By Alhassan A. Bala
The state of insecurity across Nigeria is not only becoming worrisome, assuming a dangerous level of leaving us with a multiplier effects.
Northern Nigeria, the most insecurity ravaged region of the country, has been threatened by myriads of damaging consequences, putting into jeopardy its age-long peaceful existence. Out of the 19 northern states only one or two states can be said to be peaceful and not having serious security issues.
The problem whose known genesis was the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east metamorphosed to kidnapping for ransom in north-west and north central the kidnapping, which, then, snowballed to banditry still in the two regions that saw the killing of hundreds of people while thousands rendered homeless.
Despite the abundant human and mineral resources the regions equally boast of so many high leadership positions people of the region have held since 1999 to date, yet, north-west and north-central continue to grapple with insecurity.
The problem in the region also cut across other sectors such as education as Boko Haram, bandits attacks and kidnapping of students worsen the number of out-of-school-children in the region which perhaps can be said to be the highest in the whole world.
The report of the NBS indicate the poverty level the north have as the highest as commercial activities in most of the states in the region declined due to so many factors, top of which is security degeneration.
Unfortunately, the leaders most especially the state governors in the north, never speak or unite and make a strong statement on the insecurity in the region or even come up with a united position on ways to stop the killings and kidnapping of innocent citizens.
During the former president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the south west governors, after examining the security threats to their region, met and set up a local security outfit which they named: Amoutekun as the outfit drives its power from the respective state assemblies to work for the protection of people. I can say that was a clear message to the then presidency that it failed in the protection of the people of that region.
At that period aside the Borno state government none of the northern states did anything to complement the military and police in protecting the people but rather they always found an easy route Abuja, some states even succumbed to the bandits by having agreement or peace pact which never saw the light of the day as attacks, kidnapping further deteriorated.
While it keeps me wondering, it is not out of place to imagine that the good times are for region’s political leaders, while the rough times are for the poor people, because the leaders are protected by a phalanx of security forces, their protection is not only during public gathering or office hours but including their houses as the poor people are at the mercy of bandits, kidnappers and criminals who are profitting from the cynical attitude of the leaders towards the poor masses.
The regional political elites when aspiring or contesting for any political position they do that with no policy document or clearly stated agenda to show their plan for their people. Sadly, they are just ultra-selfish elite class, who are only interested in power for themselves and their families.
Unfortunately, neither the old nor the youth of the region bother to provide a comprehensive agenda to the candidates in their respective states or even presidential candidates so that when they win they can be held responsible for any failure.
With the current happenings of deteriorating security, increase in number of out-of-school children, unemployed youth, and poverty level the northerners must raise now and save their region, its future and the future of their young people through selection or electing quality leaders at all level.
Bala writes from Abuja and can be reached via balahassan2007@gmail.com
