Rising insecurity: FG’s responses creating fears, uncertainty in Nigerians — Afenifere

Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has decried the handling of the security situation in Nigeria by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, describing its response to the menace as tantamount to ceding the country to terrorists.

Afenifere gave this stand in apparent response to the confession by presidential spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu, that leader of terrorists “deceived” the government into releasing his wife and children without releasing victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train, describing the revelation as “very unfortunate and an admission of failure as a government.”

Afenifere expressed this concern on Monday in a statement made available to newsmen by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, declaring that it was a pity and would not be wrong to say that President Buhari’s government had greatly lost the confidence, trust and hope that were invested in it at its inception.

“In view of the fact that government is expected to possess superior power in virtually everything than any others in a country, considering the fact that the primary responsibilities of the government are the provision of security and welfare for the people and considering the fact that the present administration has failed to provide either security or welfare for the people of Nigeria in recent times, one may not be wrong to state that President Buhari’s government greatly lost the confidence, trust and hope that were invested in it at inception. It is a pity,” the pan- Yoruba socio-political group said.

Afenifere, while noting that the presidential spokesperson, Malam Garba’s revelation concerning the failed agreement focused only on what happened between the Federal Government and abductors of passengers on the Kaduna-Abuja train, concerning their release, queried: “By the way, what about other people kidnapped from other places?”

This was just as the group recalled that the British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service) that broadcast Garba’s interview reported that it was not the first time the terrorists had failed to honour such agreements but was the first time the Federal Government informed the world of such dealings with the terrorists.

According to Afenifere spokesman, “what came out of Shehu’s disclosures confirmed a suspicion and allegations that have been in the public domain for a long time, to wit: That government not only knows the terrorists, it is aware of where they are!”

“Why the government refuses to confront them and put an end to the needless loses and agonies of Nigerians is a riddle that one finds difficult to unravel,” he said.

Speaking further, Ajayi said Federal Government’s action in this respect could be likened to that of a father who does not frown at, perhaps allows or encourages, bandits not only to come into his household to rape his daughters but also to haul his sons into bondage, adding that such father sometimes even allows his wife to be abused by the invading bandits, making such disposition look confounding and difficult to explain or rationalize through any theory.

The Afenifere chieftain posited that the way and manner insecurity issue was being handled in the country was, unfortunately, saying such was lending credence to the views of those who were alleging that there could be a hidden agenda to this issue of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, “otherwise, the government would have been more decisive in the way it tackles the monster that is fast eroding the very essence of our being.”

Ajayi, while further lamenting the level to which insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping and needless loss of precious lives had degenerated in the country, declared as very troubling and disturbing “to us in Afenifere and to us in Yorubaland as a whole as it is for all well-meaning Nigerians” the killings of students and others in the South-West as well as other parts of the country.

“News had it at the weekend that a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Miss Happiness Odeh, who was kidnapped on Thursday was reportedly raped and killed by her dastard abductors.

“The National Diploma Two student was on August 3, 2022, crowned as a Beauty queen of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta. The unfortunate incident was reported to have happened on her way to a film location in Ipara Remo area of Ogun state.

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“The week before, a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Miss Racheal Opadele, was brutally killed by her kidnappers even after ransoms were paid for her release and others with whom she was kidnapped. Earlier on in June, several lives were brutally cut short by terrorists during a church service in Owo, Ondo State,” he recalled.

“Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, lately revealed that bushes in Yoruabaland have been infiltrated by terrorists with the intention of unleashing terror in the area any time.

“Going by reports coming from other parts of the country, what is said of the South-West is not peculiar. Indeed, Kaduna State governor, El Rufai stated last week that terrorists have formed a parallel government in his state.

“His Benue State counterpart, Governor Samuel Ortom, has actually set up what can be practically called a State Police because of the failure to get necessary reliance from the Federal Government-owned security agencies. Some territories in states like Niger, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Borno, including the president’s home state of Katsina are reportedly under the control of some bandits who are demanding taxes from the people in these communities.

“Reports on Sunday also had it that at least 13 persons were killed and many wounded during a bandits’ attack in Karekuka, a community in Gassol Local Government Area, Taraba State.

“They also attacked Garin Gidado community in the same area on Saturday morning but met it empty, because the community had been previously attacked by bandits,” he further recalled.

Afenifere, therefore, pleaded with President Buhari to urgently put a stop to the needless sacrifice of lives of innocent Nigerians by terrorists by, among others, saying he should do this by calling the terrorists’ bluff, equipping the security agencies materially, logistically and in terms of morale-boosting.

He urged Buhari to be genuinely committed to Nigeria and the people as well as by allowing states that were willing to set up state police forces to go ahead with its establishment.

“These things are the minimum that the president can do. And they are not difficult to be done at all. It only takes the desired political and moral will on the part of the president to do so,” Afenifere chieftain said.

Ajayi added that the steps being suggested were not difficult to accomplish as, according to him, there is also the constitutional reason for the president to take these steps because Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) makes it a duty for the government to provide security for the people.

“Furthermore, if he could allow the Restructuring of the country right now, history would be kinder to him.

“The president should, without wasting any more time, get these things done as suggested above. And in doing so, he could also delegate more powers so that the engine of the state can run faster and more efficiently!” Ajayi concluded.

Bola Badmus