The pervasive insecurity plaguing Nigeria is far from a trivial matter, deeply impacting every facet of the nation’s life, from food security and freedom of movement to education and commerce.
This stark assessment was delivered by Dr. Richard Ikiebe, the Director of the International Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice, during an appearance on Sony Irabor Live on News Central TV on Sunday.
Dr. Ikiebe painted a grim picture of the situation, stating, “Insecurity in Nigeria is by no means child’s play at all because it affects everything: our food, movement, education, and commerce. It’s no child’s play because farmers can’t go to the farm. In some places, you have to pay a ransom to be able to go to your farm; you have to pay a ransom before going to harvest. It’s no child’s play at all.”
Before any effective solutions can be formulated, Dr. Ikiebe emphasised the critical need for a comprehensive understanding of the issue’s nature, its underlying drivers, and the reasons for its prolonged persistence.
He cautioned against piecemeal approaches, advocating instead for a “holistic, systematic, and consistent approach” to tackling the complex problem.
Addressing the government’s efforts, Dr. Ikiebe highlighted the limitations of the rule of law without effective enforcement and administration.
“There is a rule of law. The rule of law, on its own, depends on enforcement, the administration of it. If a judge sits in a court and pronounces a judgment, it is hoped that there will be people to carry it out. If a governor or president instructs the army to do something, it is hoped that the army will be equipped and functional with the capacity to deliver on what the government is doing. So, law on its own cannot enforce itself; people have to enforce the law.”
Dr. Ikiebe stressed that tackling insecurity requires “intentionality” from those in governance. “I have always said that Nigerian insecurity requires the government to own it; to say this is a problem and the government should go out of its way to own it. If you own a problem or an issue, you sleep with it, you wake up with it, and it becomes something bothersome; you can’t go far from it because you understand that it affects every area of your governance.”
He further raised concerns about the commitment of some sub-national leaders, alleging that in areas severely affected by insecurity, “some of the state governors have abandoned governance, some of the local governments have been abandoned by the local government administrators; there are no governed spaces.”
Sharing an anecdote, Dr. Ikiebe recounted a conversation with a high-ranking official from an unnamed state who admitted being unable to visit his local government due to the prevailing insecurity.
He warned against complacency in safer regions, stating, “Because we are far from it and because it doesn’t immediately affect us, we imagine that we are okay.”
While acknowledging that government officials often claim to be doing their best, Dr. Ikiebe reiterated that true ownership of the problem demands relentless pursuit of solutions.
“When you own a problem, you don’t let it go until you have solved it. And for you to do that, you must first understand the problem. If you don’t understand the problem, you will be beating about the bush in trying to solve it. What we have in our case is a case of those who should be sleepless and say what exactly is wrong, why it is wrong, and what we can do about it. It is not as difficult as it is to find a solution to insecurity in the country.”
