Are you satisfied with President Buhari’s handling of the nation’s security?

The security challenges of the country have been a recurring decimal, particularly since the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Kidnapping, herdsmen menace and banditry have become the order of the day to the extent that the federal government and its security apparatuses are struggling to curtail them.
Olasunkamni Oso sampled the opinions of Nigerians to enquire if they are satisfied with the way President Buhari is handling the security of the country. Their views:

Kayode Mustapha
Contemporary security challenges in Nigeria have multi-pronged causation and consequences. Most fundamentally is the extreme pauperisation of the masses with concomitant expression of ostentatious lifestyle by people of no legitimate means of livelihood. This is followed by culture of impunity, whereby culprits of security breaches escape legal and moral sanctions. Corruption, which has weakened the security infrastructure and architecture of the military institution, remains the ‘icing on Nigerian insecurity cake’. Hence, there is sense in the assertion that we either kill corruption or corruption kills us as a nation. Government needs to frontally tackle these maladies to restore normalcy in every facet of our national life. Other efforts at redirecting the affairs of the nation would remain exercises in futility under an atmosphere of insecurity.

Supreme Court slates May 24 to deliver Judgment in Zamfara, Ekiti suits

Ipaye Olasunkanmi
It is unfortunate that the proletariats are victims of the insecurity of the country while the bourgeoisie don’t feel the heat. I feel sad with the way Buhari is handling the security situation of the country. In a saner clime, the security chiefs ought to have resigned. Let us take Chad as a case study. After terrorists killed about 20 soldiers, the Chad president fired the security chief with immediate effect. But here, in Nigeria, the reverse is the case. Everyone is doing what they like as if we are practicing an anarchy system of government. The armed forces should be more cohesive and integrated in a bid to dutifully discharge their duty.

Steve Agbota
No patriotic Nigerian would say he is happy with the way Mr President is handling the security situations in the country. It is clear that President Buhari is overwhelmed by the security challenges in the country. Being a former military head of state, I expect him to do better in the area of security. Under Buhari, the nation security is in shambles. It is disheartening that we have many security agencies, yet we can not tackle security challenges with them. It is a national disgrace that there are some states you cannot travel to by road due to the fear of being kidnapped and robbed. So, there is a whole lot of work that needs to be done about security. Buhari has another four years to prove himself. But, we hope things would not get worse by then.

Adejumo Kabir
No sane Nigerian would be pleased or satisfied with the way President Muhammodu Buhari is handling the security situation in the country. He refused to fulfil his promise on security. Many are being kidnapped, including the family of the president’s ADC. This country is sick under President Buhari. There is kidnapping in all the regions of the country. It is sad that we live in a country where citizens cannot move freely. It is even alleged that the police close by 6p.m. The Military harass civilians—with their boss, Buratai, advertising his helplessness. The president has no idea on how to best tackle security issues. When he returned from his ‘private visit’ from London, he claimed he does not have any advanced method of tackling insecurity. President Buhari administration needs to buckle up.

Oduniyi Dolapo
For me, the president is trying his best. I think it is the politicians that are devil incarnate that are affecting his administration. I would have preferred him when he was in the military and to be assisted by Tunde Idiagbon. The rest would have been history. Those behind these insurgencies would not have tried such. Also, Nigeria’s borders are too porous that is why it is easy for people to penetrate into our dear country.

Alfred Olufemi
It is not a case of being satisfied with the way the president is handling the security of the country. Has this not been the case before his re-election? Before the just concluded presidential election, Mr President failed in the aspect of security. The first six months of 2018 witnessed massive attacks in eight states in the North. Statistics shows that over 1024 persons were reportedly killed in ‘major’ attacks in the affected states. It was a shift from Boko-Haram insurgency to herdsmen crisis. Up till now, the federal government has not been able to secure the release of Leah Sharibu. It is so disappointing that no one is safe in the country. The security crisis is now hitting the federal capital considering series of kidnappings and banditry. There is still room for improvement, anyway.

Dosumu Oluwaseyi
No one in his/her right senses would be glad with the present handling of the security situation of the country. A president that cares about the welfare of his subjects would see to the stringent handling of the security of lives and property of the citizenry. Any security chief that is incompetent should be sacked with alacrity. State police should be approved. There should be a major transfer within the security outfits. And there should be a general reorientation for Nigerians. In advanced countries, once the system is not working, the leader in charge resigns or the higher authority would do the needful. A case study is Venezuela, where the energy minister was sacked due to eight hours blackout. However, blackout, wanton loss of lives and property, extreme hunger, unemployment are now norms in Nigeria.

Victor Chinyeaka
For an administration that made security a major issue in its campaign, I will say that Buhari’s administration has grossly underperformed in that effect. Insurgency is still a nagging concern in the Northeast. Kidnapping, theft and cultism have become more brazen in different parts of the country, and there is a general air of discomfort and fear lingering in the hearts and minds of people. Mrs Oby Ezekwesili said, “Nations are like human organisms. Nations can become diseased. Sadly, a people may not realise how injustice is a disease that eats up nations. A country that handles the abduction of the children of the poor with levity is unjust. What more does President Buhari need to hear?” therefore, we cannot in this circumstance give credit to President Buhari’s administration for what they have clearly not done!