Every society observes evolution and that evolution can be regulated, uttered or even configured by men of high consciousness and wit. The world we are in today is not a free world no matter how one would love to argue on the contrary. Every single action or inaction of man, is propelled by causation. It is that causation, that the wise look into, to promote or demote the action.
In Nigeria today, we are facing a very dangerous moment in human history. Some religious forks will attribute it to apocalyptic drives and failed to give a humanistic solution to the scary state facing us all. To others, it is an effect of long political failures due to miscalculations of those who earlier occupied various political positions.
In either divide of arguments and submissions, the consensus ad idem here is that we are facing "dangerous situations" that is hoping to consume us all no matter our different philosophical submissions. So, if the consensus builds on "dangerous situations", there should also be a quick consensus on "serious solution" for the threatening situations.
SECURITY IN EAST
The security of people of Eastern Nigeria has been a game of interests by many actors in Nigeria. To the Fulani North, the eastern Nigeria security can only be built on the back of those proxies and boys of theirs dropped in various parts of east and must be on state levels not eastern level.
The reason the idea of having regional Security Network in east is a taboo to them is simple, united east is a threat to their pillages and antics in the region. This they enforced through the instrumentality of setting up our political leaders against themselves thereby achieving porous east as the leaders keep quarrelling among themselves.
This age-long dangerous politics played by the caliphate, makes it practically impossible to have a unified East or voice in pursuit of our safety. For those who expect the Governors to kick off the process of securing the east, that can only happen theoretically as they are under severe psychological bully by the caliphate.
They might wish to do it, but they threat is much that they throw in the people's interests for their myopic interest. By law, they are expected to do so, but by moral alertness, they are dead thereby making even their power via law, dead. That is exactly how dead our expectations to have Governors set up Security Network for east is dead.
HOW INSECURED IS EASTERN NIGERIA
I would love to trace our porosity in terms of Security from pre-independent period. Yes, because I want to build up a chronological linkages to where we are now. Most people don't understand various faces of insecurities.
When insecurity is economically propelled, what it requires is Keynesian wit to curb it; howbeit application of ideal microeconomic policies. When it comes from political face, right diplomacy can serve as an antidote. But when it comes from religion face, it becomes not only dangerous but a mixture of multiple approaches to nix it.
In eastern Nigeria now, there are degrees of insecurities but most alarming is the drive of political Islamists to either crush us or islamize us. The danger this advancement poses is that their political big weights have successfully subjugated our political leaders into submission not to act while their foot soldiers rape our mothers and sisters, kidnap us for death or ransom, or occupy a section of our lands unchanged.
We have seen cases of these atrocities all over east. From Bayelsa to Ogoja down to Makurdi to Igbakiri. The Governors are constitutionally empowered to only call state police commissioner who in turn calls AIG and the AIG calls the busy IG for permission for personal deployment days after the terrorists were done. Remember Nimbo massacre and others for mind retrospect.
The most daring issue here is that we are faced with religious insecurity from Sahel Jihadists with their brethren in Nigeria Political and military spaces. United States has warned of it, NATO also did and realities on ground says it more that these Jihadists are out for killings.
What most of our people don't understand is that terrorists are not ragtag foes but logistically equipped to run their targets down. While they are making a lot of our roads unpassable, our political leaders are only interested in elections and nothing more. If few individuals who can afford air transportation can be this sluggish and nonchalant in securing those whose means of transportation is on land, it amounts to stupidity for those land users to wait or entrust their safety on those who have no business travelling on lands.
NIGERIA SECURITY ARCHITECTURE
If there is anything in utter demise currently, it is Nigerian Security architecture. The country Security structure is in a mess that she needs complimentary structures indigenously build. Those who think otherwise are either sounding politically correct or disconnected from fact.
Apart from demoralization which is a psychological severe case currently facing members of Nigerian Security forces due to poor working conditions, another problems before them are International demarketing which leads to their indictments by ICC and the current covid-19 impasse inflicting most officers of the military.
