Consolidating On Public Safety Measures

Rivers State and the Federal Government have in recent years taken steps that have improved public safety in parts of the country in ways that should be sustained to consolidate on the gains being made and to avoid hasty withdrawals.

It is true that the Niger Delta crisis is now in check and the Boko Haram insurgency is most probably in its last days, but these are not the only safety concerns that Nigerians are confronted with, therefore the authorities should not take things for granted.

Only recently, some individuals raised concerns over allegations that the military plans to withdraw its operatives from some Rivers communities. Such steps, they fear may be hasty because some of the realities of the time demand that issues of security be dealt with in ways that leave no opening.

While we are mindful of the consequences of the presence of the military in our communities at peace time, we cannot support any action that is likely to make light of the safety challenges of the time and the need to consolidate on the gains made thus far.

This is more so because apart from incidences like the killing of the Aluu four in broad day light, the apparent bitterness in some communities like Umuelem, a village in Odufor Etche, where houses were recently razed, the village deserted, people injured and a young man beheaded, security can never cease to be a steady challenge.

To think that a Rivers community could in a festive season like Christmas destroy itself over land leaves much to be desired. At a time when mankind all over the world were celebrating Yuletide and New Year, it is indeed unfortunate that some people would target their kith and kins over lands.

But this goes to suggest that all may not be well yet with public safety. Apart from the possibility that the residues of the militancy era may still be of some concern, the lack of confidence on the normal path of conflict resolution still looms high among the people.

Until the offensive raised by the military under the operation “Pulo shield” some people were concerned that not only were some militants regrouping, that they were indeed using the illegal petroleum business to re-build their empires and are likely to pose unprecedented security challenge.

We are happy to note that in many parts of Rivers State peace may have returned, especially with the return of beach parties during the end of year festivities, the need to sustain the peace process for another while should not be over looked.

As we enter the year 2013, the promise for progress in Nigeria is so real that anything that is capable of truncating it should be nipped-in-the bud. Even more so is the Niger Delta environment that should not be allowed to relapse security-wise because of the far-reaching consequences it could have on the country.

Although only very few Nigerians have seen the reason to commend the Nigerian military and the security community as a whole, the level of stability they have brought about cannot be quantified. We think the Joint Task Force (JTF) has done well, but there is need for improvement in some ways.

We expect that the military on local assignments will not forget that they are serving their own people. They must not forget that they are under peace-time operations that demand respect for civil rights and national objectives. The military must not forget that they too need the support and cooperation of the people.

Even so, we expect that the political authorities would re-appraise the safety situation in the Niger Delta and take only decisions that would make strong the security situation first and foremost.

We are indeed inclined to thinking that it may be hasty to withdraw the military in some of the communities, even in Rivers State. We expect that the last obstacles to insecurity be eliminated at any cost, especially with a view to restoring confidence in the ordinary man that has continued to receive the brunt of lawlessness in some areas.

On the whole we are proud that the present governments are not taking the security challenges lightly. We hope that they would continue in this direction until the ordinary Nigerian can be assured of safety both at home and in public.