Subsequent last  four months of  every calendar year end with the letters  identified as  “Ember.” Surprisingly, these months trigger spates of criminal and religious activities that are either individually or publicly-motivated.  “Ember” months are late reminders of unachievements and usually reawaken a dormant, backsliding soul with the urge to either quickly come to repentance or amass money for the end-of-year celebrations.

It is this urge that makes a young man to seek the evil way to make money quickly. He turns a fraudster, kidnapper, Internet scammer or indulges in other criminal activities.

In recent times, Nigeria has been facing  all sorts criminality that caused the death of many innocent and helpless citizens in Taraba, Benue, Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina states. These states were suddenly turned a theatre of slaughter and destruction by armed hoodlums, now referred to as “bandits” no longer Fulani marauders. The new government narrative that is not holding water is that the so-called bandits are marauders from war-torn regions of Libya and neighbouring countries of Niger and Chad. The truth is that these “bandits” are simply escaping members of the terrorist Boko Haram sect who have united with Al-Shabab and  ISIS groups. Among these groups are sections whose activities are only to plunder, others are abductors or kidnappers. Since the clinical elimination of  Abubakar Shekau, the strongman of the Islamic State in West Africa or Islamic State’s West Africa Province, formerly known as Jam’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad and commonly known as Boko Haram by the Nigerian Army, the sect disintegrated and many fled Borno into neighbouring states without any inhibitions from internal security forces like the police. It is in times like these that there should be synergy between the military and the police, being the constitutional organisation responsible for the overall internal security of the country. One would have expected that the mobile arm of the police would be on hand to hedge any fleeing terrorists before they transformed into either kidnappers or marauders or “bandits,” as the government of the day wishes to refer to them.

From the look of things, with the rising number of unemployed youths and dismissed young men from all the security agencies, it is more obvious that violent tendencies are going to be with us for a long time. The problem is that the same criminals may in the end still find themselves back into the security agencies wearing the toga of “born- again” youth. After all, the holy book disclosed that, in the last days, “many shall come like the angels of light.”

The ‘Ember’ months are termed dangerous not because of what they portend, but what people do because of these months. These months are pregnant. People exhibit demonic tendencies that are usually encapsulated  in the desire to easily enrich themselves. In financial institutions, where books are ready to be closed for the year, figures are manipulated for selfish reasons. Same scenario is recorded in most institutions all over the country. The unemployed are left at the mercy of  demonic manipulation, following the adage that “an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.” This means that the devil has a lot of work on its hand. The ‘Ember’ months  unfold like the rose flower, displaying at a glance captivating beauty but also with unexplainable destruction. Ember months  glow, full of radiating energy but sometimes collapse woefully. No wonder security agencies that man the highways are always on their toes preaching about speeding, while police authorities are in full gear combating criminals.

“Ember” was originally coined and first communicated to members of the public when Mr. Osita Chidoka was the head of the  Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the organisation commenced its road safety  programme on all national highways.

Consequently, road walks, talk shows, radio and television advertisements were initiated.

In later years, the Nigeria Police saw the wisdom in the FRSC initiative and followed suit. Interestingly, it is during this period that data of yearly motor accidents  are released as guide.

However, with the turn of events in the country, the rate of insecurity has increased with the downturn of the economy, unemployment and social ills, and injustice in the country. The coinage has become a sing- song that tends to remind the people that, with the unfolding ‘Ember’ months, evil is  easily unleashed on society. With the ‘Ember’ months, the urge to make quick money becomes very high. The resultant effect is that  insecurity and criminality are provided veritable playground to fester faster.

Many security institutions have come to the realisation that ‘Ember’ months seem to be the major kick-starter of  criminality that awakens the agencies from their slumber.

More worrisome is the spate of vicious criminalities from the north to the south, east, west and other parts of the country.

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Impressive are the various steps of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, whose  proactiveness around the country, especially along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, Zamfara, Benin and, recently, the South West region and Plateau State has yielded very impressive results.

So far, the ‘Ember’ months are already giving very  gloomy warning signals to Nigerians. The ‘Ember’ months, as they unfold, also precent problems. With the November gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, political intigues and violence cannot be ruled out. These states will witness campaigns where some politicians would exhibit their mastery of the game of criminal manipulation.

It is more surprising that politicians could beat the police to the game. It is inconceivable that politicians, who before now had helped in the posting of policemen to their states, would turn around to use such policemen during their political campaigns for selfish ends. It is such clandestine moves that should attract the attention of the police management team, who should be aware that there are still many bad eggs in the police.

Trusting the sane professionalism of the IGP, one hopes that the police would be on top of the situation and not the other way round.

Security Quote of the Week:

“I have given the orders.

The bandits must be eliminated.

Our people must live in peace.

As soldiers, we are constitutionally empowered to eliminate the bandits so that our people can live in peace.”

– President Muhammadu Buhari