In such vicious circle quagmires, there should be a transition of security from supra-structure as in the case of federal government management to sub-structures as in the case of ESN, Amotekun and others. The fact remains that while the Nigerian Security architecture is going comatose due to poor funding, ICC indictments and ravaging covid-19, the infiltrating terrorists are advancing. All over the world, one unique system has curb and nix such turbulent moment, it is quick devolution of centralities for decentralities. It worked in Syria, it worked Iraq and surely it will work in Nigeria.
Regional Security architectures either Amotekun or ESN should be engaged constructively instead of hostile approaches. Those who are scared of such organic structures are friends of or the terrorists themselves. Now that most commanding officers of Nigeria army are secretly flew to Dubai for covid-19 treatments and over four hundred and counting junior officers are in isolation camps for covid-19 treatments, the only option now is for ethnic or regional Security fronts.
It is also important to note that Nigerian population is on high depletion due to number of casualties, AWOL and non-interests of citizens joining the force. If all these clogs are objectively considered devoid of sentiments, likes of ESN and Amotekun and others should be appreciated and not antagonized.
Going by the ways of Nigerian myopic Political leaders, ESN will be confronted with state actions but invents of the past has proven that irrational application of naked force has only dragged the comatose Nigerian Security agents into an international rotten image and unannounced withdrawal of supports by her International friends. For instance, the current trial in ICC which the country's Security agencies are facing is a concern.
It is a challenge that its consequences are more than we know today. If Nigeria is seen today as a country where her Security officials have committed "crime against humanity and war crimes" by ICC and AI cum other damaging reports from USA, the focus of the Government should be to remake these damaged images by doing more on constructive engagements other than weak old approach of brutalities.
FUNDING
Another major issue to look into here is issue of funding. Nigeria is in financial mess currently that paying salaries and allowances of Security personnel has been problematic. Recently, many police officers rioted in northern Nigeria due to the none payment of their allowances by FG. Also, many are leaving the job due to poor working conditions.
On another hand, Government is sceptical for more recruitments of citizens in security forces due to no money to cushion the recurrent expenses (though citizens are not passionate to join). A country into such financial mess, must critically look issues objectively rather than narrow telescope.
In this period of financial bleeding of Nigeria, rather to see financial sacrifices from the looting elites, what we are seeing is fleeing elites and others demanding for increments in their payrolls not even on that of poor men and women in the security agencies. That is how they (politicians) love Nigeria.
Aisha is on the run to Dubai, "Buhari" retires to his village with his cows, Buratai unknown and others buying citizenship of others countries according to Aljazeera's report. On the contrary, we can see that the common man desires to build up regional Security for himself as it is obvious that the police and the armed forces are armed not to protect the common man rather to carry bags and riffles for the politicians.
For instance, the Arewa nation wants their own Security, the Oduduwas have established Amotekun and the Biafrans have gone ESN. These organic and indigenous evolution should be embraced by all especially the politicians except the politicians are not telling us the truth. The case of ESN that we saw agilities and best kittings is a clear indication that the people have unanimously chosen to find what is unique for themselves. While the politicians are under-funding the supra-structure Security architecture, the people have chosen to find and identify with what is indigenous to them.
EASTERN SECURITY NETWORK (ESN)
This is the ongoing Security Network marshalled out by easterners themselves. There are things that must be acknowledged prior to other things here; the very fact that entire east is in serious infiltrations by Islamists who disguise under the name "HERDSMEN", makes ESN timely and ideal. The ecstatic displays by easterners and Westerners over the formation of ESN, shows that what Nnamdi Kanu did is what the yearnings of the people are.
All over the world, defensive mechanism is commendable and highly respected. ESN is one of them in the modern history and must be appreciated. I understand the place of envy inherent in some eastern politicians, but I honestly think ESN is Rubicon that the people would not tolerate from the politicians.
If Nnamdi Kanu could organise such highly kitted, smart and disciplined men and women, he has shown that there is more in him than we know. It is ripe time he should be engaged and maximized for the betterment of our land. He has ones again, proven to us that easterners can be discipline and organized for maximum betterment of their lands. We own him full supports and cooperation.
Written by:
Chika Austine
For: Imo State Media
Edited by:
Obiageli Vivian Mboma
For: Imo State Media
Published by:
Chibuike John Nebeokike
For: Imo State Media
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