In Defence Of Nigeria’s Security, Unity

Worried about the state of insecurity and spate of attacks on unsuspecting  citi-zens and churches across Northern Nigeria by the now dreaded Jama’atu Ahlus Sumah Lidda Awati Wal Jihad (Congregation of followers of the Prophet involved in the call to Islam and religious struggle) aka Boko Haram, and other treasonable acts that have been treated with “kid gloves”, Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu last Sunday, advised  President Goodluck Jonathan to act fast in order to avert the disintegration of Nigeria as predicted by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency few years ago.

Aliyu’s advice re-echoes the apprehension expressed in several quarters on the threat posed by the spate of terrorist attacks targeted not only on the Christian community in Nigeria, but also on security agencies and government institutions by the shadowy group.

Though the three-day ultimatum reportedly issued by Boko Haram recently for Christians to leave the North or face annihilation was dismissed by the Federal Government as a fluke, subsequent attacks have been more devastating.

Last week’s well-coordinated attacks on AIG’s office, State Security Service, Immigration and military checkpoints which claimed over 200 lives is the most devastating so far and has sent cold shivers down the spines of Nigeria’s security operatives.

The attack gives a clear signal that the Boko Haram does not intend to suffer fools gladly in its determination to assert its will and Islamise Nigeria.

The action of the group has provoked outrage across the country. Christians in the North, especially those of Southern origin are already leaving in their droves and so are their Muslim counterparts in the South. Southern leaders are also holding consultations on what line of action to take while demonstrations are raging in South- East and South-South with threats of reprisal.

What is clear now is that the Boko Haram has placed a big question mark on Nigeria’s secularity as well as its unity despite reassurances by the military high command that there is no such threat. But what is not clear is how the group intends to achieve its plan in a country that has developed so many political, economic and social ties now woven in a complex tapestry for secularity and unity.

Though terrorism today is a global phenomenon, the peculiarity of the Nigerian situation is in the fact that the terrorists have often seized every opportunity to give their campaign a religious colouration.

By targeting Christian communities and security agencies, and preventing security operatives from causing more devastation, Boko Haram has erased all doubts that it is pursuing an Islamisation agenda which can only come at the risk of bloody disintegration of Nigeria.

It is against this backdrop that we support Governor Aliyu in urging President Goodluck Jonathan to act fast in saving Nigeria from the hands of few disgruntled fanatics threatening to plunge the country into abyss.

Though, a few previous governments may have been misguided into taking one or two actions that touched dangerously on the enrolment into the Organisation of Islamic Conference (IOC), well-meaning Nigerians have since realised that Nigerians can co-exist much more peacefully as a secular state.

Of course, a secular state guarantees freedom of worship for all citizens and does not place any religion above others. This position is also consistent with democratic principles that seek to guarantee fundamental human rights and freedom for all citizens.

We, therefore, urge President Jonathan to quickly arrest the drift of the Nigerian nation from the course of secularity and unity to disintegration.

An urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s security apparatus is needed now more than ever before with a view to ridding it of bad eggs. Those who have thrown their security training to the winds and compromised in grave security situations must be shown the way out in all security agencies.

We think that a sanitised security system can optimise the effectiveness of the services of the telecommunications industry to undermine the modus operandi of these enemies of the secularity and unity of Nigeria, and restore normalcy in the land. We say so because it is for such synergy that the Federal Government recently directed GSM service providers to embark on SIM Card registration. There is no better time to tap into the benefits of the programme than now.

Agreed that defending the secularity and unity of Nigeria is a task that must be done, religious and political leaders of thought must go beyond condemnation of the evil. They should rise quickly in their various domains and confront the monster of insecurity by calling their faithfuls to order and galvanising their energies for more productive ventures. It is only by so doing that we can assist President Jonathan to restore order and peaceful atmosphere without which no meaningful development can take place.