APC Government: Turning Security Management into Political Circus
Ihave come to the sad conclusion that the APC Federal Government considers the maintenance of security as a form of circus - a show where they juggle the security architecture aimlessly for the purpose of political advantage. To this APC Federal Government, security of lives and properties starts and ends with propaganda. The centre stage of the circus is the Presidential Villa where Hyenas and “Hyenanas” gather to rub salt on the collective injuries of Nigerians.
Over the last one month, criminals of various descriptions have overwhelmed the security apparatus of the country. There is no single zone without a major security crisis.
Boko Haram has woken up, rejecting their technical defeat. This time to dole deaths on a daily basis in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and in some instances Taraba and Gombe States. It is for this reason that some governors gathered and agreed with the APC Federal Government to illegally fetch $1billion (N360b) from the Excess Crude Account to stem the wave of unpalatable killings and violence.
In the North West, Kaduna, Zamfara and Kebbi States have been turned into the theatre of war for Fulani herdsmen and cattle hustlers. Hundreds have lost their lives and sources of livelihood. The case of Kaduna is a national embarrassment. Killings occur with the frequency of matches in the English Premier league. Traditional and community leaders are killed with reckless abandon.
Need we talk about the badoo cultists of Lagos and Ogun States? They terrorize, kill and kidnap without control.
In the middle belt, over 10 persons were murdered in Kwara a few days ago. The Bwari mayhem in Abuja claimed six lives while the invasion of Benue State by Fulani herdsmen is a national tragedy. In less than two days, over 50 persons were killed.
Like the above mentioned states, there was a security infraction in Rivers State wherein 17 persons lost their lives at ONELGA.
But in all the security infractions in the other geo-political zones and states, nobody politicised the issues. Indeed, only Rivers State is a PDP state in all of these.
The PDP politicians in the other states, understanding the importance of security and the need to collaborate to build safer communities refrained from careless talk.
However, the APC Federal Government and her media agents planned to use the Omoku massacre to play politics. Because Amaechi funded the APC campaigns, the APC Federal Government provided the embattled Minister of Transportation with a platform at the Presidential Villa to spew utter nonsense and dance on the grave of the innocent Rivers people killed by unidentified gunmen.
Amaechi addressing a press conference at the Villa on Tuesday asked Governor Wike to resign over the Omoku deaths. This is an unfortunate exposure of the quality of persons in this non-performing APC Federal Government; ministers who are blinded by hate and therefore cannot address issues objectively.
Under our form of government, all security agencies are firmly controlled by the Federal Government. There is no state government that controls even the Civil Defence. That is why Nigerians asked for restructuring.
For now, the President is responsible for the security of all Nigerians. The governors only support by providing logistics and financial support for the agencies.
It is for this reason that Nigerians blamed Former President Goodluck Jonathan for the kidnap of Chibok girls. It is also for this reason that Benue leaders including Governor Samuel Ortom are blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for the inability of the security agencies to protect them.
Why then would the scenario be different for Rivers State? Why would a failed Former Rivers State Governor be allowed to use the base of the Commander-in-Chief to insult the collective psyche of the grieving Rivers people?
This is the height of insensitivity and unbridled cruelty. It is the worst form of emotional terrorism. The manner that the APC Federal Government has turned against Rivers people is unimaginable. It is sickening.
On this Amaechi unfortunate issue, Governor Wike berated him for politicizing security, saying that his comment on the Omoku killings is an indictment of security heads posted to the state by the APC Federal Government.
He said while his administration has never influenced the posting of any security head to the state, it has always funded and provided logistics for security agencies more than any state government in the country
“When you portray the state as insecure, you are driving away investors. No good man does that. By Amaechi’s logic, the killings all over Nigeria are being sponsored by the President “, he said.
It is easy for Rotimi Amaechi to play politics with the dead. It is easy for him to exhibit heartless treachery every step of the way. But he must realise that Judas reaped what he sowed. Like his mentor Judas, Amaechi has reaped rejection from Rivers people.
Security is at the heart of governance. The control of the levers of security management is critical to the protection of the citizenry. In today’s Nigeria, nobody controls the levers of security. The APC Federal Government merely plays “try your luck”. They issue directives and control postings of security personnel, but refuse to take responsibility for the total collapse of the nation’s security architecture.
In Rivers State, Governor Wike has taken immediate remedial measures to improve security in the state. He has placed N200m bounty for information that will lead to the arrest of perpetrators of the evil act.
Governor Wike will continue to work in defence of the Rivers people. The deadly schemes of the APC Federal Government and her agents in Rivers State will fail.
It is only under this administration that the Federal Government uses her agencies to undermine the security of states. It has never happened before. This is the fundamental premise upon which the ugly change would be discarded in 2019.