Zabarmari: Why Nigeria’s Service Chiefs must be replaced urgently

When we speak of the heightened level of insecurity in Nigeria, it is at the risk of sounding like a broken record. Sadly, this is the reality in the country today. Insecurity is at its peak, and that is why citizens are demanding that the Buhari Administration replaces the Service Chiefs who have failed time and again in their duty to protect the lives of the citizens.

The recent barbaric killings of farmers going about their business is a reminder that the dignity of human life has lost its value under the current administration.

On Saturday, not less than 43 rice farmers were reportedly attacked and killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Zabarmari, a community in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State. The farmers were said to have been harvesting their crops when the sad incident occurred. A top United Nations (UN) official, however, disclosed that the number of fatalities was over a hundred.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in his usual manner of responding to tragic news; condemned the killing of the farmers. But, in his capacity as president, Nigerians expect more from him. 

What he has failed to realise is that Nigerians are angered and tired of this passive response to the rising rate of insecurity in the country. Today, it is farmers in Borno, who knows who will be next tomorrow? Too many lives have already been lost to the activities of bandits, kidnappers and insurgents in the past. Yet, nothing meaningful has been done to stop the killings.

For crying out loud, it is the life of citizens we are talking about that are being wasted daily with impunity – people who the president swore to protect when he took his oath of office. How well has he fared with this really? Does the Commander-in-Chief even consider the consequences of his inaction as regards issues of national security? 

It is quite unfortunate that several families are thrown into a state of anguish every now and then as they mourn their loved ones. Why keep the nation bleeding when something can be done to protect the lives of the citizens? On the other hand, the possibility of a food crisis looms if farmers keep getting killed and are denied access to their farms by insurgents and bandits. Food security is obviously not important to the powers that be as well.

Enough of these killings already; Nigerians need a sense of safety in their own country. The need to provide security for farmers and every citizen in the country is a constitutional right and must be done urgently.

And, if under the president’s watch the service chiefs are failing in their responsibility to protect the lives and property of Nigerians, then he must replace them with competent hands because one more life of a Nigerian is too precious to be wasted. 

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