The killing of eight NSCDC officers in Edo

YET another incident illustrating the terrible and uncertain times in which Nigeria is embroiled happened recently in Edo State. Eight officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers. The deceased were personnel of the corps attached to the BUA Cement Factory located in Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state. The sad incident happened in the process of kidnapping an expatriate, a Chinese national, and four of his compatriots. The compatriots were eventually rescued from the abductors. In the melee, four people were wounded and received treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Following the incident, civil society organisations lamented the government’s recurring indifference to security crises. On their part, the police and other agencies gave the typical assurances. According to an NSCDC official, “The national headquarters has taken over the issue, investigation is still ongoing and our men are still out there combing the forests because those men must be brought to book. The Corps is not taking this lightly in any way; those persons who did that must and will be brought to book. There is no hiding place for them, we are doing the combing in collaboration with other security agencies. For the victims, communication has been established with families by the Corps headquarters, and the welfare of the families they left behind is being handled by the national headquarters.” Sadly, this kind of gruesome attack may happen again.

There is no doubting the fact that the spate of insecurity in Nigeria is distressing. The security situation is so volatile as to beggar belief. Virtually all the states of the country are immersed in one insecurity issue or the other, reflecting the tenuous social and economic relations that have become the order of the day. The situation becomes even more alarming when the criminals engaged in these onslaughts target foreign nationals due to the potentially high worth of ransom obtainable from the criminal undertaking. For countless times, the authorities have been reminded of their constitutional duties. The Nigerian constitution stipulates the security of the people of Nigeria as the most important kernel of the authorities’ continued existence in office. Yet while promising to uphold the security of the people and engaging in photo-ops, Nigerian leaders continually play games with the security of the people they govern. It is clear that if they prioritised the security of their people as they do their own and that of their family members, it would be difficult to validate the general perception that Nigerians have been left in the lurch.

What the people need are leaders who are empathetic to their situation. The pervasive insecurity and the attitude of the proverbial Neros fiddling while Rome burns in the country signpost patent distress. We are reminded that the 36 state governors collect security votes, but the majority of them divert those funds to selfish and parochial ends. If they were sympathetic and empathetic to the cause of their people, the situation in the country would not be this dire. The governors would realise that if their people do not have peace of mind, neither would they.

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The climate of insecurity has its roots in the social and economic dislocations that have gripped Nigeria. The symphony between economic atrophy in Nigeria and the rising wave of insecurity is only natural. The cost of living is at an intolerable level and almost on a daily basis, bread winners are emasculated. It is thus not a surprise that many able-bodied men and even women are engaging in nefarious activities. While the government should rightly focus on the kinetic aspect of curbing insecurity, it should also ensure the de-escalation of social and economic tensions as a non-kinetic method of restoring sanity in the country. For the umpteenth time, we call on the Federal Government and the subnational governments to prioritise the security of their people. The security situation in the country has reached epidemic levels and concerted efforts are required to tame it. The Okpella incident is sad and unfortunate, not only because it was avoidable but because it may be replicated judging by the lax posture of the Nigerian government.

In a country with a committed leadership, this kind of incident would occasion a rethink of security strategy. If uniformed men wielding weapons can be mowed down with ease, what is the fate of innocent citizens? Governments at all levels should recalibrate their security approaches and save the people from the Satanic agents prowling the land. At the very least, the security forces should ensure that the killers in Okpella are fished out and prosecuted. That would send a strong signal to their fellow criminals.

We commiserate with the NSCDC and the family members of the deceased officers. No doubt, their killing has left a big hole in those families. This realisation should move the  officers investigating the case to do a thorough job and ensure that the culprits are brought to book. Above all, Nigerians need leaders who will reverse their deplorable conditions.