Nigerian Troops as Endangered Species: A Wake-up Call By Rasheedat Shuaib
By Rasheedat Shuaib
The reason why the Nigerian Tribune recently published an editorial titled: “The Attack on the Brigade of Guards,” is not far fetched. Insecurity is attempting to drown Nigeria, and annihilate its citizens.
According to the editorial, the attack on the Brigade of Guards is one that should draw the attention of Mr. President to take urgent action against insecurity.
Insecurity, which is fast deteriorating in Nigeria by the day, is threatening the sovereignty of Africa’s Giant. But how did Nigeria arrive at this critical point where the safety of human lives cannot be guaranteed in its federal capital territory?
For residents of Abuja, especially those living in the suburbs, life has become one huge nightmare. The city is now notorious for being a convenient launching pad for terrorists.
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Viewed closely, the attacks on the Kuje Correctional Centre and soldiers of the Brigade of Guards, an elite defence corps, as well as the forced closure of educational institutions in the FCT, leave one wondering if Nigeria’s administrative headquarters and seat of government is under siege by terrorists.
Although that verdict on the exposure of FCT to captivity is far from reality, it will require a stretch of the imagination to fault a likely possibility.
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Sometime in 2021, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State, which is 120 kilometres to the FCT, cried himself hoarse alerting Abuja to the possibility of a terrorist attack because 50 communities in five out of 25 local government areas in his state had been overrun by insurgents, who had taken to imposing levies on the communities, raiding the people’s food barns and raping women with impunity. Abuja paid deaf ears.
Not too long ago, terrorists attacked the presidential convoy in Katsina, a few hours before they invaded the Kuje Correctional Centre. Again, Abuja practically did nothing, except to issue the usual general statement restating President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to eliminating terrorists from the country.
The Federal Government does not need to be reminded that one of the reasons why Nigerians voted it into office was to safeguard their lives and property from terrorists.
Still, the protection of the life and property of the citizenry is one of the constitutional directives for the existence of the government in Nigeria. It is bad news that the nation’s capital city, a symbol of unity, strength and faith, has become the den of terrorists.
In all these, the principle of accountability and transparency appears to have been lost on the government. No appointed or elected official has even been held accountable for some of the lapses that have caused this dreadful situation, which has led to the killing of innocent Nigerians and the kidnapping of many others for ransom.
There is need for the government to sit up and rescue Nigerians from the abyss that their country is heading to, especially as rag-tag terrorists appear to lay siege to Abuja.
Rasheedat is a Mass Communication student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
