NIGERIA’S STATE OF INSECURITY, continues, daily, to take its toll on Nigerians, adding more pains, and less progress in stemming the tide by the authority. The gap between expectations from government and reality, on the state of insecurity in the country continued to widen, and has thrown regional interests in the country into desperate move to secure their people.
Monday, in Abuja, confrontation between protesting Muslim Shiites Movement and Nigerian Police, inflicted devastating pains on the family of Precious Owolabi, a reporter with a private television station in Abuja, whose life was cut short by stray bullet. Precious Owolabi is on National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, attachment with Channels Television.
Shiites Movement, have for weeks, occupied some streets of Abuja, protesting the continued incarcerated of their leader El-Zakzakky. Experts in security matters said, sensitive as the Shiites protest is, in the nation’s capital, Abuja, a proactive national security operation, would put the situation under check and prevent it from escalating or deteriorating.
Nigerian Police confirmed the death of Usman Umar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, during the violent protest, and two other officers, including Precious Owolabi, Channel’s Television Reporter were seriously injured. Owolabi died later from sever injury.
Frank Mba, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Force Spokesman’s statement, in Abuja, said the protest took place within Abuja Central Business District. He said the protesters were heavily armed and defied “sense of decency and violently attacked innocent citizens and police personnel on duty”.
“In the process, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, FCT Command, DCP Usman A.K Umar, was shot and fatally injured by the protesters. The officer who was immediately rushed to the hospital died moments later while receiving treatment. Two Assistant Superintendents of Police and a Staff of Channels Television sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment,” Mba’s statement said.
Mba said the protesters burnt National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Response Post and two vehicles close to the Federal Secretariat, Abuja; and 54 suspects arrested, linked with the protest were being interrogated, and would be charged to court as soon as possible.
Nigerian Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mba said, commiserated with family of the late DCP and condemned the incident, and warned that “Enough-is-Enough”. The IGP warned that the Force and the nation would not continue to suffer losses on account of reckless and lawless persons and groups in the society.
Assurances from Buhari’s government, that security chiefs are on top of the situation are waning. The crest of support and goodwill the president have enjoyed is also declining. Nigerians are unsmiling over insecurity in their country.
According to Abuja residence, after Monday’s Shiites incidence, there are daily palpable fear of insecurity. Nobody knows who becomes the next victim of insecurity in Abuja. The same fear grips the entire nation.
Setting agenda for tackling insecurity, economic renewal and fight against corruption as government’s priority, on inception of his administration in 2015; and second term in office, in 2019; over four years on, and the situations are deteriorating, hopes are dashing in many quarters, and gives a picture of government inability to govern.
The heart of Buhari’s administration problem, according to analysts, if failure to promote “social justice” on national issues. Some faces behind the scene, pulling the levers of power for Buhari’s presidency, often described as “cabal” are the government’s inflicted burden, hindering good governance.
Popular views hold, that they are not telling the president the truth, and are not giving him balanced and dispassionate views of events in the country, as they affect the people. To discerning observers, others that are burden to Buhari’s government are “sycophants in corridors of power”. On behalf of government, the sweet-talkers, strenuously defend government actions – whether popular or unpopular, and become disservice to good governance.
