What FG should do

There’s nothing bad in praying to God for protection but heaven help those who helps themselves. And the only way forward is to prepare meticulously as it’s no longer enough to highlight the challenges bedeviling this country; what’s most desirable is developing plans to tackle them.This includes picking right men to implement the right policies effectively.

It’s about time we picked the speck and show the eyes. The Nigerian Army, despite its best efforts, has failed to curb the growing insecurity fears as a result of bad leadership, dearth of sophisticated firearms and indiscipline. A fish, they say, decays from the head. Therefore, President Muhammadu Buhari as the head should be circumspect in correcting these anomalies.

One wonders what the Nigeria Army learns from sister nations if not tactics and strategies. The Nigerian Army, which has participated in many treaties globally, loses dozens of soldiers and civilians to bandits almost every week. There is a need to change gears.

Therefore, it’s imperative that the Federal Government equip the army with improved ammunitions befitting of their cause Reports indicating that terrorists boast of advanced ammunitions is discouraging. That is setting them up for a lost mission. How do we hope to win the war when they are clearly ill- equipped?

There is also unascertained level of indiscipline in the army’s ranks. But it is quite obvious for the discerning to adjudge that Nigerian security agents grew more in indiscipline than in art of peace- keeping in the past few years. It is immaterial to launch into history now but it is worrisome how the usually coveted thick, green khaki shirts is being worn by immoral and dishonest people.  The essence of being a soldier is discipline. How can there be an effective army when the men are not upright?

• We got N109 billion in 2018 for intervention in basic education ― UBEC

Corruption bedeviling the society has successfully crept into our security apparatus. The supposed defenders of citizenry now do not only wine and dine with the ultimate oppressors, the political class, but also the messengers of death on the streets. How bad a society could degenerate may no longer be mere thoughts because Nigeria is a living example.

Little wonder, death is the most possible thing in the country. Something drastic needs to be done.  Therefore, President Buhari must be ready to take hard decisions. The major step is checking his fabled body language believed by many to be in support of ravaging herdsmen. He should come to terms with the fact that there are chaffs in the wheat which should be fished out.

There’s a need to re-awaken the sense of patriotism and nationalism in the army. This can be achieved by improved training, modified code for operations and better incentives. There’s no time a disciplined Nigerian Army is more desirable.

The Federal Government may also devote more funds to security as necessary. An unstable nation can never attain stable economy, which is a precursor to growth and development. We can no longer afford to die in multitudes.

 

Ibraheem Abdullateef,

Kwara State