The Nigeria Police Force, Oyo State Command, has remained silent for hours after a police officer allegedly shot and killed a candidate of the ongoing 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, May 20, 2025, along Gbagi Market Road, sparking protests by aggrieved youths at the Oyo State Government Secretariat.

Reports said the student was on his way to his exam centre with his father and sibling when a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police officer pursuing a suspect hit him.

The victim was rushed to Welfare Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

In response, protesters carried the deceased’s body to the Oyo State Government Secretariat, demanding the intervention of Governor Seyi Makinde.

A video seen by THE WHISTLER showed the lifeless body on a stretcher, surrounded by youths and an unidentified police officer dressed in black.

“A police officer did this; lock him up,” a voice in the background shouted.

THE WHISTLER reached out to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, but received no response.

Messages sent via WhatsApp and SMS were also left unanswered as of press time.

The President of Save the Poor and Needy Charity Initiative (SPANCI), Comrade Yemi Ezekiel Bello, condemned the killing and demanded a thorough investigation.

He said, “Dear IGP and stakeholders, kindly investigate the above case, as it was allegedly reported that a man was taking his children to school this morning and some alleged police officers and OYRTMA, while chasing Yahoo boys and others, said while chasing traffic law offenders, started shooting indiscriminately and a bullet hit this little boy and killed him.

“According to the report, it was confirmed that the officers conducted themselves unprofessionally, which led to the death of this little boy whose father said he had been taking care of them and refused to remarry since their mother left 7 years ago.”

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to supporting lawful integration of foreign residents, announcing that 116 applications for Nigerian citizenship and special immigrant status were processed between May 2024 and May 2025.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Mr Ibrahim Layode, shared the update during a ministerial press briefing on Tuesday in Alausa, Ikeja.

The event was part of the activities marking Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second year in his second term in office.

While the Federal Ministry of Interior oversees citizenship applications, Layode explained that the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs collaborates closely in facilitating the process at the state level.

“The process is open to foreigners who have legally resided in Nigeria for at least 15 years, maintained clean records, and shown demonstrable investment interest in the country,” he said.

Of the 116 applications received over the past year, 63 were screened for eligibility. Final decisions are made by the Federal Ministry of Interior following a thorough vetting process that prioritises national interest.

Layode noted that a multi-agency subcommittee handles the evaluation, including the Nigerian Immigration Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Police, Ministry of Justice, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), and the Office of Civic Engagement.

“There is a pre-meeting stage where submitted documents are verified and character assessments are carried out to ensure that applicants are of good standing,” he added.

He also addressed provisions for special immigrant status, which allows permanent residency for foreign nationals married to Nigerian citizens, subject to meeting all legal requirements.

This initiative, he said, aligns with broader national goals to integrate law-abiding immigrants, attract investment, and enrich Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape.

Layode emphasised Lagos’s role as a key partner in implementing these integration efforts, describing the state as a hub for global migration and a leader in transparent citizenship pathways.

He also highlighted Lagos’s enduring legacy of religious harmony, noting its success in fostering peaceful coexistence between Christian and Muslim communities.

“The core mandate of the ministry is to strengthen harmonious relations among faith-based organisations,” Layode stated.

A former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi has been begged to join the All Progressives Congress.

Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi begged Obi, to join the All Progressive Congress because all the governors in the Southeast region are supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He equally hinted that a section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is nearing completion and that users will have to pay a toll starting in December.

He disclosed these in a feature interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking President Tinubu’s second anniversary.

Umahi said that all South East governors support President Bola Tinubu’s administration, regardless of their political affiliations.

According to the minister, the South East is witnessing a new wave of federal attention and infrastructure development under President Tinubu.

“The Igbo man is enterprising and blessed with God-given wisdom. What Ndi Igbo seek is fairness, Nigeria that treats every zone equally. That is what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing.

“Before, when I was governor and deputy governor, one of our major concerns in Ebonyi State was the lack of federal presence. But today, nobody remembers that issue anymore. Under President Tinubu, at least four federal projects are ongoing in Ebonyi State.”

He noted that while cries of marginalisation used to dominate conversations in the South East, the current administration has made significant progress in addressing long-standing concerns about infrastructure and appointments. 

