Shege-Ka-Fasa and Amotekun: The gasoline that may never quell rage fire.
By Ayobami Abdullahi el~Africa (Abuja)
Truth needs not be cosmeticized, for it is superficially attractive although bitter to work with due to its capricious way it strikes those who are blind to it. Without much circumlocution, much ink has been spilled, many newspapers have conceived myriads of headlines on the recent introduced security outfit while some broadcast media have transmitted news and opinions on this issue which acclaimed to be more important. The big question is, could Operation Amotekun and Shege-Ka-Fasa be the panaceas to avert insecurity portending giant obstacles to the peace and tranquility of this Nation? Maybe!
In the northern part of this country, peace seems to be a paradise we haven’t beheld in this age ranging from Boko Haram attacks on the innocent people of northeast, Fulani herdsmen killing of the farmers, kidnapping and other forms of insecurities ravaging Nigeria, thereby, plummeting peace to the journey of eternal silence. It would be impolitic of the government to hasten to solution rather than constructively looking at the causes of this predicament.
Recently, it was garnered in the World Bank report that 87 per cent of the poor in the country resided in the North. It was also gathered that 13 million to 14 million out-of-school children were in the northern parts of Nigeria. What a time bomb for the future of this Nation!
As regards poverty, the fight against this epidemy in the northern part of the Nation is germane and sacrosanct in the fight against insecurities. When a man is viciously stricken by the blow of poverty, obviously, his sense of virtue is likely to varnish in the course of striving to survive. Striving to survive is what has resulted to highest level of crime standing as the giant constraint towards the progress of this Nation.
It is said that education has the keys to the development of any society and he who opens a school door, closes a prison. There is need to send back to school, over 14 million of out-of-school children in the North if the government desires to end crime. Because, it’s apparent that many of those committing crime in the part of the country are grossly ignoramus to what they are doing even when they think what they are doing is right. The North as a region must brace itself and reverse the ugly trends.
Moreover, the rising rate of banditry, kidnapping, abduction, human trafficking, recurring herders-farmers clashes, etc. cannot be overemphasized as these menaces are dangerously threatening peace, stability and even corporate existence of Western Nigeria has given birth to the launching of Operation Amotekun to avert the looming rain of terror that may wash away the peace of this region.
Notwithstanding, the fears that such a bold move championed by politicians would in the future be hijacked to unleash terror on political opponents seems to be heightened as the paymaster of the security outfit would be the governors of the Southwest. Therefore, the certainty of dancing to the paymaster tune is certain.
Nevertheless, the provision of logistics, arms, ammunition including financially strengthened (salaries) by the government should be meticulously delved into. There have been a growing impotence of the government in some Southwest region regarding salary payment of workers in the states. Thus, if they are not capable of financing the security outfit, it would be wiser if they didn’t start what they couldn’t sustain.
The aftermath of starting what they couldn’t sustain may have way for the use of arms and ammunition given to the security personnel for protection being used otherwise in the cause of putting foods on the table for survival resulting to the act of quelling rage fire with gasoline. Arise!
Ayobami Abdullahi el~-Africa is a Journalist, poet, writer, researcher and Columnist.
He can be reached via ayobamiidowuabdullahi@gmail.com
Or
08163855932
