state Chief of staff could be kidnapped easily, who knows who is next? As of now, God is our security. Even Buhari is not safe not safe in Aso rock because the citizens are not happy”.
On his part, Pastor Ologunowa, who is the leader of Christ Sanctuary of Praise Gospel Church, Akure, said President Buhari should be honourable enough to resign if he cannot manage the nation’s security:
“They never promised us that our people will be killed like animals. Buhari’s sense of sight ought to have advised him quit instead of staying in office without any meaningful contribution to the development of Nigeria”.
THE MOSQUE
Sultan of Sokoto, tested General (rtd.), His Eminience Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has twice within one week, lamented, the dire insecurity situation of the country, and warned the government to stop paying lip service to it. He described insecurity-ravaged North as the worst place to live in Nigeria. He even called for specialist prayers five times daily. He noted that bandits now rule some communities and set rules that must be obeyed. The Sultan noted the paradox of the common man is “now caught in between two contending phenomena. When he goes to the farm, he gets killed and when he stays at home, he dies of hunger”. He urged the Buhari government to go beyond mere lip service and the traditional condemnation and do something concrete. The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) obviously alarmed, later resolved to meet Buhari, contending that the military is overstretched.
Is this the same military that ferociously went after #EndSARs peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll gate? So, President Buhari has also finally agreed to honour the House of Representatives’ invitation over the wanton killings, the first time ever since 2015? Ha, wonders shall never end!
THE GOVERNMENT – AS USUAL
But, trust Buhari government. Ever incorrigible, it sets its exams, marks them, and awards mark to itself. It blames everyone, everything and everyone, but itself.
Thus, in a swift reaction on Arise TV, Presidency spokesman, Garba Shehu, said sacking the service chiefs was not the solution to the security challenges. Oh, really? Even after they have since outlived their welcome and usefulness? Hear more: “The clamour for the sack is out of place considering that the President is not subject to the oppositional political party which has clamoured for this all the time.
It is entirely his (Buhari) determination; he decides who he keeps as his service chiefs and for how long”. This was in obvious reference to President Muhammadu Buhari who has been under intense pressure from opposition leaders, lawmakers, traditional Rulers, as well as civil society organisations, to rejig the entire security architecture, starting with the sacking of the military heads.
But, Shehu said the appointment and sack of service chiefs were not tied to public demands. Hear his logic:
“I am not aware that the tenure of service chiefs is subjected to any law or regulation that is clearly stated. They serve at the pleasure of the president and (if) the president is satisfied with their performance, he keeps them. The buck stops at his table- with due respect to the feelings of Nigerians”. I think Garba is not getting the point. No one is wrestling with Buhari about his obvious powers to appoint or sack service chiefs. But, he is being reminded to sack them since they have failed the country. Is Garba saying the President is not answerable to the Nigerian people? Is he Louis XIV of France? By saying “with due respect to the feelings of Nigerians”, it means Garba is aware that the Nigerian people want the service chiefs out. But Buhari would not do so because he is “not aware that the tenure of the service chiefs is subject to any law or regulation”. Oh blomey!
NORTHERN ELDERS
MASSACRE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL BUHARI REPLACES SERVICE CHIEFS-NORTH
Garba must be alone in a frolic of his own. This is because concerned stakeholders from the Northern states have warned that there may not be an end in sight if the current service chiefs remained in the saddle.
Specifically, they called on President Buhari to replace all of them without further delay, to remediate the worsening security situation in the country, especially in the North.
Stakeholders who headed different groups and coalitions had made the call at an emergency meeting in Kaduna.
Part of the 11-point communiqué read: “We say enough is enough of these killings of innocent and unarmed civilians in Borno State, brought about by the seeming inability of the nation’s troops stationed in the state to hgelp avoid this kind of massive attacks and killings.
“We categorically call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack the service chiefs for their inability to save the nation this tragically-embarrassing experience that has dire consequences to our international image.
“There is also need for not only total overhaul of the security architecture in Borno but also the out-dated intelligence-gathering method.
It is our conviction that until a major paradigm shift in the security architecture is promptly applied by President Muhammadu Buhari, we will continue with this bad and alarming rounds of a tragic and embarrassing situation.
“The time to end this madness is now; the nation can’t afford to wait any longer.
This is good music to my ears and those of many Nigerians, especially since the Buhari’s most ardent devotees who worship him like a deity, have finally seen his light.
But, who is to blame when Muhammadu Buhari cannot see beyond his nepotic enclave to rejig his security architecture? Now, read the following by an avid reader who exposed the dangers of nepotism, sectionalism, favouritism and tribalism in appointing people from only ones section of the country, a most horrific scenario in a pluralistic, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious country like Nigeria. This is how he put it.
LOOPSIDED APPONITMENTS
“INSECURITY IN NIGERIA: WHO IS TO BLAME?
President Muhammadu Buhari (Katsina); Senate President: Ahmad Lawan (Yobe); Deputy Speaker: Ahmed Idris (Polateau); Defence Minister: Bashir Salihi Magashi (Kano); Chief of Army Staff: Major-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Borno); Chief of Air Staff: Sadique Abubakar (Bauchi); National Security Adviser: Babagana Monguno (rtd.) (Borno); Director-General of DSS: Yusuf Magaji Bichi (Kano); Minister of Police Affairs: Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi (Sokoto); IGP: Mohammed Adamu (Nasarawa); Comptroller-General of Customs: Hamid Ali (Bauchi); Commandant- General NSCDC: Abdullahi Gana Muhammad (Niger); Director NIA: Ahmad Rufa’I Abubakar (Katsina); Comptroller-General of prisons: Aloh. Ja’afaru Ahmed (Katsina), SGF: Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha (Adamawa); Chief of Staff: Ibrahim Agboola Gambari (Kwara)”.
“CHAIRMEN OF SENATE COMMITTEES
Army: Ali Ndume, (Borno); Airforce: Bala Ibn Na’Allah, (Kebbi); Defence: Aliyu Wamakko, (Sokoto); National Security and Intelligence: Abdullahi Gobir, (Sokoto); Police Affairs: Dauda Jika, Abubakar Tambuwal (Bauchi).
CHAIRMEN OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEES
Army: Hon. Abdurazak Namdas (Adamawa); National Security and Intelligence: Hon. Sha’aban Sharada, (Kano); Navy: Hon Gagdi Yusuf (Plateau); Police Affairs: Hon. Kumo Bello (Gombe)”.
So, who is to blame? That is the big question. Nigerians, do you know? (The end).
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“In situations of military conflict, civil strife, lawlessness, bad governance, and human rights violations, terrorists find it easier to hide, train and prepare their attacks”.
(Gijs de Vries).
Fellow Nigerians, synergise with me every week, to put our heads together on how to retool Nigeria. Right here on “The Nigerian Project”, by Chief Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb, LL.M, Ph.D, LL.D.
