As Nigerians, we feel very insecure in our own country. Terrorism, inflation, corruption, injustice – all these words can be clearly seen, heard on our TV screen and read in newspaper headlines. It causes severe heart-break to citizens. Fear and imbalance! Millions of lives are being wasted, properties worth millions have been lost already; innocent people have fallen victims of this ill-security. As a result, hypertension, heart attack, stroke has killed a lot of people; some have turned into incomplete human beings, with one hand or one leg gone; one eye, one leg left.

Nigerians have witnessed and keep on witnessing this unprecedented security challenges occasioned by the activities of militants, kidnappers, violent armed robbery in almost every part of the country, political assassinations, election violence, ritual killings, Boko Haram and the recurring farmers versus herdsmen clashes and banditry. Our headline news is usually like, “20 people died during farmers/herders clash yesterday in Sokoto”; “The news reaching us now is that a young boy returning home from school has been kidnapped by some unknown men”; “Boko Haram terrorist group killed 50 people before day break today, 20 others injured receiving treatment in the state hospital.”

Such social menaces when put together impinge on the security of lives and property of not just the citizens of Nigeria but also foreigners living and foreigners planning to invest in the country. These social menaces trigger off a worrisome sense of insecurity that challenge Nigeria’s effort towards national economic development.

This article recommends effective leadership and good governance as panacea to solving the problems of insecurity we face as a nation. Below are some of the causes.

Weak judicial System

People feel disturbed and terrorists feel undisturbed when criminals and terrorists can go free. A lot of people feel that money can buy freedom in Nigeria. The corrupt system proves this to be true because the law which says “no one is above the law” has not been put into practice. It is meant for the poor and not the rich, as they can easily buy their freedom in Nigeria.

Porous Borders Of Nigeria

Nigerian borders are poorly guarded, individual movements are largely untracked. As a result, there is an unchecked inflow of arms and ammunition into the country. This has added to the effectiveness of criminality and violence in the country. This situation is specifically more dangerous in the North-east, as the Federal Government can’t provide enough troops to secure the border, which has aided the uncontrollable influx of migrants from neighbouring countries to purvey some criminal act.

Unemployment and poverty

Unemployment and poverty among Nigerians, especially the youth, is one of the major causes of violent crimes. Without job creation and provisions, the government can’t achieve success in their fight against insecurity because terrorists have now turned to entrepreneurs. They employ both graduates and non-graduates to accomplish their mission.

Weak security system

This is a major factor contributing to the level of insecurity in Nigeria: And it can be attributed to a number of factors, which include inadequate funding of the police and other security agencies; lack of modern equipment, poor welfare and inadequate personnel.

Solutions
1. There must be a political will that will transcends all political parties or administrations to deal with all forms of immediate and foreseen insecurity threats.

2. The government needs to put their sponsors before the law, invest in peace building and socio-economic development; youth empowerment, economic diversification and restructuring.

3. The government should enforce new laws; make our judicial system stronger. Once a terrorist has been arrested, he or she should be persecuted immediately, no matter their ethnic group, religion, back-ups or political post.

4. According to Gani Adams, “There are some forces behind them in three phases, those who strike in the bush, those who issue statements to back them up and those who are strategists who give instructions to those who strike and to those who issue statements.” So, the best way of solving the security issues facing the country is by fishing out for the sponsors of all the terrorist groups and their executors, because the executors are just messengers of the highest order. So, once sponsors are being prosecuted, the terrorist will either surrender or be easily captured by the military.

5. The government should do thorough investigation on the root-cause, make arrangements with the head of each terrorist group for national conference where regional, traditional and religious leaders and every other person necessary should be present. Dialogue should be the solution; it could put an end to this. The president should think about the national CONFAB.

In Conclusion, security is all about prevention and not waiting for the crime to happen before reacting to it. Farmers-herders clash was not a regular occurrence before, why now? Militancy, armed robbery, kidnapping, among others, need to be a thing of the past, because we owe those coming behind us - the most vulnerable citizens in our society - a life free of violence and fear.

Nigeria is a country blessed with wonderful people. But, unfortunately, it faces a lot of problems we can’t even imagine. Therefore, the solution to all this mess starts with you and I. We can help our country. God bless Nigeria.

*Isaac A Olukoya writes via Olukoyaisaac20@gmail.com

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