Nigeria as a country remains plagued with diverse challenges that seem to be growing everyday as a result of negligence on the part of the authorities. This leaves one wondering what becomes of Nigeria in the near future.
Insecurity is one of such big problems today. The activities of Boko Haram in the Northeast and banditry in the Northwest for example are contributory factors to the heightened level of insecurity in the country. In addition to these, armed robbery, kidnapping etc. are rife across the South. These problems continue to show that this country is in a big mess; especially as they are yet to be addressed with the level of seriousness expected from the political class.
On the sidelines, coupled with the challenge of police brutality, all these and more concerns are what has propelled Nigerian youths to make a declaration on securing their future with their votes in 2023, and it is commendable. But, what is the hope that this entity would still be governable at that time, with all the challenges that are threatening to tear the nation apart?
According to recent reports, bandits in Zamfara and some other North-western States reportedly now collect taxes from peasant farmers as part of requirements to gain access to their farms. Nigerians find this appalling and are calling on the government to wake up to its responsibility of protecting the lives and property of its citizens.
Banditry as one of the longstanding security challenges in the Northwest appears overlooked – until it escalated in 2014. And, one cannot but ask; would this really be happening if the welfare of Nigerians is taken seriously by the government?
Scores of Nigerians in the north continue to lose their lives and properties to the activities of bandits. And, with all the so called effort by the government to address the problem, it seems to be getting worse by the day.
In 2019, the Zamfara Governor, Bello Matawalle, reportedly proposed an amnesty deal for 100 Fulani bandits in detention at Gusau prison to restore peace in the state. But the plan was later done away with after governors of some northern states agreed that granting amnesty to criminal elements was not the best way to deal with the problem. However, they are yet to come up with a viable plan to deal with the problem of insecurity plaguing the region.
Like their counterparts in the South West who came up with the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), codenamed ‘Amotekun,’ one doubts that it will be too much to ask of the Governors in the North to team up for innovative action against these terrorists masqueraded as bandits. They need to run them out of their states before there is total breakdown of law and order.
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