“Today, the South East has a Minister of Works for the first time, and we’re seeing real projects—Port Harcourt to Enugu, Enugu to Abakaliki, Enugu to Onitsha, Onitsha to Owerri, and the Second Niger Bridge. The President has already paid 30 per cent of the cost of that bridge.

“All the governors in the South East, regardless of party affiliation, are working with the President. We’re even planning a summit to bring together all South-East leaders to endorse the President for the 2027 elections formally. We want our projects to be completed, the country’s unity to be strengthened and proper integration of Ndi Igbo.”

Senator Umahi urged key regional opposition figures to align with the President for the greater good of the South East.

“Leadership is not about self—it’s about the people. If someone else is already doing what you would have done for your people, support him. I call on my brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, to join us and work with Mr. President.

“He must be part of this summit where we will collectively endorse President Tinubu for the 2027 election. I say it boldly: the South East is happy with the President”, he said.

Providing updates on four major national projects—the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Trans-Saharan Trade Route, and the soon-to-be-procured Ogun-Ondo-Niger Corridor—Senator Umahi described them as transformative investments designed to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential and deepen regional integration.

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Minister revealed that over 80 per cent of Section 1—spanning 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Lekki Deep Sea Port and terminating at Eleko Junction—had been completed. Work is also progressing on Section 2, which covers 55 kilometres from Eleko Junction to the Lagos-Ogun border.

“By December, we will toll Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We project a 10-year return on investment. The road has solar-powered lighting and CCTV infrastructure and offers carbon credit advantages.

“It is more than a road—it is an economic corridor and a catalyst for regional growth. We have completed 30 kilometres of Section 1 and are on track to complete an additional 10 in Section 2. These are six-lane, concrete-paved highways.

“Just days ago, we flagged off Sections 3 and 3B—65 kilometres in total—covering 38 kilometres in Cross River State and 27 kilometres in Akwa Ibom. The host communities’ excitement speaks to these projects’ transformative impact.”

Commenting on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Minister explained its historic significance, noting that the route was conceived during the Shehu Shagari administration over four decades ago

Popular northern female politician, Hajiya Nàja’atu Mohammed has lamented over the Yorubanization of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to her, Tinubu's government is all about Yorubas.

Naja’atu accused Tinubu of using national resources to develop the South-West where he hails from.

She spoke during the maiden episode of the Political Advantage Platform (PAP) podcast hosted by Hadiza Malumfashi.

Nàja’atu, however, said she has nothing personal against Tinubu.

She claimed that the President fostered regionalism while he jettisoned national unity, and failed to deliver on critical issues.

She blamed the economic hardship in the country on Tinubu’s refusal to listen to the cries of Nigerians.

“I have nothing personal against Tinubu, but it is clear that everything in his government is about Yorubas for Yorubas and by Yorubas.

“Tinubu is using the national resources to develop his region.

“Are we trying to ‘vulcanize’ the country into ethnic fiefdoms?

“When a government ignores the voices of its people and listens only to external bodies, the result is a broken economy and suffering citizens,” she said.

The former member of Tinubu’s presidential campaign team said development would continue to elude the country if insecurity remains unsolved.

Nàja’atu lamented that Nigeria’s had high hopes following Tinubu’s emergence as President due to his “so-called experience” as governor of Lagos “but his administration has been disappointing”.

Sam Amadi, former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has made a claim ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, nobody can defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election without Mr Peter Obi.

Obi was the erstwhile presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election.

Amadi’s remark comes amid reports that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had offered Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party the vice-presidential slot in a proposed single-term coalition ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, the former Anambra State Governor maintained that he is only interested in the coalition against hunger, poverty, and the bad state of healthcare and education in the country.

But in a post on X on Tuesday, Amadi, who is also Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, maintained that Obi is indispensable to whoever wants to defeat Tinubu comes 2027.

He said: “The truth is that without @PeterObi there is no way anyone can defeat Tinubu. What this truth implies is for you to figure out. This explains the melancholy and aggression on this street.

“The circle can be squared with respect and deep good faith.”

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the proposed bill by the National Assembly to jail citizens who refuse to vote during elections.

