Insecurity in Nigeria - Adedokun Boluwatife

Adedokun Boluwatife.

     Nigeria is the giant of Africa. She attained her Independence in 1960 after 100 years of servitude from the British colonial government. Since then, the country has experienced good and bad times. Lately, it has been retrogressive due to avalanches of challenges.

 One of the problems facing Nigeria is insecurity. It has been a bane endangering the citizens, to the extent that people don't have peaceful ambiance and environments to thrive.

     Our armed forces are corrupt, vitiated, fail to strictly obey the laws and perform their responsibilities. They engage in bribery and corruption, beset and bedevil the country with their covetous attitude. They are known for extorting citizens and killing extra-judicially lives they are meant to protect. Rather than being our friends, they are feared to be our enemies, who won't give putting bullets in our heads second thoughts. An insight is reported below;

According to a news report by AllAfrica.com, six Igbo traders were murdered by Nigerian police at Apo Mechanic Village in Abuja in early June. Police claimed that the traders were armed robbers, but an investigation revealed that the handmade pistols found on the victims were planted by the police who shot them. 

Since then, a policeman, Anthony Idahi, has also been killed on suspicion that he leaked information about the murders. Assistant Superintendent of Police Nicholas Zakaria denied that allegation, claiming that Idahi died of an undiagnosed disease.

Danjuma Ibrahim, deputy commissioner of police, who was allegedly responsible for the killings, challenged the legality of the charges brought against him by Deputy Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro,

AllAfrica.com reported that Ibrahim said that only the attorney general is empowered to prosecute him; the legal proceedings have been brought to a standstill by this policy question.

    The country is in the Holocaust under their control. Police officers supply guns and bullets to armed robbers and lawmakers are now becoming lawbreakers. On the deliberate arrest of criminals, they are known for replacing the culprits with innocent people, or falsely accuse people of committing unknown crimes. 

 Also, as inhumane and criminal rape is, it is treated with levity when reported at police stations. Rather than taking up cases, victims are mostly asked insensitive questions and sometimes blamed by police officers for being responsible for such. Most times, on the arrest of rapists by police officers, they are released on bail without being charged to court or further investigation. Unfortunately, matters get worse when police officers are now the perpetrator of the crime. On several occasions, they have been accused of raping ladies detained in police stations, or those that can't afford to give bribes when stopped to do so.

        Our forces take bribe and smuggle in poisonous food and unauthorized goods and  commodity. Smuggling is the illegal transportation of object, food and substances. An insight is the case of the customs reported below;

"Two Customs officers of the Customs Preventive Commissionerate, Cochin, who were involved in gold smuggling cases were removed from service by Sumit Kumar, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Cochin," an official release said.

Kumar said both the cases were booked and investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and while show cause notice under Customs Act 1962 has been issued against Radhakrishnan, investigation is under progress in the other case.

"Both the officers were removed from service, after due process of law under Rule 19 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965," the release said.

      Every problem of life has solutions that can be enforced. This problem can be solved with the following measure;

Penalties should be laid down for anyone caught in the act of taking bribes.

The police should follow the laws without being bias and compromised. Furthermore, no criminal should be freed without being punished.

Rape is a criminal offense, hence, anyone found guilty of it should face the wrath of the law. 

The smuggling in of unlawful drugs and food should be eradicated. the custom officers should be monitored and they should be paid sufficient salary to ensure they  eschew  taking any bribe. Moreover, any officers caught smuggling in unlawful food or drug should be dealt with severely.

Our government must work strictly and all hands must be on deck to wage war against insecurity. All the citizens including the law enforcement agents should withdraw from the act of bribery and corruption.

     The giant of Africa is now becoming the enervating dwarf of Africa. Where is Nigeria after 60 years of Independence?

Reference: Adedokun boluwatife Ruth.

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