As things fall apart

By Kunle Sotibi

SIR: In the animal kingdom, it is every man for himself.  The lions protect themselves from external foes, the antelope plan for their safety, likewise other animals in the animal kingdom.

Nigeria is no longer at ease. From banditry and terrorism in the North, kidnapping in the south and in the east, there’s an absence of peace and order. Regional security outfits are gaining momentum as the federal way of securing the nation could no longer stand firm

In the West, the states gathered and created a security outfit code-named “Amotekun” meaning leopard. We all know leopards are meant to be in the forest but when there’s no peace in the city, shouldn’t we then turn to leopards to safeguard the city? But when the leopards lack their hunting skills and materials, would the call to hunt down preys not prove difficult?

We know that the Nigerian constitution does not allow the Amotekun security outfit to use firearms; their work, in the circumstance, becomes like a carpenter without the necessary equipment. The regional security outfit is therefore expected to depend on out-dated traditional guns and with the support of traditional science.

Like their counterparts in the Southwest, the south-eastern governors have also sought refuge in a regional security outfit. The governors came up with Ebube Agu whose symbol is a lion.

As it is, the fight against terrorism and banditry is gradually becoming the duty of each region particularly as the security agencies of the federal government are no longer effective. The result is that the security business is increasingly in the hands of regional vigilante groups.

How effective will these regional security outfits without sophisticated weapons to counter criminals, bandits and terrorists in their region? In other words, how will these regional security outfits be able to defend their geopolitical zones with crude weapons? For the North, especially the Northeast where terrorism is the order of the day and North-central, where banditry and the herders brouhaha is the problem of the day, will they also be on the lookout on a better way to defend themselves?

Many Nigerians have been pressing for state policing which up till now, has fallen on deaf ears. Now that each region is waking up from their sleep by establishing security outfits, with the leopards defending the Southwest and with the coming of the lions in the Southeast, is it going to be the beginning of an end to farmer-herder crisis, terrorism and banditry?

How well can a lion operate with all his nails and teeth removed? Or a leopard who is powerless and malnourished?

• Kunle Sotibi,  kunlesotibi@gmail.com