Naija News reported that the bill sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has passed second reading in the Green Chamber.

The bill proposed a fine of ₦100,000 or six imprisonment for citizens who fail to vote during an election.

In a statement on Tuesday, signed by its president, Afam Osigwe, NBA faulted the legality of the bill and described it as draconian.

Osigwe warned that no citizens should be punished for refusing to vote, which is within his or her right. He reminded the National Assembly members that transparent electoral process encourgares citizens active participation in democratic process.

NBA urged NASS to make laws that would improve the integrity of the electoral process.

It read: “The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) unequivocally condemns the proposed bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians, describing it as an unconstitutional affront to civil liberties and democratic values.

“The bill, which prescribes sanctions including fines of up to ₦100,000 or imprisonment for failure to vote, is not only regressive but wholly inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“Section 39(1) of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to silence, dissent, and abstention. In a democracy, the right to vote is a civil liberty, not a legal obligation. Compelling citizens to vote through coercive legal measures violates the fundamental right of Nigerians to decide whether or not to participate in elections.

“Also, Section 40 guarantees the right to freedom of association, which includes the right not to associate. In the same spirit, compelling an individual to vote, regardless of their faith in the electoral process or options presented, amounts to a violation of their personal convictions and political freedoms.

“The NBA finds it unacceptable that a democratic government would seek to criminalize non-participation in an electoral process marred by voter apathy, mistrust, insecurity, and systemic failures. Instead of fixing the conditions that discourage voter turnout, such as electoral violence, vote buying, among others, the state is attempting to force participation through punitive legislation.

“Democracy is not sustained by coercion. It thrives on consent, participation, and trust. The moment citizens are forced to vote under the threat of imprisonment, the entire essence of free and fair elections collapses.

“If passed, this bill would set a dangerous constitutional precedent: that the government can punish citizens for refusing to participate in its processes. This opens the door to further erosions of civil liberties and legitimizes authoritarian impulses under the guise of electoral reform.

“The NBA calls on the National Assembly to immediately discontinue any legislative process advancing this unconstitutional and anti-democratic bill. Nigeria’s democracy does not need coercion; it needs trust, transparency, accountability, and inclusive reforms.

“Rather than punish non-voters, government and political actors must focus on rebuilding the integrity of the electoral system, ensuring security on election days, guaranteeing the independence of the electoral umpire, and conducting voter education to inspire confidence in democratic participation.

“Let it be clear: No citizen should be compelled to vote under threat of prosecution. The NBA will resist any attempt to enforce such draconian provisions and will challenge any law that seeks to weaponize civic participation against the people.”

The administration of President Bola Tinubu is set to sell 753 luxury duplexes seized from a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to interested Nigerians.

This was made known by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who noted that the move is based on the directive of President Tinubu.

Dangiwa made the disclosure in a statement issued on Tuesday after the official handover of the duplexes by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

The Minister added that the housing units will be sold through a clear and competitive process. He also assured that the procedure will be promoted extensively and overseen through the Renewed Hope Portal.

The houses are located in the Cadastral Zone of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The statement reads: “Today, I had the honour of hosting the hardworking Chairman of the EFCC , Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, as he officially handed over 753 duplexes and other apartments—located in the Cadastral Zone of the Federal Capital Territory—seized from the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

“This handover is in line with the directive of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, that the recovered estate be completed and made available to the Nigerian public through a transparent and accountable process.

“It marks a significant milestone in government’s effort to ensure that recovered assets are not left to waste, but are transformed into productive infrastructure that directly benefits Nigerians. As a next step, we will conduct a comprehensive integrity and structural assessment of all buildings and associated infrastructure to ensure safety and suitability for habitation. We will also complete all outstanding infrastructure, including roads, drainage systems, and other essential amenities, to make the estate fully functional.

“Additionally, a standardized housing design framework will be developed to ensure architectural uniformity and provide guidance to prospective allottees.

“Finally, the housing units will be offered for sale through a transparent and competitive process, which will be widely advertised and managed via the Renewed Hope Portal.

“Together with the EFCC, we will work to show that the fight against corruption can deliver real benefits—turning looted assets into livable homes for Nigerians.”

