TERROR groups in Northern Nigeria have, since the inception of the Jonathan administration unleashed mayhem on innocent citizens in most parts of the region with security agencies and the presidency promising almost on a daily basis to deal with the insurgence with out any headway till date.
LITTLE wonder then that the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Mr. Peter Voser raised the red flag that security situation in Nigeria had worsened in the last two years. Voser in a speech posted on the company’s website noted “the stealing and sabotage of crude oil intensified during the year under re view thereby threatening its multi-billionaire-dollar business” and opined that Shell alone cannot tackle the issues. THE Company’s chief executive recommended a multi-stakeholder approach as they have pushed for several years which has gone unheeded by the Nigerian authorities.
THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER, is disturbed over the security situation in the country as the United States of America recently raised alarm over escalating insecurity of lives, property and businesses necessitating in its restricting the movement of its citizens within some states in Nigeria.
WE are even more worried over the implications of corporate citizens’ perceptions of our security on larger businesses and in particular, growth and development of the country. Unfortunately, efforts by Nigerian security to address the challenge have not yielded the desired results.
IT is an incontrovertible fact that there could be no meaningful development in any society where security of lives and property is heavily under threat. Shell’s expose reveals of colossal sums of money lost through oil theft by criminals who, in our view act in concert with powerful and well connected Nigerians including even some unscrupulous officials of the nation’s security organisations.
THE sad situation the nation finds itself is an attestation of the lack of political will by government over the years to deal decisively with the various security challenges that have arisen with one leading to the other, some of which now have ethnic, and religious colourations. Kidnap ping of multinational oil workers in the Niger Delta went on for too long unaddressed until it metamorphosed into kid nap of innocent low income earners, a situation which speaks volumes of our un-preparedness to tackle the menace of kidnappers until the mother of the Finance Minister and Head of the economic team of Mr. President was kidnapped by hoodlums to the utter embarrassment of the whole nation.
CLEARLY, the Nigeria Police Force have failed woefully to live up to its responsibility as from every indications, the police themselves, including the high authorities are either involved in criminal activities or are pre-occupied in shielding perpetrators of criminal offences.
THE political class have equally not helped the situation as most of them are involved in arming youth groups to do their political billing who in turn go back to the trenches with such arms to perpetrate criminality against the people and the state.
THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER is strongly of the view that if Nigeria must attain its national goals and objectives, the present administration must take proactive steps to tight insecurity in the land and restore hope and confidence amongst all stakeholders,
BUT in all, we believe the President needs to exercise the political will to make this happen. Mr. President needs to throw away ethnic, sectional and other sentimental gaits and wear his nationalistic apparel to deal with insecurity in the country.
GOING forward, we join shell Petroleum Plc to recommend a well organised, multi-stakeholder approach to dealing with insecurity in the country. The Nigerian Army, Navy, Air force, Department of State Security Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Immigration, Nigerian Customs and most importantly, the Nigeria Police Force need urgent over haul. All outfits need better coordination to arrest the situation and make the country safer for all.