Follow Us on Google
It is unfortunate that Nigeria has been ranked fifth among countries affected by organised crime. Nigeria came behind the Republic of Congo, Colombia, Myanmar and Mexico in the ranking. A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt- Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd), who quoted the recent Global Organized Crimes Index, also revealed that other countries affected by the scourge, include Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
These countries have also been ravaged by avoidable conflicts. Organized crime, according to experts, is a complex of highly centralised enterprises set up for the purpose of engaging in illegal activities. According to the report, Nigeria came second of 54 countries in Africa and first of 15 countries in West Africa on organised crimes.
It is not surprising that Nigeria was listed among countries affected by organised crime in the world. For long, the country has been waging a relentless war against insurgents, bandits, murderous herdsmen, terrorists and other non-state actors operating across the country.
While unknown gunmen operate in the South East zone, the insurgents terrorise the North East, and the bandits kill and maim the residents in the North West. The clashes between farmers and murderous herdsmen are rampant in the North central region. The South South and the South West are also not free from some of these organised crimes, especially kidnapping and cultist activities.
Apart from being seriously affected by organized crimes, Nigeria is still among the 10 most terrorised countries in the world, according to World Terrorism Index. It is also lamentable that Nigeria is in this league of countries affected by organized crimes and terrorism. No country can realize its potentials and attain full economic growth, social progress, stability in the midst of rising security challenges. Under the prevailing atmosphere, it is not likely that any businessman will invest in a country plagued by organised crime.
Businesses can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security. This can explain why Nigeria has recorded poor economic growth in recent times. Recent macro-economic and financial developments show that the real GDP growth fell to 3.3 per cent in 2022 from 3.6 per cent in 2021, while multidimensional poverty rate stood at 63 per cent and unemployment at 33.3 per cent.
We urge the government to tame those behind organised crimes in the country. The security agencies should go after those sponsoring the rising insecurity across the country. Those fueling the insecurity must be apprehended and duly prosecuted.
Besides, the government should create more jobs and put up measures to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty. The inseparable link between crime and poverty has long been established. Government should do all in its powers to enunciate and implement economic and social policies that will drastically reduce unemployment and take the youths out of the streets.
Special programmes for the youths, who are usually handy tools in the perpetration of organised crimes, should be put in place to engage them meaningfully. An idle mind, as they say, is the devil’s workshop. The young ones also need to be sensitized on the evils of crimes. In words, organized crimes in Nigeria should be tamed by all means possible.
Another way of fighting crime is to improve the welfare of the people. The government can also dialogue with the perpetrators of insecurity where there is willingness to surrender arms and embrace peace.
In addition, government should be in control of instruments of coercion. On no account should any individual be allowed to bear arms illegally. The proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition has contributed immensely to the rise in organised crimes in the country. In this regard, we urge that individuals, groups, no matter how influential or tied to the ruling government must not be allowed to bear arms or even brandish them publicly.
Let our porous borders be fortified to prevent smuggling of arms and infiltration of foreign insurgents. A robust intelligence network should be emplaced to identify the financiers of these organised crimes, no matter how highly placed. They should be brought to book. Doing this will deter others from toeing that path of infamy.
There should be no room for selective justice in dealing with the perpetrators of organised crimes.
