By Polycarp Gbaja
The continued failure of security in Plateau State and across the nation for over a decade, particularly the so-called ‘Northern States’ is clearly a failure in governance and the security architecture and posture of the regimes, in daily governance or misgovernance in Nigeria, at federal, state and local levels.
It is also an unfolding of intentional and deliberate agendas to sustain such status quo, rather than accidental happenings due to local dynamics.
The political class in Nigeria, a small fraction of our population, simultaneously malevolent and infantile, curated by selfish, ethnoreligious, partisan, egocentric, divergent persuations, is at the core of this damning structure, that has now become a recognizable culture of the present dispensation of avoidable, utter violence and waste of lives, property and opportunity.
It will not stop, until we care enough to commit and confront, with determined leadership at local, regional and national levels, to bring an end to this brigandage of utter evil, that is a shame of this country and to humanity at large.
It would escalate, like the virulent cancer it has become, to continue delivery of death and destruction. Unless we take a position to end it and instead, commit to sustainable values that would usher in a different reality, rather than the darkness and death, being delivered, with such impunity, that we seem to have embraced as the new normal.
We need to take alternative exceptions to the status quo of bad governance, take responsibility and measures in small or large formations, to confront and compel, by every constitutional means, this present genre and regime, of political/communal rulership.
It is not an absence of Intel, technology or knowledge of those really involved, in perpetuating this. It is not a lack of capacity of our security agencies either, who have proven themselves locally, regionally and globally, previously. There is simply no genuine political will to bring an end to the mess, resolutely. Just as there is no intention of the sponsors slowing down or stopping.
Unless the determination of those for peace, exceeds the determination of those determined to bring death and destruction, the mess will continue, with no shortage of excuses or cowardice.
Most tragically, over 63 years after Independence, Nigeria has no clearly defined and articulated Security Policy, that would establish a veritable structure, that spells out proactive, preventive and responsive measures to protect life, property and opportunity of its citizens.
The Legislature and Executive arms of government, have continued to sleep on the job, for decades, while they line their pockets and bank accounts with unbelievable takes from the national treasury.
The death and destruction, from massive negligence of primary dereliction of duty and primary mandate, of the three arms of Government, have been totally needless.
Where there is a will, there’s a way.
● Gbaja, a reverend gentleman, contributed this from Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT).