THE major factor that differentiates human society from the animal kingdom is the existence of government vested with the responsibility to protect lives and property, create and maintain laws and order, and preserve systems and structures that preserve dignity and provide socioeconomic stability. However, these seem to be on a “reverse gear” in Nigeria taking into consideration the rising insecurity and other vices that have created an atmosphere synonymous to a society where people are born free but are everywhere in chains. In its resolution on 5th October, 2023, the Nigerian Senate urged the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to immediately facilitate and supervise the quick return of all displaced persons to their ancestral homes and provide a sustainable security corridor in all flash points within the affected communities. Since the inception of this dispensation, the issue of insecurity has continued to manifest in different forms at the different levels, taking the shape of ethnic coloration, religious manipulation, and the hydra-headed killer groups masquerading as Boko Haram, bandits, among others. Due to insecurity, more than 2 million people have fled their homes to seek refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps where life is solitary, nasty, traumatic and people are potentially exposed to outbreak of diseases and other health challenges.
Apart from these challenges, the deplorable condition at the camps have created an avenue for different forms of abuses, especially the issue of “sex for food”. This became obvious with the revelations on the increasing numbers of single ladies that ran to IDP camps for safety but are now mothers of children without partners. Unfortunately, some of the officials saddled with the responsibility of protecting and distributing food donated by the government and non-governmental organisations to the IDPs are part of those perpetuating this inhuman activity. An attempt by the victims to resist or report to the appropriate authorities is met with reduction in the portion of food or total exclusion from the “food sharing formula.” Between January and June, not less than 11 cases of sexual abuse were reported to have occurred in the Gbajimba and Anyiin Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Guma and Logo LGAs respectively in Benue State by the Sexual Offences Awareness and Response (SOAR) initiative during a quarterly meeting of the Benue State Child’s Rights Implementation Committee (SCRIC) chaired by the state Ministry of Women Affairs. This is not to talk of the IDP camps in Borno, Adamawa, among others. Because of the fear of being evicted from the camp, some victims of this horrendous demonstration prefer to die in silence than to speak out even when asked by the visiting organisation or body.
Sexual abuse seems to have spilled over to the host communities with the harassment being faced by female IDPs in the process of looking for water when they run out of water at the camps and sometimes when looking for firewood to fetch and sell in order to augment their feeding and buy clothes that can replace their fading clothes. As a result, some of the young men among the IDPs have joined terrorist groups while some have turned to the canvassers canvassing people to join the unscrupulous elements threatening the soul of Nigeria if they want to be set free from the chains of poverty and inhuman treatment. This is why despite the victorious songs on the war against terrorism being trumpeted by the “trumpeters of government”, the issue of insecurity has remained unabated. With the climate of fear across the country, it is obvious that the evil the nation tried to avoid by stipulating in section 18 (1) of the Federal Republic of Nigerian 1999 Constitution “that the government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels, (3) strive to eradicate illiteracy; and shall as and when practicable provide — (a) free, compulsory and universal primary education; (b) free university education; and(c) free adult literacy programme” has finally befallen Nigeria.
For instance, about eight Akwa Ibom National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members were abducted by the bandits on Zamfara highway while en routing to the orientation camp in Sokoto State on August 17. Seven corps members were also kidnapped in Rivers State on their way from the orientation camp in Ondo State in May 2023. Again, more than 60 passengers were abducted while traveling from Abuja to Kaduna through railway at a place called Katari in Kaduna State in 2022. The peak of the display was an attack on the Kaduna airport that halted operation for hours before the military reinforced to dislodged the bandits from the airport. In the past, the call to NYSC service used to be a call for joy and celebration but now the opposite seems to be the case because of the acceleration in the spate of insecurity and the voices of those clamoring for its cancellation. Meanwhile, the reason for its existence is to fast-track and consolidate the process of integration and promote unity. Due to the lack of trust in the security agencies, families and friends of most of the abductees prefer to negotiate their release themselves than reporting to the security agencies. This creates a fertile ground for self-help.
The growing insecurity across the country has made many people to abandoned their farm land and chosen another profession where they are less productive compare to farming.
This is evidenced by the gradually degeneration of the north central which used to be described as the food basket of the nation to a theater of conflict for the herders and farmers with a consequential skyrocketed in the prices of goods at the market.
This is aggravated by the porosity of the country’s borders which has created a soft landing for the external criminals to build more “violent ventures” in Nigeria and ran back to foreign countries with the ransom collected from the victims while, the investors that ought to invest in the economy are leaving the country in large numbers because of the fear of insecurity.
To stop Nigeria from “bleeding”, the government must stand up to her responsibility to protect lives and property, ensure more training and empowerment centers are created for those at the IDP Camps, intensify efforts in the war against illiteracy so that those trapped by the chains of poverty and inhuman treatment can regain their freedom.
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