SIR: The primary responsibility of any government at all levels is the protection of the lives and property of its citizens. But, with the daily evidence of security deterioration in this country, one would say, with certainty that the government has failed woefully in that regard as no one is safe.
If the convoy of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and one of the main correctional centres in the nation’s capital could be raided, causing some of the kingpins of the Boko Haram to vanish into the thin air, who and where do you think is safe?
The military and paramilitary forces that are meant to protect the country and its citizens from external and internal threats are paying with their dear lives due to the lack of proper training, poor personnel and good weapons to mention just a few. Their families after their departure are left in limbo with little or zero support from the government.
From another angle, the judicial apparatus that is saddled with the responsibility of punishing the law infringers treads to and fro wearily in an ocean of fear of intimidations from the executive arm of government when discharging its duties. This, for sure, fertilizes the roots of injustice, shawls the neck of corruption and fans the ember of criminality and lawlessness. When will Nigeria be out of this mess?
The 64 escapees of the Boko Haram members of Kuje Correctional Centre can only spell doom for the country. But the sad truth is that the escapees will inevitably go back to their camps and reunite with their colleagues, to be further strengthened. And, there would be a possibility of new forms of attacks here and there that would threaten the 2023 general elections that is only a few months away. Government and the general public should be cautioned.
To abort the bleak future ahead, the government should create an enabling environment for the youths through the avenue of sound education, employment opportunities and financial support for those teaming youths interested in business. Government should ensure the recruitment of sufficient security personnel, give them proper training and modern weapons and pay their remuneration promptly. Non-Governmental Organizations and traditional and religious leaders should chip in their contributions since the insecurity is everyone’s headache.
- Muhammad Rabiu Jibrin,
Gombe.