Since the awakening imposed on us by the US President, Donald Trump, over the security situation in Nigeria, there has been an escalation of terror, especially the activities of bandits against the citizens across the country.
The terrorists are seemingly attempting to send a warning signal against any likely US invasion or are simply demonstrating their strangle hold on the country.
The terrorists raise the tempo of their onslaught by dramatizing the gruesome and humiliating murder of Nigeria’s Brigadier General, Uba and three of his men ln Borno state. This is yet to fully settle in with many who saw those worrisome footage.
There was also the 64 civilians, including women and children, abducted in Tsafe LGA Zamfara state by Islamist terrorists a day after.Also 25 female students and their Principal were abducted from a school in Maga, Kebbi state, by the same group of terrorists who instantly put the school’s Vice Principal to death.
Not also forgetting the 38 worshippers abducted from a Church in Eruku, Kwara state. Even though freedom smiled on them, those who paid the supreme price cannot be forgotten so easily.
In addition to the bloodletting, one policeman was killed in an attack by Islamist terrorists in Geidam, Yobe state, just as eight members of the Civilian Task Force were killed and three abducted by these “untouchable” killers in Gwoza, Borno state.Within the same week, 15 people were abducted, including 4 nursing mothers and babies, and while two were killed in Sabon Birni, Sokoto state by the terrorists, not to mention four rice farmers who were brutally killed in an attack in Edu, Kwara state.
While security authorities were busy trying to figure out what had hit them within the week, 112 students were abducted in a Catholic school in Agwara, Niger state, even as unconfirmed number of students were kidnapped in Doma Nassarawa State. All this in just one week.
Several attacks have occured in different parts of the country after the incidents mentioned above. The trend is now southwards, with attacks in Kabba and other areas in Kogi and Edo States, it is obvious that doing something drastic is the only available choice.In Ondo State, the battle with kidnappers has assumed a more daring dimension.
Only on Thursday, the Ondo State Security Network(Amotekun) announced it had foiled a kidnap attempt and in the process, rescued four persons who were abducted by bandits.
The Corps Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, reported that the kidnappers engaged the agency in a gun battle but were eventually overpowered with the help of local vigilante groups in the area. Four of the kidnappers were eventually arrested. The victims were the driver of the bus, who was shot point blank in an attempt to stop him from escaping; a woman shot but survived and three others who had to go through some medical stabilisation due to the traumatic experience.
Before this incident, Amotekun had been arresting and parading countless kidnap suspects. The routine is raising a new concern over the recurring cases of kidnapping, not only in Ondo State, but in the neighboring states of Kogi and Edo.
These killers who claim to have the licence to traverse our forest and take people hostage at will, are armed with the most sophisticated weapons. They are also armed with megabucks to compromise individuals who are likely to become hindrances, including villagers who are likely to know their pathways into the forest.
They walk into communities from the bushes firing deadly bullets, maming and killing anyone they encounter. They are fearless, not because they are invincible, but because they know they possess superior weapons that could engage even the nation’s military for a while. Against these invaders, the “cock and shoot” will certainly do no damage.
Besides a very well designed system of intelligence gathering, Amotekun which has proved a potent antidote to the insecurity posed by the bandits and herdsmen in the southwest region must now be provided with the enablement to be able to stand tall against the invaders.
High tech drones, automatic weapons and high performance and covert communication gadgets are now needed to fully keep the terrorists at bay.
The South West governors must scale up on their support for Amotekun beyond the regular provision of vehicles and the rhetorics of improving welfare of personnel.
The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, had been cheered for announcing the approval for the recruitment of additional 500 personnel for Amotekun Corps. This is laudable, but personnel alone can’t do the job. They have to be well trained in handling advanced technologies in the fight against terrorism. The state government must now invest heavily in equipping the corps with the facilities and infrastructure that would immediately produce a well motivated Amotekun Corps whose presence at any outpost could send the right message of preparedness to any group of bandits attempting to attack any part of the region.
Such infrastructure should include automatic rifles like AK47 and even higher calibres of weapons necessary to deter or contain banditry; effective drones that could hover over large expanse of forest areas for hours in information gathering and geolocation expeditions; effective bullet proof vests and other combat kits that provides adequate protection for the personnel as well as adequate mobility that would help the personnel navigate and police difficult terrains often used by the bandits.
The state governments of the South West must also prioritise the welfare of personnel so as to ensure high moral.
The bandits are trying to prove a point that they know the forest better than us. But we can change the narrative and establish that the forest is ours, as in the captivating lines of one of the star actors in Apocalypto: “I am Jaguar Paw, son of Flint Sky. My Father hunted this forest before me. My name is Jaguar Paw. I am a hunter. This is my forest. And my sons will hunt it with their sons after I am gone.”
This is the sure way the Operation Le won jade(Operation chase then out) now being embarked upon by the Ondo State Amotekun, aimed at chasing out the bandits from the forest can be achieved faster and safer.
As the federal legislature is now dallying over creation of state police, the states must act fast to secure their borders before it is too late. We can see that as the heat is turned on the bandits by the military at the various northern theatres of war, the bandits are looking southwards to take refuge in the densely forested south. Operation Le won jade must be backed by the right ammo, tit for tat and blow-for-blow.
The bandits do not have the exclusive rights to brandish AK47 or a submachine gun, our local security forces should also make them feel the heat of sophistication and make them scamper for cover when they meet brow to brow.
Other states in the South South should rise to the occasion, and follow the examples of the South West governors. The people of Edo and Delta are now in the throws of death under the regime of bandits who have made travelling the roads hazardous.
The Kogi State Government should stop playing politics and immediately step up its own security infrastructure in “putting pepper” in the eyes of the terrorists who see Kogi as their next hotbed after unleashing horror in Kwara.
The excuse of possible abuses of local police is no longer tenable at this critical moment. It is like the case of a patient diagnosed of high blood pleasure, who feared the consequences of the side effects of the drugs prescribed for him. The doctor asked him if he preferred stroke/ heart attack or the mild side effects of the drugs that could help him live longer.
War has been brought to our doorsteps, the situation is dire. It is now or never. Government must make quick and far reaching decisions to secure the lives of the people. In this current situation, it has become expedient for the ordinary people themselves to bear arms, as some top security experts have said: “the people are the first line of defence. ” This defence is only assured if those empowered by law to bear arms can do so effectively.