The Lagos State Government has clarified that its forthcoming statewide enforcement on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) ban does not include PET bottles, sachet water – commonly known as ‘pure water’ –, or nylon carrier bags thicker than 40 microns.

THE WHISTLER reports that the state government announced on Sunday that full enforcement of the ban on certain SUPs will commence across Lagos on July 1.

Speaking on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, reiterated that the government’s position remains unchanged.

According to him, the ban applies strictly to specific items such as styrofoam food packs, all forms of polystyrene (disposable) cups, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and single-use carrier bags or nylons with a thickness below 40 microns.

“Other items banned in the single use plastics category are plastic straws, plastic cutlery and all single use carrier bags and nylons that have less than 40 micron thickness,” Wahab stated, according to the Director Public Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Kunle Adeshina.

Wahab also revealed that, as part of measures to underscore the seriousness of the policy, the state has inaugurated the newly established Plastic Waste Management Fund.

This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the state government, producers, and Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs).

The fund, which will be financed through contributions from producers and major importers, is aimed at addressing plastic waste challenges in the state and will be jointly managed by all stakeholders involved.

He further emphasized the government’s determination to begin full enforcement of the ban on July 1, following the conclusion of an 18-month moratorium.

It will be recalled that on January 21, 2024, the Lagos State Government officially banned the use and distribution of styrofoam and certain SUPs in a bid to curb environmental pollution across the state.

Eight days after publicly declaring that ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, would be questioned for naira abuse, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has yet to act.

On May 12, the EFCC stated via its official handle: “Nobody is above the law. Tompolo will have questions to answer!” This followed the circulation of a viral video showing Tompolo dancing on ₦1,000 notes during his 54th birthday celebration in April. In the video, some individuals were seen spraying the naira at his feet, while he danced — both actions are criminal under Nigeria’s Central Bank Act.

Yet, despite the EFCC’s firm promise, no further action has been announced. The agency reportedly delivered an invitation letter to Tompolo but has remained tight-lipped since.

The prolonged silence has reignited public frustration on social media, with many accusing the EFCC of shielding high-profile figures from prosecution. Critics point to similar cases, such as that of Wahab and Raheem Okoya — sons of billionaire Razaq Okoya — who filmed themselves spraying naira notes but have faced no known legal consequences.

Under Section 21 of the CBN Act, it is a punishable offence to spray, dance on, or mutilate the naira. Tompolo’s actions in the video — both stamping on and being sprayed with naira notes — appear to breach this law.

Tompolo, a former Niger Delta warlord and now a high-ranking traditional and spiritual leader of the Ijaw people, holds considerable influence in the region. He also maintains a multimillion-dollar federal contract for securing oil pipelines in the Niger Delta.

With mounting questions about equal treatment under the law, the EFCC’s silence has only deepened suspicions about selective justice — especially as the agency has aggressively pursued less-connected Nigerians like celebrities Bobrisky, Iyabo Ojo, and E-Money over similar infractions.

There is a surge in insurgency in Nigeria. There is a ferocious return and dominance of the Boko Haram, the terror group in Nigeria linked with Al Qaeda and ISIS at various times, but which has now become so domesticated that the Nigerian government proves helpless to fulfill its obligations to the Nigerian people under Section 14(2) of the !999 Constitution. The primary duty of the government is to ensure the security and welfare of the people. In April, Professor Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State cried out that the federal Government was not serving this purpose whereas he as a sub-national leader was doing everything to liaise with the Federal Government to secure peace in Borno State and the North East. Babagana Zulum is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). 

What was meant as a honest confrontation within the APC family soon turned into an occasion for verbal conflict. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris more or less told Zulum to keep quiet. Idris would later walk back his original statement blaming it on fake news, again confirming how so conveniently politicians readily blame the media for their own omissions and commissions, even if it is true that fake news and charlatanism represent the scourge of the age. On the issue of insecurity in the North East, other people contributed to the debate, including members of the National Assembly who decried killings, kidnapping, community displacement, armed robbery, disempowerment of persons, internal refugee crisis, and the general descent into a state of anomie, to varying degrees in Borno, Yobe and Gombe states. Borno would seem to be the most affected of the states. The situation in Borno state has worsened since Professor Zulum raised the alarm in April. 

