Again, Security Concerns

The bombing of churches in Jos Madalla, near Suleja in Niger State and Damaturu in Yobe State on Christmas Day resulting in many deaths once again brings to the fore security concerns that can no longer be ignored. Apparently, the spate of insecurity may have to be addressed before anything else.

To start with, we must join other right thinking members of the global community to totally condemn the Christmas Day bombing in Jos. The gesture went very far in desecrating the Holy day and deepening the ethno-religious divide in Nigeria. Indeed, that there was not a reprisal attack was an act of God.

At a time Christendom was observing one of its highest religious festivals and at a time the world was looking forward to entering a new year, bombing of innocent people was the last thing to be expected. This unending display of fatal hate against fellow Nigerians can no longer be seen as the handiwork of the devil.

That is why the Federal Government must do every thing in its powers to unearth the reason(s) for this avoidable display of violence and bring their masterminds and financiers to book. Unless this was done quickly, reprisal attacks cannot be ruled out for too long.

Of course, that situation will definitely overwhelm the security capability of the nation and plunge the people into the worst kind of conflict, as Nigeria is already having a deeply mixed population. The major religions have taken root across the country and the degree of cross-cultural marriages would make that kind of crisis most un-advisable.

That is why every Nigerian must stand on the part of peace and not allow anger to rule the day. Every Nigerian must condemn the campaign of violence and come up with ideas that would restore peace and unity in Nigeria. Nigerians must overcome this temptation to destroy this country in spite of any provocation.

Why anyone would want the Arab-plague to affect Nigeria is what we would want to know. It is not true that the conditions that gave rise to the crises in the Arab world are present in Nigeria. Most of the Arab countries are economically better than Nigeria, but their problem is the structure and tenure of their leadership.

Yes, Nigeria, like many nations across the globe has her share of economic challenges, but her politics enjoys a degree of transparency. It operates a full-blown democracy which promise is already evident in many sectors. But if the economy is what anyone wants to cure, the solution is not in killing innocent people.

Perhaps, the next theory would be the decision of some people to act as agents of national disintegration. Of course, this theory had been canvassed by late Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and even officials of the United States of America, but Nigerians have said No to it immediately and the No stands.

During the countdown to the elections that brought President Goodluck Jonathan to office, some “powerful” Nigerians were also said to have threatened that if President Jonathan won, they would make Nigeria ungovernable. Again, could this be the result of that threat?

That is why the Federal Government must go the extra mile to restore peace first. Clearly, the unprecedented opposition to  President Jonathan’s government only points to its potential to drastically change the political and economic landscape of Nigeria forever. The fight of evil against good cannot be mistaken anywhere in the world, the same way the victory of good over evil is a constant.

Perhaps, this was what informed the huge budget for security in the 2012 budget proposal by the President. The National Assembly may need to assist the President to deal with the security challenges and open the space for all other projects and programmes to survive.

Even so, the system must be responsible enough to punish crime, delete the culture of impunity and invest in aggressive education progarmme for the people. For us, security is best achieved and for a long term when the authorities provide opportunities for everyone to participate meaningfully and productively in the economy.