A casual visit to any market in Nigeria would simply present a pitiable situation that many ordinary Nigerian are grappling with silently. While the illiterates groan inwardly, the educated and ‘enlightened’ public take to the social media to vent their anger, while others seize the opportunity provided by radio stations to further ventilate their frustrations. Indeed, the situation of poverty and lack are all too glaring in the country.
Prices of agricultural products and other items have skyrocketed to an unimaginable height and getting out of the reach of ordinary citizens.
The price of rice, one of the commonest food items in every home, that used to cost N8,000 per bag in 2014 now costs N30,000 per bag in 2022. Mathematically, a bag of rice in Nigeria is equal to a fresh graduate worker’s monthly salary on minimum wage.
The same situation is applicable to every food product. Sequel to this high cost, a large percentage of Nigerians have either cut down their buying power or reduced their consumption rate. Economists believe that the prices of food product couldn’t have jumped up so high if nothing had triggered the inflation. Many observers point to the negligence and lackadaisical attitude of government in tackling the menace of armed herdsmen, who allowed their herds to roam into farms and ravage crops about to be harvested, while resistant farmers were attacked and killed. The rampant rate of these attacks triggered the high cost of agricultural products. From then on, it looked as if the shadow of herdsmen was haunting farmers. Despite the public outcry the Federal Government paid only lip service, issuing statements that were never backed with action.
Every week, the destructive activities of Boko Haram terrorists and bandits, saw villagers from one state to the next being killed, with farmlands ruined and houses destroyed. The gunmen abducted students, traditional rulers and others for ransom, raping women. Hell was let loose on the country. Nothing was spared from inflation, even the exchange rate was astronomically affected.
The entire situation was prophetically captured by two great Nigerian musicians Fela Anikulapo and Sir Victor Olaiya in their music, “Suffering and smiling” and “lulle o kosi owl lode (translated from Yoruba language to English as “hardship in the country people are groaning for lack”). If it was only insecurity without lack and hunger, it would have been endured by Nigerians.
Hunger and lack are tools of insecurity. No wonder terrorists effectively utilize them to penetrate their targeted victims. Unfortunately, there is no verifiable statistics to know the number of innocent Nigerians killed by terrorists.
Even the recent proscription of the bandits cannot be said to have come from a resolved government because the behavioral pattern and modus operandi of the bandits perfectly fits the description of criminals indulging in acts of terrorism across the world.
Before 2016, when the populace started noticing the hellish actives of bandits, security agencies were inundated with intelligence reports, yet not much operational statregy was carried out to nip their devilish activities in the bud. Unfortunately, this delay in action usually associated with attitude has affected several government.
However, while the military were able to up their strategy in fighting the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East, under Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, who gallantly recaptured several local governments from the terrorists, while Gen. Lucky Irabor and the Chief of Army Staff had greatly decimated their prowess, the major headache of the country is effectively securing the country internally. An overstretched military is presently exhibiting signs of fatigue, overwhelmed, and both the people and the government have suddenly realized that the river is about to drown the country.
‘What next?’ Is the question on the lips of every Nigerian and the government. Like a meteoric star, from the blues came the President’s surprise game-changer when he declared that the country should change its over-a-decade strategy and beckon on God, the great warrior, to take over the wars on Boko Haram and the terrorists known as bandits. It was reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had openly declared to the world at the national prayer session in Kano, organized by the Kano State governor. The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, who represented the President, noted that the Federal Government has not rested on its oars in supporting security personnel with needed equipment and welfare in a bid to bring insecurity to an end.
He, however, said that “despite the support, there is need to seek divine intervention for the Almighty to bring an end to the challenges.”
It was just like the Israelites, whose kings usually resorted to God whenever they were losing a war. This new move of President Buhari may at the end be the greatest modern-day war strategy, should his prayer be heard and angelic warriors are despatched to Nigerian war zones. We shall sing the victory song.
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Debasing security uniform
The uniform is a unique symbol of identification specially sewn for trained people under a constituted authority and students, respectively. There are those used by civilians and they are different from those used by security agencies. Those approved by the Federal Government are different from those approved by private institutions and educational institutions and other civilian groups in the country.
Uniforms are usually designed specifically for government agencies and backed by the constitution. So, it is foolishness for anyone not to identify those meant for the military and the police, especially. Oftentimes, the sight of a person in army uniform either sends jitters or attracts attention to the person in the uniform. So, for politicians who are civilians to use the army uniform speaks volumes.
It is important to note that the country’s general election is a few months ahead. It was comforting to read the warning press statement from the Defence headquarters recently. From every indication, the concerned politicians are merely testing the waters whether it could later be rough.
Knowing the volatility of campaigns and elections, and understanding the youthful population and free firearms everywhere, one does not need a soothsayer to imagine the atmosphere where army uniforms and paraphernalia are available in the market just as free guns.