Nigeria and rising insecurity

By Esther Innocent

“The state no longer has the monopoly of force, it’s lost control. From the North to the South life has become nasty, brutish and short” — Idayat Hassan.

It is saddening that the increase rate of insecurity has seemed like an insuperable issue in Nigeria. It is no longer news as even new born babies are aware of how insecured the country have become.

For over a decade, Nigeria has currently been faced with an array of security challenges, from Boko Haram attacks and their ISWAP counterparts to bandits, to kidnapping, and unknown gunmen. 

These security threats have witnessed an incredible surge, affecting Nigerian’s well being as many schools are closed and several residents forced to leave their homes. 

Of recent, in Kaduna State, unknown gunmen attacked a private University in the state, killing one staff member and abdicated over 20 students. It was the fifth known attack on a school or college in Nigeria since December 2020, and with about six students dead. 

Moreover, in the past few months, Kagara, Zamfara, Kankara has also received media and Nationwide attention, following reported mass kidnappings by armed bandits, which started with the abduction of about 500 boys from a boarding school in Kankara on December 11, 2020. 

The occurrence raised Nationwide concern. Not long, three other mass kidnappings happened within the space of two to three months. 

What would you say about Boko Haram, which is said to have been technically defeated but now hoisting it’s flag in NorthCentral with more frequent attacks.

The rising rate of insecurity in Nigeria is very worrisome. Efforts to project Nigeria as the African’s leading economy are hampered by the failure to deal with the growing insecurity in the country. 

Furthermore, the insecurity has also made foreign investors change their plans on hearing such bad news about Nigerian’s rise rate of insecurity and unrest. 

Security agents too, appear incapable of handling counterparts of its multifaceted manifestation. 

With the above, one may ask, what then are the significant factors causing this menace? These includes but not limited to;

 Ethnicity and religious differences: when people with different religious views starts defending their rights, it may cause conflicts leading to insecurity just like the case of Muslims against Christians. 

Corruption: According to Transparency international, in 2019 Nigeria was placed on 146th position out of 198 countries in the corruption perceptions index with a score of 26 out of 100. This is disheartening!! Corruption has already become a part of life in Nigeria. Corrupt politicians in the country have become a turn off for international investors. 

Porous borders: another major causes of insecurity in Nigeria is the porous frontiers of the country. This is where most movements are untracked. Nigeria have borders that are poorly guarded Hence, insurgents from other countries can penetrate into the country with no problem. 

Others factors include unemployment and poverty.

However, there is a believe that even though Nigeria is as bad as nothing, there’s still a way out. And that can only come when we have selfless, good, accountable leaders, otherwise, insecurity will continue to deteriorate in Nigeria