Insecurity has justified clamour for state police, vigilantes – Adeyemo

Barrister Kazeem Debo Adeyemo is the present Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) 2nd Vice President from the north. In this piece, the Offa-based legal practitioner speaks on the present insecurity situation and talks of secession rocking the country. Excerpt:
What do you make of the worsening security satiation that is plaguing the country presently?
It is unfortunate we found ourselves where we are today in Nigeria where criminals will operate with impunity and without caution and the security operatives will be helpless over the situation. A country where some people will have access to bandit and the police will not have intelligence report as to their whereabouts and yet lots of people are being killed with (huge) ransom collected while no action is taken. We cannot just sit back and watch things like this happen. The Nigeria people signed a social contract with the government or vice versa and thus it is now the responsibility of the government to provide security for the people. But when such is becoming impossible, the issue of community policing, vigilantees and establishment of other security outfits that are concerned with maintaining peace and harmony among the people assume front burner of public discuss in the polity.
There have been diverse reactions to the recent action of Sunday Igboho to the country’s security situation, do you think his approach is justified?
In a situation where some people see some areas as hotspots and nothing is being done, it will warrant for such action as what we are having in recent times with the likes of Sunday Igboho and others having had information about the notoriety of such area as a hideout for criminals. I want to say that while such threat was not issued in the market or other places, it has become is a challenge for the security network because everybody cannot just fold arm and stay quiet. I think actions like that are check and warn those criminals that what they are doing is inimical to the health and wellbeing of the people in the area.
How do you think the government should handle the issue?
Well, the thing is that we have our security operatives who are not doing anything over the issue. What the government should do in this instance is to work and collaborate with the likes of Igboho to ensure that there is peace and sanity in the country. Igboho is a good person to work with in this instance and the government should not see him as an enemy. The government represents the people who are not against what Igboho did because they believe he is protecting them. Considering the situation we found ourselves in Nigeria, what Igboho has done is not out of place.
But do you think his action as a private citizen was right under the law?
My reaction to this is that although the law does not allow individuals to take laws into their hands but rather report to security agencies for further action. However in a lawless community, it is illegal to be lawful and criminal to be a good person as everybody is looking to the government who appears not to be doing enough over the matter. It is very unfortunate the situation we found ourselves.