It is worth noting that the Borno State Governor had to raise an urgent appeal for help over the weekend. In an official statement, the State Governor lamented that Marte Local Government Area was about to fall completely into the hands of Boko Haram. Out of about 300 towns and villages in the LGA, the only community still standing is Marte. Over 20, 000 residents had already fled to Dikwa, so concerned was the Governor that he had to sleep in Marte with the help of the military. Now he begs the Federal Government to come to the rescue. Zulum may well feel vindicated that what he had forewarned in April, as the man on the ground in Borno state has now come to pass. But he is not triumphant about that, rather he has taken his matter to God, by declaring Monday, May 19, a day of prayers and fasting in Borno State. This is typically Nigerian and hypocritical. When Nigerian leaders fail in discharging their responsibilities, they blame God. When they fail to arrive at a needed understanding of situations, they ask God to collect the baton, and run the race. Please, is it the fasting and the praying in Borno state yesterday that would drive away the insurgents? Religion has become the deus ex machina for Nigerian problems and the failure of leadership. We must stop blaming God. Professor Zulum labelled the day, a day of voluntary praying and fasting, to seek “guidance, healing and peace for our state”. He adds: “Through prayer and reflection, we can strengthen our unity, our resilience, and restore our collective purpose.” Prayers alone cannot do it.  

Persons of faith would be quick to quote Christian Bible passages such as Matthew 7: 7 -11, Mark 11:24, Philippians 4:6, Matthew 21: 22, Matthew 6: 9-13, James 5: 15-16, 1 Chronicles 16:11 in affirmation of the power of prayers.  Similarly, the Islamic faith emphasizes the salah or salat, an act of worship that brings man in closer contact and communication with God through prayers as in Surah Baqarah 2:45, 2:110, 2:238, and Surah Hud, 13:22. The most annoying fact of the Nigerian reality is that Nigerian leaders remember religious teachings only when they are overwhelmed. It would be difficult to know the number of volunteers who heeded Zulum’s call for fasting and praying, but we can hazard a guess that the people of Borno State who have been killed, maimed, displaced in Marte, Pulka, Gwoza, Nguro Soye and uprooted in all the 27 Local Government Areas of the state, unable to go to the farm, market or schools would readily confess that they have prayed long enough, over the past 17 years. The problem is not with God, it is with the Nigerian government. Government is the people’s god. And the problem is not restricted to the North East. The North West is also insecure. The Middle Belt has become a killing field. Life is short, nasty and brutish in other parts of the country. Nobody should be surprised if there are reports of violent attacks in the North East before this week runs out: the criminals riding roughshod over Nigeria have a way with morbid humour. They may be tempted to respond to prayers offered in their own way. They have turned themselves into tin-gods. While the people are praying and fasting, and Governor Zulum continues to whip up sentiments of faith, the criminals are probably busy working on strategies to overrun the whole of Borno and Yobe States. 

Successive Nigerian governments have continued to live in denial. Alhaji Lai Mohammed, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Minister of Information told us that Boko Haram had been “technically decimated”, government was winning the war, and that Boko Haram has “no caliphate” anywhere in Nigeria. As recently as April 2025, Alhaji Mohammed at a Spokespersons Summit was busy boasting that he changed the narrative about the Boko Haram over-running local governments in Borno state. Which narrative? Has he heard Zulum’s latest cry for help? It is easy to build castles with spittle, until morning dewdrops collapse the entire structure. But it is all in the line of business for Nigerian leaders to lie to the people and deceive them. Why has the Nigerian government failed to secure the land? The same approach has been adopted over the years: security architecture, increased funding for the military, operation this, operation that, kinetic, non-kinetic, revision of national security strategy, statements of assurance, and yet when each tragedy occurs, government issues apologies, and statements of condolence, but the situation remains the same. Obviously, the security of government officials is more important than that of the people. As 2027 approaches, the politicians will feed the people with hope and expectations once again, but the impediments will remain.

