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Insecurity And The Presidential Imprecation Of Necessity By Raymond Oise-Oghaede

I am of the opinion that this imprecation (curse) should also be extended to those who have directly or indirectly contributed and or are still contributing to this precarious situation in the polity.

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The spate of insecurity in some parts of Nigeria is of great concern to every well meaning citizens and well wishers of our country. 

The menace has persisted despite the efforts of our combative security agencies in ensuring that same is put under control.

Recently, the perpetrators confirmed that they are still very much on ground with the suicide attack that claimed the lives of about 30 people in Mandarari in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno state. 

In his reaction, the President declared that those who perpetrated the act would be “punished by God”. This “presidential imprecation” is very necessary considering the fact that the inhuman act is setting the country backwards and pushing it to the brink of collapse. 

As it is, Mr. President is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and he is expected to ensure the security of lives and properties within the territories of the country; and as such, the buck stops on his desk.

In this circumstance, you will agree with me that placing a `curse` on these killers in our nation is not out place. However, after a holistic study of the situation.

I am of the opinion that this imprecation (curse) should also be extended to those who have directly or indirectly contributed and or are still contributing to this precarious situation in the polity.

People are quick to notice the condemnable activities of these insurgents/terrorists because they are `usually loud and open', unlike the atrocities committed by the actions and inactions of some undesirable elements in our society. 

The casualty figures of the former are very minimal (despite their loudness) compared to the (silent and unnoticed) number of people that are wasted on daily basis as a result of the activities of the later.

In my recent article titled “the real enemies of our nation”, I delved extensively into the numerous ills bedeviling our country and the roles played by these undesirable elements. Needless to say that people are dying in droves as a result of hunger, lack of affordable medical facilities, accidents caused by deplorable states of our roads; high rate of robbery and other criminal activities occasioned by increasing rate of unemployment, electoral violence, and communal clashes in various parts of the country to mention but a few. 

As we speak, some people are currently spreading hatred and derogatory posts that tended to promote disunity in the polity on social media and other platforms.

They are very good at rebroadcasting news that are inimical to some groups and interests in the society; they give deceptive impression that they have the interests of the people and the government at heart while in actual fact they are pursuing self serving ambitions by their unguided and unreasonable postulations. 

This promotion of hatred has caused disaffection and disunity in the country and that is the major reason why insecurity has persisted. If that be the case, the people in this category are also entitled to share in the presidential imprecation (curse) because their activities have directly and or indirectly led to killings across the country. 

The same should also apply to those who are involved in bringing-in these sophisticated weapons illegally into the country and making them available to the end users. Furthermore, those that are aiding and abetting the activities of these terrorists in other secret form(s) will also not escape the punishment of God. 

However, in as much as this imprecation is necessary because of the pains the activities of these evil perpetrators are bringing upon innocent people in the society; there is need for all hands to be on deck towards ensuring that peace returns to every parts of the polity. 

The people in government should also have it at the back of their minds that this curse is no respecter of anybody no matter their positions in the society as long as it has to do with insecurity of lives and properties.

Thus, they are also advised in their own interest to perform their functions appropriately and accordingly to escape the effects or consequences of not doing the right things at the right time.

Consequently, the people in charge of our borders should sit up and ensure that the porosity is put in check. If arms continue to infiltrate into the country and get to wrong hands; killings will continue unabated. 

The people in charge of putting our roads in order should do the needful to curtail `avoidable accidents` which are claiming hundreds of lives on daily basis. 

Also, those in charge of ensuring that our hospitals are equipped and made affordable for the use of the masses do the right things to prevent untimely and unwarranted deaths. 

The people in charge of our military formations should ensure that their officers and men are duly equipped with up to date weaponry to enable them carry out their duties effectively.

Those that are entrusted with conducting free, fair and credible elections should be firm and apolitical in the discharge of their assigned responsibilities to forestall violence and killings as a result of process manipulations. 

The law enforcement agencies should also ensure that they carry out their duties professionally and avoid being used as instruments of destructions in the hands of unscrupulous politicians who are bent on attaining or holding unto power by hook or by crook without minding wasting of precious lives in the process. 

Our political leaders should be mindful of their utterances to avoid `careless statements` that could sow a seed of discords in the minds of the citizenry; associates and close allies who have the listening ears of our leaders should also endeavour to let them realize that the unfriendliness of the economic situations in the country is also pushing some of our youths into criminalities while some others are meeting their untimely deaths in the Mediterranean sea and the deserts. 

From the aforesaid, you will agree with me that this `imprecation of necessity` will travel far and wide considering the enormity of the people that are directly and indirectly responsible for the insecurity of the lives and properties of the citizenry. 

So, the issue is not only about the suicide bombers and the insurgents; it also concerns other saboteurs of our collective interests as a nation. 

Thus, before God eventually punishes the perpetrators (unless they quickly retrace their steps and stop the menace), we also have to play our parts towards ensuring that orderliness returns to every parts of the country. 

We must all come together and rise above ethnic, religious and partisan differences to fight all identified areas responsible for insecurity in our nation. 

As the popular adage says, “if the wall is not cracked, the lizard cannot penetrate it”. The same thing applies to us as a people because, if there is no disunity, perpetrators of criminalities will find it difficult and almost impossible to carry out their nefarious activities. 

So, now that the local government areas have been empowered to function independently; the administrators/chairmen should give topmost priority to the security of their territories. 

They should liaise with the traditional institutions and other stakeholders to have first hand information about happenings in their domains with the aim of ensuring that there are no threats to the security of the lives and properties of the people. The perpetrators are human and some of them live amongst us. 

We should identify them at the grass-roots level and exposed them for the law to take its course. If this arrangement is put in place, it will surely pave ways for the attainment of the much desired peace and tranquillity in our nation.

“Let us play our roles appropriately and accordingly to escape the punishment of God."
Thanks. 
RAYMOND OISE-OGHAEDE,

PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST/COMMENTATOR, 
SURU-LERE, LAGOS. 
08023116867 and 08099405562