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Reading the Nigerian dailies, one issue that strikes the reader are stories about insecurity in the country-kidnappings, killings, assassinations, armed robberies, attacks on agrarian communities etc. Security experts opine that the upsurge in insecurity across the country has its locale in next year’s election. In order words, some unscrupulous politicians are playing politics with insecurity and using it to achieve certain political ends. So far, hundreds of innocent Nigerians are in the custody of kidnappers and bandits and languishing in the forest and bushes across the country. Despite pressure on the terrorists and criminals by our security forces, the perilous security situation in the country remains unabated. For example, 100 days to the 2027 elections, 20 prospective youth corps members on their way from Ibadan, Oyo state to one of the South South states to their orientation camp were violently abducted in Imo state and held hostage in the forest for days. They were released last week following, according to their parents, ransom payments to the bandits.However, combined security forces made up of military police and the DSS insisted they rescued the prospective corps members. Very commendable if indeed they were rescued by our security forces. However, the question begging for answer is: Why were there no reported casualty on the side of the bandits? None was reported killed, captured, neutralised during the rescue operation! Did the bandits peacefully hand over the prospective corps members to the joint security forces and then “peacefully” melted into the forests with their weapons? Well, whichever way or means the would- be corps members were “rescued”, I fervently call for such action to be replicated in other parts of Nigeria where innocent citizens are currently pining away in forests and bushes- held captive by bloodthirsty, vicious and unfeeling terrorists.
Let me use this medium to acknowledge the gallant efforts of our Military in Borno State where ISWAP terrorist recently launched deadly attacks in Kukawa village, killing some soldiers while 16 of the terrorist were neutralized.
In the past 16 years, insecurity in Nigeria has continuously been resurgent towards election periods. This often results in low voters turnout. INEC claimed it recorded over 103.43 million registered voters for the 2027 general elections but how many of these will brave insecurity and come out to cast their votes next year?
Also, can INEC beat its chest and say that names of underaged voters and dead voters have been deleted from the original voters list? Truth is, in the 2027 elections, electoral manipulation of any sort will ignite octane insecurity especially, especially now that politicians openly boast about AK- 47. Jarrett Tenebe, the Edo State Chairman of the APC was recently reported to have threatened that anyone who stood in the way of the APC’s plan to secure
2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu would face “AK-47 fire.” Ex Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo also recently added to the mix when he alleged that he was being short changed in the contract of pipeline surveillance which he claimed was worth 2.7 trillion naira. I’m of the view that if such rhetorics and character like Dokubo and Dokubo and Tenebe are not carefully handled, violence capable of derailing the 2027 elections could erupt in parts of the country . Meanwhile, the Middle Belt region of the country, particularly Benue, Plateau and Niger States remain the hotbead of deadly kidnappings, bloodletting, attacks and reprisals attacks. Except sanity returned to the above mentioned states before the elections, it will be miracle to see citizens venturing out to vote during the elections.According to an American act George R. R Martin, “fear cuts deeper than swords.” Also According to the late president Of South Africa Nelson Mandela he said “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”
Given the foregoing, all the major political actors including President Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Former vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Mr Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the other candidates need to be talked to by the National Peace Committee which compromises of the Chairman: General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd.), Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad III (Sultan of Sokoto), John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Sam Amuka, and Ibrahim Gambari. All these eminent personalities have a duty to prevail on the major political actors in next year’s elections to play by the rules and resist the temptation to plunge Nigeria into avoidable crisis via incendiary campaign rhetorics and electoral manipulations. Nigerians should be able to freely campaign and cast their votes for candidates of their choice and wherever they reside.Nigeria belongs everyone of us and so, voters should be free to express themselves and also be free to cast their vote for any candidate of their choice. As we inch closer to the 2027 general elections, my prayer is that anything that would bring fear to the voters and cause them not to participate in the exercise should be cast away so that the country can enjoy a peaceful, free and fear electoral exercise.
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Security hints
A. Don’t join any violent group because there are repacautions that follows such action.
B. Avoid riotous groups
C. Don’t destroy or damage opposition political posters or sign post.
Security File wishes all its readers and fans a blessed and crime- free weekend.
Stay out of trouble!
