Things are not Getting Better
“Therefore, the earlier we know things are not getting better the better for us, so that we can sit down and find means and ways of solving our problems.” – Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad Abubakar III
The epigraph and title of this article are both from the statement of the Sultan of Sokoto during the 3rd Conference of the Da’awah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN) in Gombe State. The statement is not full of fire and fury but it signifies something. We have a lot of ills afflicting this country and the earlier we start solving the problems the better. Today, the main issue on the front burner is insecurity. Who would have thought that by now Nigerians would still be lamenting about insecurity?
Every government is saddled with the responsibility of providing security and welfare to its citizens. The problems of insecurity we are facing today predate this administration. The root causes of the problem have been allowed to fester for so long. What we are witnessing today is the manifestation of the hydra headed monster. As an opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), relentlessly campaigned on riding Nigeria off its insecurity challenges.
Nigerians saw APC as a party that will bring back a safe and secured Nigeria. Having a Major General who fought civil war and rose to be head of state as a flag bearer was an icing on the cake for the APC. In the pre-APC years (2009-2015), the main issue of insecurity was insurgency. Boko Haram had a field day attacking, bombing and occupying cities and villages across northern Nigeria. The most affected was the north eastern part of Nigeria. Other cities of Kaduna, Kano, Abuja and Jos were not spared from the despicable, dishonourable and dehumanizing act of terror.
The APC capitalized on this and campaigned on insecurity within and outside Nigeria. The party looked so determined. At his Inaugural Speech in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari was unequivocal in stating that nothing can be achieved by basing the Command and Control Centre of the military in Abuja. Buhari relocated it to the city that has been most ravaged by Boko Haram: Maiduguri. This was seen as a good move and Nigerians were pleased to see that its new government has swung into action. The insurgents were dealt with head-on and more Chibok girls were released. At some point Boko Haram was considered as technically defeated – they could only execute asymmetric attacks. All these were for a brief stint before insecurity wore a new look.
Fast forward to 2021, the reign of terror is no longer insurgency. What scares Nigerians most is not bombing but something now considered more dreadful: kidnapping. Out of the blue, highways, urban centres and rural communities are no longer safe especially in northern Nigeria. We used to hear the stories of kidnapping in Nollywood movies or from the Niger Delta area. Where expatriates mostly working with oil multinational corporations (MNCs) are kidnapped and the perpetrators demand ransom in dollars from the MNCs.
Now, the kidnappers spare neither the rich nor the poor. According to Daily Trust, in the last four years 113 traditional monarchs have been kidnapped. No wonder, the revered Sultan is forced to lower his amawali (the part of the turban that covers the mouth, signifying that traditional rulers are to talk less) and talk. According to SBM Intelligence, in the first half of 2021 a total of 2,371 people have been kidnapped and 10 billion naira has been demanded in ransom.
Students are vulnerable and farmers are susceptible; there are no sacred cows. Already, there are more than 13 million children who are out-of-school and majority are in northern Nigeria. The kidnappers have successfully taken students hostage; making education more difficult and discouraging. In Kaduna and Kano states the governments have been forced to shut down schools so as to prevent the carting away of poor innocent children at will by the kidnappers. Farmers are forced to pay the perpetrators some money before they embark on farming. Failure to do so will result to destruction of the plants or kidnapping of the farmers. This poses a threat to food security and Zero Hunger which is the second Sustainable Development Goal.
The insecurity we are facing today has ripple effect on our economy which is one of the cardinal promises of the APC. Insecurity disrupts economic activities, leading to the closing down of enterprises and loss of jobs; reduction in productivity and decline in taxes amongst others. The insecurity has eaten deep and confidence needs to be restored in our people. As a matter of urgency the APC government should expedite action on the creation of State Police. So that people familiar with the terrain will be the first point of call during suppression of criminal activities.
The government should also support the move made by Sheikh Gumi. The cleric took it upon him to reach out to the people suspected to be the perpetrators. Gumi has reiterated that the people are willing to lay down their arms if the government can furnish them with basic amenities. What this means is that government should do the needful and give them a sense of belonging. History has shown that people who feel marginalized resort to violence even though violence has been less successful in resolving conflicts. Violence should be discouraged at all costs and not be given any room.
The case we are facing today is a food for thought. How come an APC government is still battling with insecurity? They seemed to have had it all in their heads. A party that was so determined and brimming with courage and confidence to nip insecurity in the bud. A party massively supported by Nigerians. How come APC did not anticipate that the insecurity could wear a new garb? The APC has done creditably well in some areas but with kidnapping as a thorn in the flesh. The APC is forced to bite its fingers and gnash its teeth.
It is noteworthy to mention that when you fail to plan you plan to fail. The next set of individuals wanting to form government should prepare very well. Nigerians are getting wiser and having more desire to get involved and pay close attention to what is happening. Nigerians are pained to see that the country has not realised its full potentials. Day by day, Nigerians are becoming impatient and intolerant to incompetence. We all have roles to play in making things better. Live everyday righting the wrongs you can - Nigeria is ours.
Khalifa Musa Muhammad writes from Kaduna