Letters

The pressing need to end insecurity

Published by

3 years ago

For years, bandits and other militias have been killing and taking innocent citizens to their dens until ransoms are paid before setting them free. Their operations become successful with the help of their informants; they cohabit and do things with us but secretly sending information about whom to kidnap and where to ransack.

Hence, arresting bandits without eliminating those informants is like killing a snake without cutting off its head; they will regroup and continue from where their predecessors stopped. There is no country in the world that is enjoying maximum peace without re-positioning its security architecture, standardising security agencies remunerations and equipping them with sophisticated weapons.

In Nigeria today, money meant for supplying arms to security forces are diverted, retirement benefits of old personnel are not paid and bribery has gotten a standing ground in almost everywhere including checkpoints, entry and exit points of national borders. A while ago, the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir Elrufa’I, advised the Federal Government on the bombardments of forests occupied by bandits. He was supported by many people. But bombing bandits and not forests could only work effectively when infantry soldiers are stationed at all escape routes; any bandit trying to flee is apprehended.

I hope what happened to some bandits in Zamfara forests does not repeat itself in Kaduna. The military bombed animals and trees, and not the bandits. The majority of them escaped to neighboring states and now perpetrating crimes in Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, and Kaduna. There is need for government to fund all security forces on time. Modern armories should be provided in order to arrest the deteriorating situation. Also, both the air force and army should collaborate and work out modalities that would help in improving the security situation.

Mukhtar Garba Kobi, 08185113672.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE