11/01/2018
ADDRESSING SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA: THE PERTINENT QUESTIONS
~NNANTA Eugene
Towards addressing the security challenges in Nigeria in the light of the upcoming elections this year in Ekiti and Osun States, and subsequently other parts of the country next year, the examination of ethical security questions becomes significant to ensure citizens safety and proactive engagement of all concerned.
The 2018 political atmosphere is fast building up as the various political parties tinker and fish for a winning formula to deliver the parties at the poll. Aspirants have begun to out-think, outsmart, juggle up and position themselves as the most suited candidates for their respective parties while so many youths have begun their aspiration to align with any of these forces and political heavy weights.
However, we cannot neglect the emergence of a possible third force (the Red Card Movement) championed by the dogged social crusaders and transparency activists of Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha Yesufu . It will be however, fatal to discount their force largely due to past records in socio-political activism and pedigree as social media influencers.
These political manoeuvrings are however not without risks and threats of possible breakdown of law, loss of lives and properties of both the aspirants and their major supporters.
These unfortunate incidents defines the Nigerian political system as 'dirty' and fraught with 'rogue elements' marauding as credible leaders whose true identities emerge during electioneering process as they employ crude means in the quest for power.
Bringing sanity to the system is therefore a herculean task and the primary responsibility of any government is the security of lives and properties of its citizens not just her cows.
These have been the reoccurring narrative within the Nigerian political landscape since the stability of her democracy from1999 till date.
It's such a funny narrative that in the current dispensation, "cows are more precious where lives are supposed to matter" and with the harrowing experience of the economic recession, bad governance, poor leadership and the attendant hardship faced by Nigerians in general, the 2019 election becomes of high stake and a defining moment for the country's socio-economic and political future.
A lot of youth groups have sprang up seeking to make a political statement, demand for greater citizens participation, inclusiveness, and encourage greater voters turn out to improve upon the dismal 15percent citizens turn out in the 2015 election. Abstention from voting remains a poor decision to say the least as only few persons sealed the fate of the populace majority in the past elections and we hope that more people will begin to take responsibility for their future.
Our destiny remains firmly in our hands, it's our duty to take it or sale it. But remember, the stakes are high.
We must make decisions and take actions to open up the electoral space for a possible emergence of fresh, more capable and younger faces in the hope of repositioning the Nigerian developmental trajectory and political compass much comparable to the En Marche Movement that championed the emergence of 39yrs old Emmanuel Macron of France.
In the frame of these activities, the level of security of citizens lives and properties in 2018 becomes a pertinent question and cause for concern considering the recent attacks in some states most notably Rivers and Benue.
Those charged with the mandate of ensuring citizens safety must begin to brain storm alternatives to support crime prevention and mitigate possible breakdown rather than jump into the fray of reaction and damage control.
The quality of our governance must be anchored on the ability of our leaders to anticipate problems and proffer solutions rather than to meet them as they come.
Quite still, we have so far failed to meet these problems as they come but have rather waited to react to the damages done, chosen to deflect attention, pass the buck, trade blames, politicize it and even chosen to battle critiques who demand swift action and criticize government's laxity.
For any meaningful progress, the leadership of the country must abandon this style of governance that has failed us for years.
A path that has stunted our national development and must therefore, begin to out-think and outsmart in the hope of forestalling any breach of public peace and safety in this critical period.
The following questions are therefore of critical importance-
1)The use of hate speech by politicians often categorising oppositions as 'ANIMALS' tend to promote attack from supporters leading to civil unrest and violent clashes.
What measures are been put in place by the Security Systems to handle these familiar issues?
2) The concept of protest is an avenue employed by citizens to Voice their concerns against institutional injustices
and inhumane treatments committed by agents of the state.
So far, these anti-government protests in Nigeria have often failed to achieve desired results except for few cases largely due to the spring up of pro-government counter protest often sponsored by agents of the government to counteract the impact of the initial protest.
How can the lives of these protesters be safe guarded in consideration of the volatile nature of 2018?
3) What security measures are been put in place to systematically prevent or minimize the threats posed by counter protests, as not having to deal with these issues can save us some much needed finance and logistics?.
4) Electioneering years often witness an increased number of assembly and gathering of people for various reasons.
How adequately can the police and civil defense guarantee the security of people exercising their right to peaceful assembly?
5)Campaign periods in Nigeria often witness the war of words between politicians who battle for access to campaign venues and subsequent clash of supporters in defense of their interests, what preventive measures do we have to avert the occurrence of these ugly incidences?
6) Lastly, with the increasing loss of faith on by the citizens and in the light of the political nature of 2018, night movements will become a much more regular occurrence, how safe can the citizens be from being tagged criminals and harmed?
7) Can we safely assume the security system will maintain neutrality and not become willing tools for political victimization?
8) How quick can the dispensation of justice be for political prisoners who are unjustly arrested and detained?.
All these are some questions seeking for answers as we aspire to deepen our democracy by making informed choices. These choices are however dependent on the security of lives and properties of the citizens in Nigeria.
We all celebrated the peaceful nature and maturity level of the just concluded Liberia election.
How safe can 2018 be for Nigerians?
Let's not watch and see, let's play our part to make it real safe.
Your Voice matters.
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