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Just recently, after suspecting they might be in grave danger, two female Abuja residents jumped out of a fast-moving tricycle, popularly known as keke, at about 8 pm, and sustained various degrees of injuries, and were hospitalized at the Federal Staff Hospital in Gwarinpa in the federal capital territory (FCT).
Also in Abuja, a colleague narrated how on New Year day, after eve service while returning from church at about 1:30 am, he stopped a keke, but his sixth sense asked him not to enter after suspicion that the rider of the keke and the two male passengers inside might be kidnapper or armed robbers.
While the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) recently released an infographic showing plausible achievements of IGP Mohammed Adamu from 16 January 2019 to 9 January 2020, the above two scenarios indicate that there is a consciousness in Nigerians that security is not guaranteed in the country, a big problem if the government should fail in continuing to improve on security architectures across the country.
According to the infographic released by the Police, in 2019, concerted efforts led to the arrest of over 1,527 kidnappers, 2,627 armed robbers, 758 murder suspects, and 1,621 cultists; recovery of over 2,037 assorted firearms, the rescue of 945 kidnap victims and recovery of 1,662 stolen vehicles.
However, Austin Peacemaker, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Security Affairs, a media and peace building consultancy firm, who spoke with TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) in an interview, said the data paints a picture of the big problem with insecurity across the country, and said there are roles government at all levels, security agencies and Nigerians should play if security of lives and properties must be guaranteed across the federation.
While speaking in consonance with Frank Mba, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Force Public Relations Officer, who said the crime rate across the country has been stabilized, Austin expressed fears that “as a country we are playing with lives”, stressing that the basic amenities to consolidate on the achievements of security operatives are lacking, or in some cases not being maintained.
READ INTERVIEW || How to solve the big problem of insecurity in Nigeria
The security expert maintained that the Police and other security agencies have been up to their games, but that there have been one or two cases of keke napep incidences, people snatching handbags, pockets of kidnapping cases; and also cases of one chance, which he said at a particular time was very rampant, especially around Kubwa expressway, airport expressway, Nyanya, and Mararaba expressway.
“There was a time that one chance was very very rampant. The police have made a lot of arrests. I think gradually the rate of crime is reducing. So, I can say that the security situation in the FCT is improving. However, there is room for further improvement,” Austin said.
The advice the security expert gave on how government can ensure security of lives and properties in the country are in line with Goal 10 and Goal 16 of the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs), which are geared towards reducing inequality and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
“Basically, the first thing, the government needs to improve facilities that ensure safety in our communities. The CCTVs should be working. It should not be the case that where a criminal took someone’s ATM card to withdraw money from the ATM in the night, and you request for CCTV footage, but they tell you that the CCTV is not working. Government should put the basic facilities that ensure safety and security in place.
“And I think the government too should also encourage people by providing street lights. I feel so bad when driving through some roads in the night. The street lights that are there are not working. It’s terrible. People pay their taxes; what the government has to do then is to ensure there is safe environment for us. The street lights should be working. Sometimes when you drive out of town in the night, maybe you enter Nyanya, Mararaba expressway, the road is dark.
“I fear as a country we are playing with lives. It doesn’t cost anything to make sure that the street lights are working; from night till morning, it doesn’t cost anything. Then Kubwa expressway, in the night, you find out that the street lights are not there. From the airport down to city gate, you will find out the street lights are working; so that those coming from the airport will feel that is how everywhere is. From airport back to Gwagwalada, the street lights are not working, they are mostly off in the night.
“I think that we should stop playing politics with peoples’ lives. This is a part government needs to come in. They should ensure that basic amenities that will ensure security, ensure safety should be working. Crime thrive very well in the dark, when street lights are working, it will help to reduce the rate of crime more,” Austin said.
He went further to say that, “However, there are people in public offices who are playing with peoples’ lives. When it comes to public funds, I think people need to be careful. Someone whose job is to install CCTV or ensure street lights are working, should do their jobs. Public office holders might think stealing money without being caught they are smart, but they don’t know that every blood that is spilled because of their negligence is on their heads; nemesis always have it’s way.
“There is also an urgent need to bridge the economic gap. There should be jobs. People should be given opportunities to grow. Banks should learn to give funds to early starters to float businesses; government should ensure that young entrepreneurs are encouraged, not banks looking for successful people to give money so that crime rate will reduce, so that a young man leaving the university will be sure that if he doesn’t get a job, he can go into business.
“Government should ensure there is a specific programme that is not politicized in place that will guarantee young graduates of startup funds. This will encourage young Nigerians to be more productive”.
READ INTERVIEW || How to solve the big problem of insecurity in Nigeria