“It takes leadership to improve safety.” – Jackie Stewart
The senseless killings, incessant kidnappings, destruction of lives and property is gradually becoming our new normal. Or, it is not? How did we get here? Nearly on a daily basis we hear of one dastardly act or another. Every part of the Country is bleeding. Pain, tears, sadness and injustice is now the reality of Nigerians. No part of the Country seem safe, no one is, truly. Shall we continue like this?
Painfully, the Country is plagued by multiple conflicts, from a jihadist insurgency in the North East to killings by terrorists carrying out mass kidnappings in the North West and “unknown gun men” targeting security forces and INEC offices in the southeast. All regions of the Country is dealing with multidimensional insecurity.
Terrorism, violence, deadly political scheming, citizen alienation, kidnapping, terrorism, sectional brutality, violence and destruction aptly define the Nigerian crime scene. Under the Buhari’s leadership, according to the Global Peace Index, Nigeria has been included among the countries with the least peace in the World. Nigeria is the 17th less peaceful Country in the World. Nigeria is the second country in Africa with the highest risk of genocide and the sixth worldwide. Additionally, in the World, our Country, Nigeria, is the third Country most affected by terrorism. This is based on the Global Terrorism Index.
President Muhammadu Buhari appears to have lost control, completely detached from reality and totally divorced with the current predicaments the people. An important ingredient of leadership is empathy. I’m sorry, our President is obviously lacking in this. In a saner clime where this type of killings and insecurity is this prevalent, the President would be seen addressing her citizens, rejig security architectures, visiting victims and will keep assuring the people that justice will be served and lives will be protected. For us, our president junkets the world and behave as if he is keeping malice with us. Is it that we don’t matter to this president? Are our lives worthless to this leadership? Do they care about our ordeal?
Buhari is a very poor leader! The same man who promised to lead the fight against insecurity is now shamelessly hiding in the confines of Aso Rock. Obviously, he bamboozled.
Insecurity has deteriorated all over the Country and president Buhari has been barely visible. This deliberate detachment from our reality has further driven the impression of a leader lacking in compassion, tact and common sense.
Consequently, if the dangerous trend currently ravaging Nigeria and her people is not arrested and nipped in the bud, sadly, we may be heading towards anarchy, chaos and a traduced society. Wait, are we there already?
Unfortunately, the escalating insecurity, unabated killings, communal violence, forceful land grabbing, consistent kidnapping in Nigeria has birthed and is strengthening separatist movements across the country.
Annoyingly, this regime keeps having “security meetings”. We are genuinely tired of these series of meetings that yields no positive result. Those close door meetings with service chiefs are not reflecting on the glaring security lapses of our security architecture.
Constitutionally, the primary duty of Government is to protect lives and property of her citizens. Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, rise up to your constitutionally enshrined mandate or resign!
Oyewole Michael, a public analyst and political commentator can be reached through oyewolemichael9@gmail.com. He tweets via @Rolex7Michael