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Buhari should rejig security apparatus urgently

As condemnations from across the globe continue to trail the latest next level in the chronicles of the gruesome massacre of innocent Nigerians in another barbaric and horrendous display by the league

Muhammadu Buhari

Sir: As condemnations from across the globe continue to trail the latest next level in the chronicles of the gruesome massacre of innocent Nigerians in another barbaric and horrendous display by the league of terrorist groups terrorising the peace and unity of Nigeria, the government should quickly rejig the country’s security architecture in order to prevent the nation from total collapse.   
 
I refer in particular to the incident of 28th November 2020 when armed men, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram terrorist group, slaughtered not less than 43 farmers in Zabanmari, at Jere local government area of Borno State. This killing prompted diverse reactions to the claims of the government in the ongoing war against terrorism.

 
While reacting to the incident, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), stated that life has lost its value, and more and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals due to the inability of the government to protect lives and prosperity as stipulated in section 14(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
 
The same position was painted in a more soft picture, when the members of the national assembly lamented the state of insecurity in the country and requested the president to implement the recommendations sent to him, including the removal of the service chiefs. A call that has almost become an anthem in every household in Nigeria.
 
Despite these calls, the president is yet to sack the service chiefs. Though, this seems to be strange looking at the growing insecurity in the land. The level of insecurity in the country has shown clearly that the service chiefs have run out of ideas and needed to be replaced with new people so that they can inject new ideas into the system.
 
Under the watch of the current service chiefs, Nigeria has nearly turned into a failed State. Recently, the Global Index Report ranked Nigeria third on the list of countries experiencing the wave of terrorism worldwide. Yet, the president claimed to have given all the needed supports to the Nigerian military.
 
In fact, with the operation of the emerging terrorist groups masquerading as bandits, cattle rustlers, dangerous herdsmen, kidnappers among others across the remaining geo-political zones. Boko Haram terrorists are still far from being defeated despite the trumpet of victory being blown by the government on daily basis. Yet, the government claimed to have technically degraded Boko Haram terrorist.
 
In 2016, the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed categorically stated that the Boko Haram terrorist group has been technically defeated. A claim that was buttressed by several people at the corridor of power. Interestingly, the same Minister later blamed the international Community for leaving Nigeria at the mercy of the terrorist group after the gruesome killing of the rice farmers at Zabanmari. 

For instance, the Boko Haram in the northeast became a serious issue today because of the inability of the government to adopt the right method at the right time. So, now that all evidence on the ground has shown that the Boko Haram terrorists are technically waxing stronger, the government should use the funds earmarked for the programme designed for the so-called repentant terrorists to create a programme that will reduce the suffering of those left behind by the slain farmers and victims of Boko Haram terrorist attacks.

Oluwasanmi wrote from Ibafo, Ogun State.

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