As terrorism looms over Abuja

Sir: The perpetration of kidnapping of staffs’ families at the University of Abuja contemptuously, reveals that Abuja is not a safe place, after all; and of course, it does beggar belief if indeed the Buhari administration is meeting up with the federal responsibility of securing lives and property. Technically and strategically, as it were, from schoolchildren to campus students, might we also say that the FCT itself is ransacked by the ratcheting promises of crackpot politicians, impetuously permitting the lizards to wallow in with the mire? I think it’s disgraceful and disreputable these stories of abduction are taking place in the said university – and even tangentially targeting lecturers, together with their children, is in fact susceptible to how these lecturers could have been tortured for obvious lecturer-student reasons.

And I begin to suspect that, sooner or later, campus students proper would be carried into far-away lands – and abductors would be demanding handsome ransom from abductees. Hope seemed to be lost, by the way, with the intrusion of the Nigerian Defence Academy; but what hope have we really got now for the FCT? It’s time to purge all security agencies in order to put a hold on this nationally bewildering phenomenon. To nip the crisis in the bud, we’ve got to be committed not only in word, but in deed.

Now, let’s forget about the heresies or facts, if you like, that a certain group of cabals are the ones manufacturing consent and creating necessary illusions – and let’s face the situation squarely, without any prejudice or partiality whatsoever: government officials not meeting up with their duty and responsibility in ensuring sanity, sanctity and security should be sanctioned. But where there’s no transparency and accountability in leadership – I’m afraid the issue has since been systemic, therefore requiring systemic solution – sanctioning or dismissing one who has enormously failed in his own duty post would be quite difficult, especially because of the “do-as-I-say,-don’t-do-as-I-do” syndrome. I do remember when former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was charged with sexually harassing women. Reacting to the situation, President Joe Biden disinterestedly told him to resign – even openly and publicly. And he did resign – albeit grudgingly! At least, that’s democracy. That’s leadership. And that’s governance: surely we may well take a cue from that.

If Abuja is not immune to insecurity, scarcely saved from the severity of political turpitude, I don’t think any university is even safe from the saga of this epidemic that’s got no vaccine as yet. We need to be careful, watchful and vigilant. The security of lives and property begins with you and me. Who knows where the wind would blow a moment from now? In the meantime, all security units in federal, state and private universities and colleges should be on their guard and prepare for any eventuality. Preparation, they say, is better than cure.
• Segun Ige (08141688084; igesegunadebayo5@gmail.
com), a freelance journalist in Lagos.