“I will lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. “ Psalm 121 1.
Each time any of the police commands, either at the Area or State Command level is faced with an avalanche of insecurity, and it seems they are overwhelmed, they immediately request for back-up to to face the situation.
During the violent protest that took place in the old Western Nigeria between violent political factions, the Hausa-Fulani natives and some members of the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), in the First Republic which eventually led to the military coup on 15 January, 1966. The Police was overwhelmed. Also in December 1980, an Islamic sect led by a radical preacher, known as Maitatsine, started a violent uprising in the City of Kano leaving thousands dead. Again, the Police was overwhelmed. Each time the Police was overwhelmed, and after crossing the river of insecurity, the police authority relapses without any noticeable corrective measures put in place to avert any future reoccurrence.
Recently, thousands of rioters sympathizing with President Donald Trump ,on Jan 7, 2021 stormed the United States Capitol Hall and overwhelmed the police command thereby making the legislatures vulnerable. Today an inquiry has been instituted to find out what exactly went wrong. Unfortunately, since 2009, the country have not known peace when an lslamic terrorist group known as Boko Haram held sway when insurgency gradually started to envelope the country starting from Borno State in the Northern Eastern part of the country.
To flag off their seriousness, on the night of 14–15 April 2014, the sect stormed the Government Girls Secondary, Chibok and abducted female students aged from 16 to 18 years. Unfortunately, the federal government did not show any seriousness about the abduction, but constituted a team of security investigators from DSS and Police, to investigate and come up with a report to either refute or authenticate the veracity of the abduction. However, by the time it dawned on the President Goodluck Jonathan came to the realization of not being proactive, the Presidential election had swept him out of office and a retired Military General Muhammadu Buhari was massively voted into office based on his mantra and campaign promises to fight corruption and restore peace to the Country by winning the war against the Boko Haram sect. Looking , the eluded peace had not been restored twelve years after. While the military is battling to subjugate the terrorist sect, it seems they are on the multiplying trend and increasing their vicious manipulation at every fronts of the war around the northern sector spanning into neighbouring countries of Cameron, Chad and Niger republic. Like Soldier ants , those conquered at the war fronts escaped into the country hinterland by associating and networking with other criminals. It is this synergy that created insecurity in most states of the country. The Police , under whose jurisdiction covers the internal security of the country, have not accepted that they are overwhelmed so that the government can come to their aid. How pathetic, to watch EndSARS agitators as they made a mince meat of our police men killing scores and destroying their stations just because of under training and under staffed. It has become very obvious that the Police prefer hiring out their men for VIP protection rather than protecting the innocent unarmed populace, abandoning them in the evil hands of the bandits, kidnappers, killer herdsmen and Boko Haram while they jointly look unto heaven for spiritual help.
Who does not know that our police has shortage of personels after being unable to attain the United Nation specified number of One Police personel per 400 people . No wonder, both the Northern bandits and the Eastern gun men usually attack their targets with an overwhelming number. In Nigeria, there is a disputable short fall as the police statistic of 300,000 is always presented. The time has come when a thourough census of the police Staff strength be known. A simple calculation shows that Nigeria needs at least 500.000 new recruitment into the Nigeria Police. However this must be carried out bearing in mind to restructure the Police by decentralizing and setting up the State Police. All the mayhem been unleashed especially in the Eastern States and many other States of the federation, would have been either curtailed or nibbed in the bud.
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Nigerians: See something, say and do something (2)
Communities are made up of participators and spectators. The later usually stand aloof offering no contribution to every event . They are not concerned about happenings around them .
Such can be described as steel-footed, or “Sit don dey look”.
The participants are active and committed . They see events happen and participate effectively. They are the oil that lubricate activities in their communities.
On the other hand, the spectators are ineffective unlike the participators that are fluid and effective. These set of people dots every community, local governments and states in the country.
For security to function effectively in the society, there is the need for concrete participation by every member of the society. The adage that says “ One hand cannot carry a load from the ground.” In other words, the security agencies cannot operate effectively, without the cooperation of members of the public.
Also without the security agencies, the society cannot function effectively. No matter his relationship with members of the public must be very cordial to enable them willingly provide necessary information. The story was told of a retired old teacher who used to sit at the balcony of her house. One day, a young man parked a rickety car few meters away from her house. She started monitoring the activities of the young man who parked the car. According to reports, the old teacher started seeing another young boy who would walk around the parked car and after sometimes he would open the back door with an instrument to pick a long bag that looks very heavy. On seeing the movement, she quietly called in the police and it was later discovered that the young man was a member of a robbery gang that had been terrorizing the next neighborhood. Their is profound satisfaction seeing that you participated by contributing to the arrest of robbers that were terrorizing the community. Many of such patriotic citizens abound in the country.
If there is any time that Nigerians should inculcate the spirit of nationalism it should be now. With the upsurge of insecurity around the country, with the increase in unemployment and expanding population, and the crime rate is on the increase, so every member of the country should see themselves as quasi – security associates. Many have asked the question, “was it not the same Buhari as a military head of state that initiated the war against indiscipline?, so what happened to the zeal and magic wand that propelled Nigerians to easily comply with the campaign . It is believed that a campaign like “see something, say and do something” should be propagated in every institution and communities around the country. This would enhance the quality of participators and eliminate the tendency to be only spectators. (Concluded)