The latest in the government’s bag of promises is the report that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of forest guards to secure about 1, 129 forests in the country. The National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Ministry of Environment have been directed to ensure full implementation. The plan is to recruit 130, 000 armed operatives, about 2,000, or 5,000 per state depending on carrying capacity and together, the states and the Federal Government can secure our forests. The forests have been the main base of insecurity in Nigeria be it the notorious Sambisa Forest, the Old Oyo National Park, Kainji National Park or the many ungoverned spaces in Niger, Benue, Kwara and other parts of the country. The Nigerian Forest Security Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025 is meant to flush out terrorists, bandits and other criminal gangs and enable the country to take back its forests. The intention sounds noble, jobs will be created for many Nigerians, but the true test is to be seen in the implementation. The proposal raises more questions than answers.

To start with, the idea of forest guards is not new. Nigeria has always had a Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS), which was eventually renamed Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS) in 2024. Originally set up to protect the country’s forests, wildlife and natural resources, its role was soon expanded to include security to check the menace of criminals who use the forests as hideouts for insurgency, kidnapping, and banditry. How would the proposed establishment of Forest Guards be different from the existing NFSS. Ambassador Dr. Wole Joshua Osatimehin who is the current Commander General of the Nigeria Forest Security Service has since issued a statement praising President Tinubu for the establishment of Forest Guards. The same Osatimehin reports that “we are fully on ground in 36 states of the Federation and the 774 Local Government Areas nationwide and our officers and men have been professionally trained by the Nigeria Police, the DSS, Nigeria Army, NSCDC and other formal security agencies within and outside the country…” If this is truly the case, why the need for a new structure and outfit? It will be recalled that late Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu as Governor of Ondo State had repeatedly called on the Forest Guards, this same NFSS to secure the forest reserves in Ondo state. I am therefore surprised that some commentators have praised President Tinubu’s establishment of what may look like a parallel outfit. If the existing NFSS does not work, what is the guarantee that a new creation would be able to do the job?  

The best way to secure Nigeria is not by creating new outfits, it is by strengthening existing structures. Nigeria’s borders are known to be porous. It is widely believed that most of the criminals wreaking havoc in the country are not only home-grown, they also infiltrate the country from the Sahel region. Our borders are so porous any bandit from Niger or Chad can just walk across, or rather ride on the back of a motorcycle into Nigeria, do maximum damage and then vanish across the border. Recruiting 130, 000 forest guards cannot deal with the enormity and complexity of the problem. Rather than create a new outfit, the military can be better equipped to form a special unit whose task will be to comb the forests and flush out all the criminal elements hiding therein. What are the policemen doing? They appear to be underworked. The police force can be expanded and all the pot-belied officers extorting money on the roads can be deployed into the country’s forests to hunt down the insurgents. The NFSS can be expanded too, and its new recruits made to live permanently in the forests, and lay ambush for criminals. The Federal Government cannot keep creating new agencies or new bureaucracies having promised, before now, to implement the Oronsaye Report and run a lean, efficient government.

The security of lives and property is far too important to be left at the level of rhetoric. Government officials have spoken more than enough about the problem, they need to apply concrete solutions. By now Nigerians must be tired of hearing fanciful phrases and expressions of good faith. Or that an MOU has been signed with China to supply military equipment, or that DICON has engaged some contractors, or that a certain fund has been specially set aside. The ineffectuality of these measures explains why there is now an increasing call for self-defence by victims of insurgency and banditry. A resort to self-help can only breed anarchy. It would be a rejection of the state, a vote of no confidence in those who run it. When every Nigerian has to protect himself or herself, because the state has failed, that would be the final violation of the contract with the people. As it is, Nigerians have to worry about electricity, security in their homes, and safety at work and on the streets. Many of the people who travel abroad do so just to get away from it all, this life of strife and perpetual anxiety that the average Nigerian is saddled with. They do not necessarily do well abroad, but there are many who get lucky, and there are others who are just happy to live in an organized society where they can gain access to basic amenities of decent living. Forest guards cannot reassure such persons that Nigeria will become a safe place to live in. Just in case the diversionary talk about forest guards is an excuse to avoid the bigger subject of state police, we miss the point.

The best legacy that President Tinubu can construct on all fronts is to make Nigeria better, safer and more enabling than he met it.