NIGERIA AND THE ENDLESS ORGY OF TERRORISM (2)
Mr. MAC DURUGBO, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.
AT least four deaths were recorded with several buildings razed in the Command. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, renovated the destroyed buildings in 2009 and handed them over to the Police.
Again, in April 2006, several people lost their lives when policemen and Nigerian Air Force personnel clashed at the PWD end of the Oshodi - Agege rail line over attempt by a group of policemen to raid an India hemp joint in the area.
Such ugly incidents have become rampant across the country. They represent a sour point in our efforts to overcome the challenges of underdevelopment.
A situation where security agents constitute a cause of, instead of a solution to, insecurity is, to say the least, a grave situation. It also tells a lot about the state of discipline and control within the commands of the various agencies. The ease with which soldiers mobilize in their barracks to carry out such reprisal attacks leaves the impression of a deep-seated animosity among the various agencies. Take, for example, the Badagry incident.
The High Command of the 242 Reece Battalion denied that any of its members had a hand in the raid. A commander in the formation was quoted as saying that the policemen were killed by 'unknown soldiers'.
Yet, these agencies are expected to work together to secure lives and properties of citizens. Is there any wonder then that terrorists are having a field day across the country; compelling some state governors to now talk of negotiating with them as a means to stop their activities.
How does one negotiate with a terrorist? The Boko Haram sect, for example, is against anything Western, including education; what would be the basis for negotiation? The Federal Government has offered amnesty to Niger Delta militants based on some understanding.
Many of the militants, including their commanders, have already laid down their arms and are currently undergoing rehabilitation while the Federal Government strives to meet all the terms of the agreement. Those who are still parading themselves in the Niger Delta today as militants are simply criminals and it is the duty of the security agencies to deal with them.
On September 11, 2001, the Al-Qaeda carried out a major terrorist attack on the United States of America, bombing the World Trade twin towers in Washington DC. Ever since, the government and people of America have sworn never to experience such a calamity again.
The security agencies have not only ensured this but have hunted the leader of that group, Osama bin Laden, until they tracked him down recently in Pakistan and killed him. Even though the group is threatening hell and brimstone, the death of bin Laden marks the beginning of the end for Al-Qaeda.
Can Nigeria ever hope to attain such level of security? With the kind of relationship existing among our security agencies, such attainment will remain a mirage. The danger here is that if this situation is not nipped now, individual Nigerians may resort to alternative means of security. Some organisations are already arming their private security outfits, while some individuals are arming themselves to secure their families. This could lead to anarchy.
The Federal Government is currently investigating the Badagry incident in order to unravel the identity of those who carried out the dastardly act.
The various security commands involved in that incident must be sincere to enable the government panel to unearth the truth and bring the culprits to book. This is the only way to prevent future occurrence. Again, the Police and Military high commands must work out ways in which they could work together to secure the nation.
With the huge security votes which take a huge chunk of our annual budgets, they have no excuse to give for the huge security lapses in the country. Nigerians must not be boxed to a corner by a bunch of irresponsible loafers whose only mission is to destabilize the country.