Truely, the intractable problems facing the country though they seem insurmountable, yet such had befallen some other countries and interestingly they did not import outsiders to solve these problems. They were resolute in their decisions and actions also they were patriotic to solve their problems. These are noticeable with full proof results among many countries in both the Western and eastern hemisphere. China , Japan, and neighboring country like Ghana. The leaders of these countries had the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom and they mustered the political will to do the right thing because of posterity. These leaders shun and abhor corruption like leprosy for example the Chinese leader Deng XiaoPing It is said that anointing flows from the head , in other words , if the head (leader) is rotten or corrupt, then the body will automatically be corrupt. The question had been, why is Nigeria ranked among the world most corrupt countries of the world. According to record, “Nigeria is the 150 leasted corrupt nation out of 180 countries, according to the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. ”
Corruption sets the foundation for every criminal tendencies and habits and matures into insecurity. Corruption is simply defined as “dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
“The journalist who wants to expose corruption in high places and collect money to prevent publication”
Corruption is further defined as dishonest dealings, unscrupulousness,deceit,deception,duplicity, double-dealing, fraudulence, misconduct, lawbreaking, criminality wrongdoing, villainy, bribery, subornation, venality, graft, extortion, profiteering, crookedness, shadiness, sleaze.
It is very noticeable that every citizen of Nigeria has been dented in one way or the other. Many countries with similar predicament had been able to surmount their Herculean problems due to the strong resolve of their leader. It is the body language and leadership will that propels the citizens to follow suit by joining hands to do the right thing. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, leaders are like false preachers who say one thing and do another thing. No wonder, the people watch their leaders strangulate our economy and pretend to be good leaders. They steal from our national coffers and when the people want to shout, they put peanuts into their mouth not to spill the beans. This has been the situation since independence. A country blessed with both natural and intellectual resources , is yet to provide stable electricity , adequate water supply, good and motorable road, lack of satisfactory health services which is rather very poor. These lapses contributed to the radical turn of events that ultimately propelled misguided unemployed youths to source for illegal firearms to stand against their country and also propagate lslamic ideology that is unacceptable an alien to most Muslim faithfuls. How they easily acquire illegal firearms and the sources cannot be unknown to security agencies. According to records former President General Abdulsalami Abubakar had disclosed that millions of illegal firearms are in wrong hands. It is a verifiable fact that corruption is the bane of insecurity in Nigeria since its independence. Like a sick patient who prefers going to clinic for a particular ailment instead of hospital for a permanent cure. Every government claims having solution to the countries electricity, bad road, poor educational standard, poor medical facilities, poor welfare, astronomical rise in market prices of food-products and above all is insecurity. It is argued that, corruption is the trigger point for all the aforementioned national malaise. lmpressively, during the presidential campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu affirmed to Nigerians that it is his turn to be at the number one driver’s seat nationally. This assertion, is what is known as “Emi lo kan” lndeed, it can be his turn as a yoruba President, afterall a northerner who also was a retired military General, was on the number one national driver’s seat for eight years and drove the nation into economic woes leaving behind a debt N49.85 trillion as at march 31st, 2023. yet insecurity persisted until he left the office for Bola Tinubu. Since, a northern leader could not end this banditry, maybe the “Emi lo kan “ strategy may finally eclipse the insecurity in the country. Afterall, one familiar security strategy is never to deploy indigenes when there is insecurity in that particular area instead deploy non indigenes.
No wonder, when President GoodLuck Jonathan assumed office and the BokoHaram ensued he deployed the Chief of army staff Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika a non indigene but he was resisted by some powers in the north. However when Lieutenant General Tukur Brutai was appointed 2015 as the Chief of Army Staff, he wasted no time to implement the strategy by appointing a non northerner General Lucky Irabor to head the “Operation Lafia Dole” in Borno State to wage war against Boko Haram terrorists. This strategy does not allow for familiarity, ethnic nor religious sentiments during implementation. except the expression and exhibition of patriotic zeal.
The result, was an overwhelming recovery of the recapturing of over thirteen local governments areas from the Boko Haram terrorist. Every war has its specific strategy and only when such is deployed can results be achieved. So, President Tinubu, over to you.
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Readers response
Dear Mr Ben Okezie, your “Security File column” dated August 31, 2023 has further exposed you as a detribalised security writer with deep experience in security issues. The column titled “Vacant Efcc Chairman’s seat ” was a true expose of happenings in the Commission. While we appreciate your contributions to national security development, we would rather have asked the question “Why CP Olayinka BALOGUN?
The writer of this letter is a stakeholder of “TINUBU :MUST SUCCEED VANGUARD” which is a known constituency across Nigeria and in the diaspora.
As a detribalized group, we had written a letter to the President over the person of Dr Olayinka Balogun. Our question remains “Why Dr Balogun?
At this juncture of our Nation history, we need very committed Nation builders, not just bench warmer appointees. We need a man that has similar passion and the love Mr President has for Nigeria. We want a man with impeccable records of service.
Dr Balogun has passion for investigation and has integrity as an anti corruption officer. His impeccable records at the Special Fraud Unit in Milverton Force CID speak volumes on his integrity and discipline.
He served as Principal Staff Officer (PSO)to four lnspectors- General of Police during his eventful Police Career.He has been a member of the National Security Advisory Committee since 2015.
We were therefore thrilled to read your column because we know Dr Balogun has much to offer the nation on Security, Intelligence and Forensic matters.
We remain yours in National Concern
Chairman, Elder Pa. Col. O.Oyedele (Rtd)(I will be 90 years old this year)
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SECURITY FILE wishes to celebrate the 63 anniversary with all my readers. Let us keep HOPE alive.