Implementing Tinubu’s Security Emergency

Having hearkened to popular agitation and declared a state of emergency on national security, President Bola Tinubu should also muster the political will and go tough on those found complicit in making Nigeria unsafe, no matter how highly placed, Ejiofor Alike reports

To the admiration of his supporters and critics alike, President Bola Tinubu last week took an audacious step towards tackling the country’s security challenges by declaring a national security emergency across the country.

Before the emergency declaration, many Nigerians, including opposition leaders such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi had consistently called for a state of emergency on security.

In his latest call after the recent abduction of students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State, Atiku asked, “How many more lives must be shattered before decisive action is taken?”

“It is not too late for the government to finally declare a state of emergency on insecurity and confront this menace with the urgency it deserves,” he added.

In declaring a state of emergency on national security, President Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police to recruit more men. He also directed the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately deploy forest guards to flush out terrorists in the country’s forests.

President Tinubu also urged the National Assembly to amend the laws to allow willing states to establish state police in their respective states.

Tinubu charged herders’ associations to surrender their illegal arms and end open grazing, saying ranching is the path forward for sustainable livestock farming and national harmony.  

While urging mosques and churches to seek police and other security protection when they gather for prayers, Tinubu called on state governments to rethink building boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security.

“Our administration created the Livestock Ministry to address the persistent clashes between herders and farmers. I call on all herder associations to take advantage of it, end open grazing and surrender illegal weapons.

“Ranching is now the path forward for sustainable livestock farming and national harmony,” Tinubu added.

However, the Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume said Tinubu should also make some executive orders shutting down the National Assembly and some ministries.

“Now that the president has decided to declare emergency, he should take his pen and paper and draw some executive orders and say – close this ministry, close the National Assembly or reduce the workload of the National Assembly and say this is the money we’re going to save from that and use it to buy MRAPVs – Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles or you use them to buy ammunition or you use them to train the security agents we need,” Ndume explained.

However, the vice presidential candidate of the LP in the 2023 election, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, said Tinubu misfired by directing that proprietors should stop building schools in remote areas of the country, insisting that such a suggestion should be withdrawn immediately.

Speaking as a guest of Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS Channel, Baba-Ahmed also condemned Tinubu’s security strategies, retorting dismissively that the president scored zero.

While Baba-Ahmed may disagree with Tinubu’s security marshal plan, the president’s steps are viewed by many as audacious moves that can end insecurity if implemented with a strong political will.

But without a strong political will, the emergency declaration will end up as an empty proclamation.

Tinubu’s call against open grazing was coming barely 24 hours after his Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, debunked reports that the federal government had banned open grazing.

This conflicting signal showed that the president would require political will to translate his words into actions.

The 17 southern states had earlier enacted laws against open grazing but the reluctance of the federal police to enforce these laws have rendered them ineffective.

It is not surprising that the livestock minister and some powerful forces benefiting from open grazing have continued to play politics around this outdated and obnoxious practice that encourages influx of killer herdsmen from the neighbouring African countries into Nigeria.

A mere declaration of state of emergency without strong political will is not sufficient to dismantle these forces who are largely responsible for the nationwide insecurity.   

Herders who kill farmers in reprisals for killing cows that destroy crops should face trial for mass murder and terrorism.

Tinubu should de-emphasise his second term bid and focus on implementing his security strategies.

Instead of celebrating the defection of members of the opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu’s APC-led administration should be celebrating the recovery of lost territories.

Recently, the APC-led administration was mocked on social media by a post that indicates that while the ruling party is winning new members from other political parties, bandits are winning more local government areas.

According to reports, no fewer than 20 of the 34 LGAs in Katsina State have entered into a peace accord with bandits. 

Making deals with bandits who have killed many Nigerians is a dangerous trend which must be halted.

The president should also go tough against powerful Nigerians sponsoring and collaborating with bandits and terrorists.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) had cautioned the federal government against what it described as a growing pattern of negotiating with bandits.

In a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC stated that the APC-led administration appears “distracted by politics” and is acting “less like a democratic government and more like an occupying force.”

Abdullahi noted that it took a remark from former U.S. President Donald Trump before the government showed any meaningful reaction to the recent wave of kidnappings

Abdullahi cited recent comments by top officials, including the Inspector General of Police (IG), who reportedly said those behind the Kwara church attack were not arrested because they “came out voluntarily for the peace talk.” 

He also referenced a statement attributed to Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga suggesting that some abductees were released because authorities “asked them nicely.”

“These contradictions raise troubling questions,” the ADC said.

“Is the Nigerian government paying ransom? What was exchanged for the alleged surrender of weapons? If the perpetrators are not being arrested and prosecuted, what justice exists for those they killed?”

ADC was not the only party troubled by the disturbing trend.

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris-Wase, last Wednesday made troubling allegations that individuals linked to Boko Haram and other criminal networks were at some point discovered on official recruitment lists of the Nigerian Army and Police.

At a special plenary session dedicated to reviewing the nation’s worsening security challenges, Wase, who represents Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State, said the infiltration of security agencies by criminal elements poses a grave threat to national stability.

He hinted that his claim could be corroborated by former House Committee on Defence Chairman, Hon. Muktar Betara.

President Tinubu should muster the political will to step on powerful toes in the course of implementing his security strategies.