The Federal Government through Vice President Yemi Osinbajo announced July 14 that it would deploy the military on the highways across the country. The goal is to curb the growing challenge of insecurity across the land manifested in attacks on citizens on the nation’s highways. It is not enough. We believe that the Presidency needs to adopt a holistic approach to the matter rather than the knee-jerk response of rolling out the armed forces to the roads.
Prof Osinbajo’s promise was a response to the killing on July 12 of Mrs Funke Olakunrin on the Akure-Ore road off the Shagamu-Benin Expressway. Funke Olakunrin was the daughter of Chief Reuben Fasoranti, a leader of the Yoruba political group, Afenifere. Her death evoked strong passions and stirred angry reactions across the land, but particularly so in the South West.
Beyond the pathos over the loss of a treasured human life, attribution of the cause of death remains a source of disputation. Initial reports by Afenifere spokesman Mr Yinka Odumakin said herdsmen attacked her vehicle and killed her. The Nigerian Police at the nearby station claimed it was bandits while the Federal Government in a statement by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina blamed armed robbers.
Whoever perpetrated this evil, the fact is that it brought to the fore once again the vexed issue of lack of security. The nation’s highways, from North to South, East to West, have become potential death traps due to the activities of dangerous criminals of varied descriptions. Affected roads include the Sagamu-Benin, Abuja-Kaduna, Ilesha to Ibadan and the Akure-Ore above.
Citizens now fear to travel on the roads. One consequence is a change in travel patterns; flights to Akure Airport are now fully booked always as travellers avoid the roads. Wealthy and influential citizens now travel by train between Abuja and Kaduna for the same reason of insecurity on the highway. A security cordon surrounds the train and serves as an escort.
Insecurity has translated to the reduced value of life in Nigeria. Citizens are on edge. There are also costly economic consequences as the vulnerability limits the movement of people, goods and services. The reduced mobility would translate to a higher cost of goods.
The more disturbing is the increasing exodus of professionals migrating out of the country. The brain drain features highly skilled personnel needed in vital areas such as healthcare, education, engineering and the sciences.
Against this backdrop, it was shocking to hear the president on July 16 dismiss the concerns over security. He asserted that what Nigeria faced are “isolated incidents”. His statement directly contradicts his candid admission in his message to the country on April 19, 2019.
In that Easter message, President Buhari lamented the poor state of the country with emphasis on the security situation. The President declared, “Our nation is currently gripped with gloom over unfortunate killings, kidnappings and violence, as seen in the recent tragic incidents in some states of the federation.”
Buhari then pledged: “This administration will do all it takes to adequately equip and motivate our armed forces and other law enforcement agencies to enable them successfully confront these security challenges. We will not allow merchants of evil and death to overwhelm the nation. Under my watch, the nation will triumph over them – terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and the like”.
The Federal Government must now go beyond pledges and statements of intentions to deliver actual performance on security. Security was an anchor pledge of the president and his party in 2015 and again in the 2019 elections. Nigeria now needs to see the General in the President deploy strategies and tactics to end this mayhem.
The first step is to empower the security forces to perform. Put an end to the stories of interference from higher up ordering stoppage of action against the enemy, from Boko Haram to bandits and terrorists. Allow the Police and others do their job the way their training dictates.
All accounts speak of occupation of the forests bordering the highways by terrorists and bandits. The forces should comb the forests and flush out all groups and persons therein. A clean sweep is necessary.
Finally, empanel a Special Task Force to tackle insecurity in the country. It should have a representation of all the forces, including paramilitary. Deploy a mix of stick and carrot. Tackle with urgency the insecurity in our land. It is unacceptable — enough of all that.
