By Christie Doyin
The issue of insecurity in Nigeria actually does not need any definition or preamble. We all know what it was and what it is now. It’s no longer a matter to discuss hush hush, it is a fact, a reality of our every day life and we can only pray for God’s intervention as no one seems to know what to do, more so that our government seems unperturbed by the ungodly infiltration of terrorists and the usually termed ‘unidentified gunmen’.
Each day has its own gory tale to tell and no one in government seems to care, except it has to do with anyone of them. Don’t blame me if I feel desperate or frustrated about it. It has actually become such an issue that ‘travelling’ from one street to the other is a dangerous adventure for all and sundry within the confine of being ‘ordinary Nigerians’. This year, one of my in-laws who was kidnapped was released after a most traumatic experience and payment of ransom.
About two weeks ago, father of a family friend, who was the chief of their town was hacked to death, a 9-year-old son killed while his wife was cut with machete. A neighbouring village to ours in southern Kaduna was ransacked, while several of our farm products were damaged and some stolen. Indeed, some were taxed huge amounts to go to farm their lands and also asked to pay huge amounts to be allowed to harvest their crops. So sorry a tale.
Just recently, it was reported that some policemen were kidnapped and we heard that their families have to run around to raise money for their ransoms. Even soldiers are not spared and this is apart from series of ambushes and other forms of attacks on our military by daredevil terrorists.
It surely will be far from being reckless to say that this country’s situation could be likened to the worst of some of the terrorists’ infested countries of the world. Who will save us from Nigeria is the cry of most Nigerians now, except you want to ask who will save us from Mr President?
A few days back, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim noted that bandits invaded his farm and many of his animals stolen, apart from attacks on those there. Last week Wednesday, a distress call allegedly was sent to the FCT Police Command and they rescued nineteen (19) persons from being kidnapped on Pei-leilei road along Kwali axis from heavily armed hoodlums after a fierce gun duel. However, three others were taken away by the bandits. Don’t want to start imagining the duel.
Also, there have been incessant kidnapping of Ilorin bound passengers along Kano and Kaduna road in recent time. A most recent is the reported abduction of eight travellers enroute Ilorin from Kano.
According to reports, one of the family members of the kidnapped victim narrated the ordeal of the family and revealed that “The kidnappers attacked the vehicle conveying the travelers along Zaria-Kano road, shooting 4 people including the driver, before abducting 8 of the passengers on Thursday 12th, November 2020.
Similarly, suspected hoodlums have reportedly killed the Olufon of Ifon town, headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Israel Adeusi along Benin-Owo-Akure road near Elegbeka Village.
Also in a related development, the Delta State Police Command says 37 Police officers were killed in different attacks between January 2019 and October 2020. The Commissioner of Police (CP) Hafiz Inuwa, disclosed this to journalists that the officers were killed while on duty by armed robbers, hoodlums, hit-and-run drivers among others.
Incidentally, just last week, former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, lambasted the Federal Government over increasing cases of banditry, kidnapping and economic down, accusing it of vehemently refusing to heed calls by well-meaning Nigerians on ways to solve the problems. The lawmaker noted that “Today, Nigeria is in the full grips of widespread insecurity, insurgency, banditry, abductions, armed robbery and all manners of violent crimes”.
Apart from all these, a report by the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) says the number of deaths attributed to Boko Haram in Nigeria increased by 25 percent from 2018 to 2019.
This recent report revealed that despite the rise in the number of casualties from Boko Haram attacks in the north-east, Nigeria is the second to record a fall in violent deaths after Afghanistan in 2019.
GTI said 2,043 people died from “terrorism-related acts” in Nigeria in 2018 but only 1,245 deaths were recorded in 2019.
The study, however, ranked Nigeria as the third most terrorised country in the world. The report noted that “Nigeria had the second largest fall in total deaths, owing largely to a 72 percent reduction in fatalities attributed to Fulani extremists,” it said.
“Despite this decrease, the number of deaths attributed to Boko Haram increased by 25 percent from 2018 to 2019.
“Renewed activity by Boko Haram in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger, remains a substantial threat to the region.” It also stated that Boko Haram carried out 11 suicide bombings killing 68 people.
“In 2019, Boko Haram carried out 11 suicide bombings causing 68 fatalities. Suicide bombings accounted for 6% of all terror-related incidents by Boko Haram in 2019, marking an 89% decline from their peak in 2017,” it said.
“Boko Haram was responsible for Nigeria’s deadliest terrorist attack in 2019 when assailants attacked a funeral in Badu, Borno State.
“At least 70 people were killed and 10 others were wounded in the attack and ensuing clash. The two main factions of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) and the followers of Abubakar Shekau, are both engaged in an insurgency campaign against the Nigerian government.
Going further, the GTI study noted that “Violence by the two main factions of Boko Haram have taken a large toll on the civilian population, particularly in northeast Nigeria, where continued attacks have internally displaced more than two million people and caused a further 240,000 Nigerian refugees to flee to neighbouring countries.”
Despite the foregoing, the Nigeria government is seemingly still undecided on what to do to curb the alarming rate of insecurity and check the menace of kidnap and abduction of its citizens and foreigners in the country. Or should we say the government is not moved by the lamentation of the people as a result of the large scale insecurity that has made even staying in your house unsafe.
It is high time government and all agencies responsible for security of the country and its citizens as well as residents take the bull by the horn and tackle issue of insecurity headlong. We actually do need a respite now than ever.
*Doyin writes from Ilorin via e-Mail: [email protected]
