Security stands tall as a poignant factor for the socioeconomic development of every nation. The menace of insecurity continues to spread through the country like wildfire. The country is plagued with an upward surge in terrorism, cybercrimes, kidnappings, banditry amongst other extrajudicial killings that threatens the lives and properties of most citizens. In fact, the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) recently placed Nigeria as the third most insecure country in the world, only behind Iran and Afghanistan.
Presently, the country faces an unprecedented surge of different insecurity issues, as every nook and cranny is threatened by violent crimes from bandits. The recent attacks on churches have again caused a huge outcry as to the inefficiency of the federal government at containing this menace and with the prevalent rate of insecurities, the economic, social and political status quo is being affected. There have been recurring claims of loss of lives and properties, with numerous people, also displaced from their different abodes due to the federal government’s complacency at curbing this problem.
The blatant dishonesty of the federal government in the fight against insecurity.
The RT. Rev. Nneoyi Egbe, Bishop of Diocese of Calabar (Anglican Communion) is the latest to clamor about the government’s inactions towards curbing the menace of insecurity. Briefing the media during the second session of the 11th Synod of the diocese , he complained about the rampant cases of crimes that is consistently threatening the lives and properties of numerous citizens. He lamented about the blatant dishonesty of the federal government in the fight against insecurity.
Rev. Egbe, a renowned professor at the University of Calabar clamored vigorously as to the increased rate of kidnappings and extrajudicial killings, especially faced by Christians recently. He averred that men of God especially are being targeted by these criminals with the government being complacent about this unending situation. He claimed that the government has failed immensely in their duty of protecting the lives and properties of every citizens from external and internal criminal forces.
State Policing must be enacted in order to curb insecurity in the country.
He claimed that the government continues to be dishonest about the state of security of the country, falsifying claims of the country being safe and secure, even though there’s been restrictions on movement to many parts of the country due to road kidnaps and killings that have reoccurred. In his words, he said, “I heard a minister of the national government saying that Nigeria is safe and secure, a lie, as we are definitely not in the same country.”
Rev. Egbe asserted that if Nigeria was a working country, the individuals at the helm of government would have resigned from power due to their constant failures at performing their duties. He further stated that the country needs true federalism to commence a socioeconomic development process, as well as the enactment of state policing that can be structured to help each state curb all sorts of crimes internally. According to him, depriving Nigerians of state policing as an opportunity to curb insecurity will only stand as evidence of the government’s dishonesty at protecting the citizens’ lives and properties.
The country needs an encompassing constitution that reflects its heterogeneity.
He however described Nigeria’s democracy as a sellout due to the National Assembly’s neglect of the Electoral Offenses Bill. Passing this bill would give a weighty credibility to the imminent general election and thus, the need for the bill to be passed into law as soon as possible. He admonished the representatives at the National Assembly to be honest with the constitutional amendment process. According to him, the country needs an encompassing constitution that see to the representation the country’s plurality.
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