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Recently, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) expressed frustrations over the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the North West region. The governors, who paid a solidarity visit to the governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, regretted that incidents of kidnapping, killings and other crimes had become a daily occurrence in Nigeria. Ekiti State Governor and the Chairman of the NGF, Dr Kayode Fayemi, however, noted that with the concerted efforts on their part as governors and the commitment of the Federal Government and security agencies, the nation would see the end of the criminality and brigandage in the country.
The lamentation of the governors is not surprising. Across the country, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes are on the upswing. Hardly a day passes without news of one serious crime or the other. In the past few days, Boko Haram insurgents and bandits have attacked communities in Borno, Adamawa, Katsina and some other states. We can recall the recent abduction of Kankara schoolboys.
In most of these attacks, the bandits usually go free without facing the law. Not even one of those that abducted the Kankara boys, for instance, was apprehended and punished. From the accounts of the boys, the gunmen collected ransom, released them and moved on. Tomorrow, they may stage another abduction and collect ransom with impunity.
Nigeria’s insecurity is worrisome. Government appears to have abdicated its responsibility of securing life and property, which is the primary duty of government. By saying that they are frustrated, the governors are obviously bemoaning the situation. It is not for nothing that the Institute for Economics and Peace adjudged Nigeria the third most terrorised country in the world for the sixth consecutive year.
It is imperative to note that the drivers of insecurity in Nigeria are multifaceted. Unemployment is the major trigger of insecurity. In the third quarter of 2018, the rate of unemployment was 23.1 per cent. At the official rate of 27.1 per cent currently, it is high and may get worse as recession bites harder. Among young people (15 – 34 years), the rate of unemployment rose from 29.7 per cent in Q3 2018 to 34.9 per cent currently. With Nigeria’s population projected to hit 411 million by 2050, at an annual growth rate of 3.2 per cent per annum, the crime rate will definitely increase.
The advent of COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation and led to either partial or total closure of many companies. People who were hitherto employed found themselves in the job market again. And the jobs are not there. Thousands of students graduate every year without the prospect of getting job anywhere. Some of them may have taken to crimes.
Poverty is another problem. Nigeria is currently the poverty capital of the world. The situation is such that hunger appears to be killing people now more than the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. It is high time the Governors faced the challenges of governance squarely. People can’t graduate for years without employment. Everybody must not be employed, but the environment has to be conducive for entrepreneurs to thrive. One way or the other, the government must get the youths engaged. As the governors rightly noted, “we have to ensure that our states drive away our young people from the merchants of death who are using them as cannon fodders for this criminal brigandage and we can only do that if we provide them with an alternative means of livelihood and support system that will not entice them to these elements that are endangering the whole of our country.”
To whom much is given, much is expected. Leadership comes with responsibility. Those in government should remember that governance is a social contract. Leaders owe it a duty to protect the people. The governors should go home and redefine their approach to governance. They have to step up their game. Good enough, they have given assurance that they would not only be tough on banditry, kidnapping and sundry crimes, but also on the causes of these problems such as poverty and social inequality. They have also pledged to work together and return our country to peace, progress, development and prosperity.
We suggest that they should start by requesting an increase in the numerical strength of the police as well as adequate remuneration for them. There is no way less than 400, 000 Nigerian policemen will adequately police over 200 million population. It is below the United Nations recommendation of 1:400 police-to-person ratio. That is partly why people have called for state police. Currently, we have a centralised policing system. The governors are called security chiefs in name. In practice, they have no powers.
Interestingly, the Federal Government has seen community policing as a way forward in policing the 774 local councils in Nigeria. Recently, it approved the sum of N13.3 billion for the take-off of the initiative across the country. Every security is local, and to get the buying-in of the people, it must involve the local people. It is the standard practice in many advanced democracies.
The governors should emulate their South West colleagues who recently launched Operation Amotekun security outfit in their region. Both the federal and the state police should be adequately equipped with sophisticated weapons and high calibre rifles for effective fight against bandits and terrorists.
