Confusing stances on Nigeria’s security challenges

From east to west, north to south, security in Nigeria has taken a dangerous dimension and the federal government seems powerless to do anything about it. There was a time in Nigeria when people were in love with adventure and did travel from one part of the country to another without any fear of the unknown. But today, the story is no longer the same as no part of the country is safe for such exploration. Insecurity has posed a significant threat to Nigerians in recent years. The operations of bandits and Boko Haram terrorists have resulted in the loss of lives and property across Nigeria, predominantly in the north. Nigeria is now like a place for opportunistic predation; criminals now colonize the edges of Nigeria’s boundaries, perpetrate evil and take the news home causing a long cycle of criminality.

Random shootings of unarmed and innocent residents, burning of police stations and churches, kidnapping, rape, armed robbery, political crises, murder, and the destruction of government infrastructure across the country, as well as Fulani Herdsmen attacks on specific towns in the north and south, have all added to the country’s volatility. Nigeria has been labelled as one of the unsafe countries to live in. Many lives and property have been lost, and thousands of people have been displaced. This poses a serious threat to the country’s future development. Almost daily, bandits or kidnappers make a mockery of the security forces with their brazen attacks, one of which is the recent attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre, making way for about 879 prisoners including all 68 imprisoned Boko Haram members to escape.

According to findings, these insurgents are emboldened by “strong and powerful” sponsors and as such can afford sophisticated weapons. Also, the country’s political atmosphere has always encouraged insecurity in the form of political conflicts, communal violence and ethnic-religious clashes, the latest of which is Boko Haram insurgent attacks on public places such as schools, places of worship, marketplaces, government and military installations. In other words, the security narrative in Nigeria is amplified by occasional political violence, hereditary corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and indiscipline in virtually all facets of the country.

In many parts of Nigeria, insecurity has deeply troubled the economy. Agriculture, which has been the only source of livelihood for about 80 per cent of the population, has been particularly hard hit. For several years, farmers in the affected areas have been abandoning their fields for fear of attack or abduction. Countless hectares of farmland have been either damaged or rendered out-of-the-way as a result of attacks by herder-allied armed groups and criminal gangs. These disorders have impoverished farmers and herders alike, created food shortages in some communities, and heightened malnutrition, particularly among children. Businesses have been similarly disordered. Thousands of shops and other businesses in north-western and north-eastern Nigeria are in wrecks or have shut down due to direct attacks and abduction of businessmen and women. A significant amount of private properties have been lost too.

The reputation of a nation both at home and abroad is a moral question. It may appear immaterial but the benefits and advantages flowing from a good image are immeasurable. The perception of a country by members of the global system, how a country pursues its relationship with others and particularly, the behaviour of its citizens at home and abroad combine to define the country’s image. It is, however, regrettable to note that banditry and other forms of insecurity have dented the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations.

In February 2021, the Canadian government, in its travel advisory, warned its citizens against non-essential travel to Nigeria due to the high level of insecurity in the country. For fear of terrorism and banditry, the U.S. and several other countries had also on different occasions, cautioned their citizens residing in or visiting Nigeria against travelling to some parts of the country. This ugly development has badly affected the country’s economy as investors are afraid of coming to invest in Nigeria. Therefore, as Nigerians, it is pertinent that we strive to re-sketch a good image of our nation and what she stands for and seek to redress the ugly picture that insecurity has carved out for us.

Confusing stances on Nigeria’s security challenges