Security challenges in Nigeria

SCENIC SCENARIOS: THE WAY FORWARD (5)


Our physiognomies have suddenly turned sour due to the deceptive countenance of our ‘great’ nation. Even a fancy smile played across her normally grim visage wasn’t enough to wipe out the virulent feelings.

A good friend of mine once told me a horrible story. Before he commenced the folk tale, he began with a nasty clause which reads, “in any state of sober I found myself, I do remember one fateful day with extreme loathing.” Don’t worry. Just relax; I shall tell you the story. I’m not amazed; many have started calling me by the name, “a story narrator.” Honestly, I care about stories, because, I believe the best way to teach is to begin with a story, either tragic, comical or tragicomic. So, my fans were not mistaken.

The story goes like this: The young man said, one certain day, he happened to be in one of the banks in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. He was busy transacting as usual. Suddenly, or as satan would have it, armed robbers invaded the banking premises and started shooting on the rampage. Everyone was subjected to the harshest possible punishment; lying without breathing. What a paradox! At this point, I was forced to smile. But, I found out my friend wasn’t looking funny at all. With the look on his face, I realized he wasn’t in any way joking, or exaggerating. Even, I noticed my sudden smile was so disgusting to him. He continued, “…the most painful and deadliest part of it was that, after dishing out the instruction, one of them, knowingly or unknowingly, quickly stood on my bottom. He remained there for quite some seconds, or a good number of minutes if I’m not mistaken, before returning to the floor.“ I asked him if he imagined why such scene transpired. He replied that, from his weak imagination, the man (robber) in question wanted to increase his height due to his urgent indulgence in one of the activities he was involved. According to him (my friend), it appeared the robber never noticed (observed) that he was standing on a living creature. Extremely pathetic! Brethren, I think at this point, the narration has become succinct.

Over the years, I decided to remain introspective with regard to security. Honestly, I would have exploded before now, and it might have resulted to manic depression or paranoid schizophrenia. Who knows? Thank God I’m still alive, and safe, though still introverted. A bashful introvert indeed! Please, don’t blame me; I’m just being security conscious. After all, it isn’t my fault. Yes, in this case, my actions have been faultless. Anyone, or a right thinking person can testify to that. It’s no longer news to any one of us that, at recent times, they had cultivated the habit of even picking or molesting those that can’t even boast of ten thousand naira (#10,000) in their bank account. To be frank, the fanatics are mean; and are up to something. It’s not a joke.

Don’t forget, today we’re discussing the Nigerian security sector (system). Security refers to all the precautions that are taken to protect a place including its occupants. In other words, according to BBC English dictionary, “ it is legal protection against possible harm or loss.”

You’ll agree with me that, many had been convicted of seditious activities. Many are still in the trial, while, many are yet to be tried. Rampant security threats have suddenly become the order of the day in all nook and cranny of our dear country as if Nigeria is made of only citizens that are barely few days old. Secularism has gotten a strong current in the structure and ideology of this country. Even the secularists parade themselves in such a manner that any concerned Nigerian would conclude that, they are the king makers. Many had been martyred, yet it appears like a scene that just begun, or that was introduced barely few seconds ago; which means, or significantly, enormous massacre may still be witnessed. What a shame!

Or, should we forget the national security threat and discuss that of the community level? At the community stage, it’s no longer a game for the adulthood; that is, unlike before, adulthood has been totally abolished as the prerequisite. Bunch of adolescents have taken over the houses (homes) in most communities. Yes, most homes have been taken hostage. Their bulk of metals arouse people from sleep within the holy hours of the night. Honestly, yester-night’s incident that took place at one of the towns in the State (Imo State) could well arouse the settlers to even greater violence. Yes, the case has constituted tremendous controversy.

Though, each day, billions of naira are being coughed up for the sake of security. As a crime analyst, what could I have done than to watch with keen interest and continually embrace my harmless pen, and as well, look up to the ‘Almighty’ for His tremendous ingenuity.

Please, we ought to tell ourselves the truth and forget this cock and bull story that is constituting these lingering doubts and suspicions. Apparently, we’re deceiving ourselves and it would take us nowhere.

See you next week on labour; the last on my list but not the least!

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FRED NWAOZOR

Social analyst & activist