A dehumanized mental psyche

 

Nigerians have expressed visible worries over the activities of criminals operating in commercial motorcycles, vehicles with tinted glasses, vehicles with foreign plate numbers, and vehicles without number plates.

They argue that most crimes in different parts of the country are committed through these motorcycles and vehicles and express surprise over the way the criminals beat the scrutiny of law enforcement agents along the road.

Innocent citizens who reside in Lagos, Ibadan, Benin City, Port Harcourt, Warri, Onitsha, Aba, Kaduna, Kano, and Abuja, among others, have continued to recount their tales of woe to whoever cared to listen.

Sadly, the law enforcement agents, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring law and order and the adherence to the road safety rules and regulations, have for long adopted a conspiratorial attitude, mainly because of the benefits that would accrue from aiding and abetting criminals.

Nigerians are now of the opinion that the laws of the land are either no longer functional or  those in charge and the law enforcement agencies are deliberately sabotaging the enforcement of the laws for their self-centered motives. 

A victim of the worrisome state of insecurity in Ibadan, Nigeria, who spoke incognito, reveals his experience.

‘’There is a beer parlor opposite the Iyanganku Magistrate; it is among the several shops that share the same fence with the police barracks. A door inside the beer parlor leads into the barracks. Visit the beer parlor and observe those who patronize the beer parlor, and you will agree that those who break the law have the blessing of the persons whose statutory functions include the protection of lives and property, he stated.

The general feeling is that some criminally minded law enforcement agents make use of criminals as proxies in carrying out their statutory functions, which has resulted in the harassment, intimidation, and arrest of unsuspecting citizens.

Of worry is the adopted official status of lawlessness, indiscipline, and criminality in different parts of the country.

Indeed, illiteracy and ignorance have also contributed significantly to the scheme of things as presently constituted.

The mental psyche of millions of Nigerians has been dehumanized and degraded; this has resulted in unthinkable occurrences.

These occurrences have consumed a sizable chunk of those in charge.

The widespread, uninhibited prevalence of the lawless acts, to millions of Nigerians, is an indication that there is already a failure in leadership; with no visible remedy in sight for now.

Violent Crimes-The Position of Spectators

 

The consensus among Nigerians is that the arms build-up in different parts of the country has its background woven around the aspirations of actors in the socio-political scene in the land.

The arms build-up festers side by side with poverty, hunger, and brigandage, while the land has over time become fertile for trading in illegal arms with evil deeds as the major focus.

Indeed, state actors are familiar with the negative effects of injustice, inequality, nepotism, and favoritism, but are, sadly, handicapped by self-centered interests and incurable greed.

Interestingly, the competition for power and privilege has resulted in the loss of precious lives and the wanton destruction of the properties of innocent and harmless citizens. 

The debate among Nigerians now is on what constitutes the major functions of state actors.

The illegal influx of arms and ammunition has continued unabated through constitutional and unconstitutional channels with the active connivance of those who ought to be well-informed on security matters.

As violent crimes soar nationwide through the use of sophisticated weapons, Those-in-Charge have adopted the position of spectators to the amazement and chagrin of Nigerians.

Funding Instability

 

The continued existence of outlawed organizations revolves majorly around indiscipline, lawlessness, criminality and evil.

Indeed, lies, half-truths, hunger, poverty, idleness, ignorance, the high population of illiterates, language and religious differences are among the several factors that have been tapped on, to manipulate and deceive Nigerians into belonging to the outlawed organizations. 

Sadly, personalities with ambiguous characters who now hold political offices have for some time, in the recent past, identified with these organizations and even funded them to promote instability and violence in different parts of Nigeria.

This is the right time to take a second look into a number of cases of alleged attacks in some states of the federation.

Of great worry is the increasing involvement of professional bodies and workers' unions in violence for pecuniary reasons.

Violent Crimes-Re-Orientate and Re-train Security Operatives-Comrade Emelieze

The funding of several agencies by the Federal Government to tackle violent crime in Nigeria may be for pecuniary reasons even though it is wasteful

This assertion was made in a chat with New Federation by a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC) Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''It is very ridiculous when one begins to count the number of law enforcement and security agencies fighting violent crimes in Nigeria. These agencies are all performing the same function, perhaps, for pecuniary reasons and this is wasteful. The political class should be held responsible for violent crimes in the land. The Federal Government needs to move from wasteful spending and  urgently re-orientate, train and re-train the conventional law  enforcement and security operatives for the best results,'' Comrade Emelieze advised.

Insecurity-The Abia Model

 

Insecurity is a discussion among Nigerians across the country.

Violent crimes, abductions and ritual killings have now become daily occurrences, while the security architecture is yet to have any convincing and meaningful impact towards stemming the ugly tide.

The decision of the Abia state Governor, Alex Otti, to sanction any traditional ruler, community leader or homeowner who sponsors or supports criminal activities in communities would go a long way to reducing the crime rate in the state.

This decision should be adopted by serious-minded state that are fully focused on the business of governance.

Above the Law

The trend in several states of Nigeria today are the threats to public peace with impunity, violence and the unlawful possession of firearms. Indeed, criminals sponsored by politically exposed persons have always been in and out of the custody of law enforcement and security agencies. Sadly, they are, most of the time, let off the hook without prosecution. The insinuation is that they are above the law. Interestingly, these criminals who have been involved in heinous and grievous crimes against humanity walk the streets freely. Of worry is the fact that an unspecified number of uniformed personnel have a longstanding relationship with criminals, while the production of stickers, emblems and souvenirs, uniforms and other accessories for law enforcement and security agencies continues as the count down to the 2023 general elections begin. ot surprisingly, most political office holders who seek to retain their positions and those aspiring to occupy political offices rely on threats, violence, intimidation and subversion to achieve their self-centered ambitions. The government has continued to feign ignorance for unknown reasons. Note- The increase in the duty tour allowance would greatly benefit Minsters and Permanent secretaries. This is a wrong direction, considering the increase in the Pay As You Earn Taxes of civil and public servants.

Landlords and Tenants Associations, Crime and Criminality

Most communities in Oyo state among other states in Nigeria have been overwhelmed by criminals, a significant number of whom are residents. These criminals take time to observe happenings in these communities from shops, beer parlors, hotels, and abandoned buildings in these communities after which they facilitate heinous and grievous crimes.

In Molusi, Solanke, Oyegbami, Oshodi, Olorunsogo, Barracks, Aluko, Felele, and several other communities in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, electricians, petty traders, barbers, commercial motorcycle operators, and mechanics and beer parlor operators secure accommodation for questionable characters, who no terrorize these communities. Sadly, the Landlords and Tenants Associations in these communities know these criminals but overlook their criminal activities, perhaps because of the pecuniary benefits accruing to them. Although they ensure they facilitate the collection of night guards dues from residents with all vigor. Children of school age, those in Primary and Secondary schools in these communities have constitued bad influences to serious minded pupils and studnents in most schools in the state. The outcome is the several unreported cases of crimes in these communities, while innocent residents continue to ponder over the constitutional roles of law enforcement agencies which seems to be non-existent