Opadokun Blames Insecurity on Perceived Security Agencies’ Sectionalism

Sunday Ehigiator

A leader of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Mr. Ayo Opadokun, has blamed the increasing banditry and the activities of other non-state actors, who are threatening national security, on what he described as the nation’s gross inadequacies, inefficiencies and undisguised lopsided security agencies.

He, therefore, called for the discontinuation of a centralised policing system to allow states and local government areas to enforce both their state and local government council laws and by-laws respectively.

He stated this yesterday, while delivering a speech at the third year anniversary of the Association of Lagos Artisans and Technicians (ASLAT) in Lagos.

He said the Boko Haram sect has remained potently violent and unstoppable as they regularly attack soft targets.

Opadokun accused President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of recruiting “so-called de-radicalised murderers, former Boko Haram members, into the army.

“There have been several reports by the media that these new recruits have proven to be informants about the army’s operational plans. No wonder the army is left to be regularly much more reactive after surprise attacks of Boko Haram,” he said.

According to him, herders have ravaged and ethnically cleansed many natives from their ancestral lands and homes without any honest and productive government agencies deterring their aggressions.

He described the last five years under Buhari as disappointing, contending that the president has performed below expectations.

He said: “Buhari being a retired general promised us security if we voted for him, and he along with one of his lieutenants ridiculed and derided President Jonathan as a failed leader during their campaigns.

“[But] Buhari has performed grossly below expectation. There had been no recorded vigorous and successful prosecution that can even deter the killer herdsmen and their wealthy sponsors from committing worse atrocities.”

He faulted Miyetti Allah’s position that every forest in Nigeria is owned by the central government, saying such a position is against the Land Use Act.

Referring to a recent interview granted the ARISE NEWS Channels by the president, he stated that Buhari exhibited an uncommon attachment to false history when he said he had instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to dust up the gazette of the grazing routes throughout Nigeria.

“The Land Use Act of 1973 has put state lands under the governors as trustees, and there is no provision for the central government’s usurpation of governors’ powers,” he said.
Opadokun lamented the activities of bandits who have effectively occupied strategic Nigerian forests and farms, while capturing, kidnapping, tormenting, killing and collecting huge ransoms from Nigerians when it suited them.

He said despite the banditry, the Buhari administration appeared incapable of arresting what he called the greatest assaults on the country’s nationhood.

He also described as unbelievable and unprecedented, the regular capturing and carting away of schoolchildren, pupils, students from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, adding that the quantum of ransom the government has paid is mind-boggling.

He said these acts had exposed and ridiculed Nigeria and its security apparatus before the international community.

“It remains an unbelievable misery and possible cover-up that in spite of available technological instruments, the Nigerian state keeps paying ransom to secure releases,” he said.

He said since non-state actors now appear to have the upper hand, the federal government should discontinue its failed strategy of centralised policing.

He said: “Nigeria must return to federal constitutional governance so that the component units can legitimately create suitable security apparatuses to enforce both their state and local government council laws and by-laws, respectively.

“Otherwise, Nigeria will one day wake up to face the unfortunate reality of the supremacy of the non-state actors’ dominance, which usually results in anarchy that can consume everybody.”

He said the elite ignoring the consequences of the dominance of the authorities of non-state actors must wake up from their slumber.

Opadokun said: “It’s possible for people to know the beginning of violence but hardly can anyone beat his chest that he knows who will be spared, and how the violence and anarchy will end.”