New Telegraph-Admin 
The political will to address pressing national issues continues to fuel insecurity, leaving citizens at the mercy of terrorists who come in sundry forms, some as bandits, much patrol like herdsmen and others, exploitative militants. It is glaring that Nigeria is under siege.
Killings have continued unchecked since Boko Haram made bold headlines in 2008. When the North-east was troubled, some politicians used the situation to heat up the polity especially after Dr. Jonathan Goodluck won the presidential election in 2011.
What began in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, as a police action following the extra judicial killing of Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, has thrown the entire Armed Forces into an unconventional war, stretching the security system beyond limit.
After Jonathan, President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired warrior who promised so much before assuming office in 2015, worsened the situation by throwing open Nigeria’s borders.
That singular act emboldened criminals from all over the continent to rush to the erstwhile Giant of Africa. These terrorists were distributed all over the country under the cover of COVID in 2020. While movement of citizens was restricted, trucks plied the highways at night without inhibitions, simply because those in power were part of the game.
We are now in a situation where even the Federal Government has become as toothless as a castrated bull dog. All efforts geared towards securing the people have not done much to restore confidence.
Poverty and insecurity are killer diseases. One lone voice that made so much sense is the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Adeola Ajayi who came out openly, recommending Community Policing as one sure way to tackle terrorism.
He used a part of the North-east to solidify this submission. For those who do not know much about Ajayi, they need to interact with operatives of the secret police.
It is a shame that our nation, known for securing countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and foiling a coup in Sao Tome and Principe, cannot free itself from terrorists…
He is celebrated as a core operations officer, worthy of the top position. When his appointment was announced, there was jubilation all over DSS formations. We are shocked that the Federal Government has not done the needful by empowering communities to secure themselves.
This should be done with maximum supervision by the DSS which appears to be leading in intelligence gathering. President Bola Tinubu must do something urgently to save the country from these wanton attacks. When the security of the entire nation is at risk, there should be no consideration of political correctness or religious diplomacy.
While politicians drag their feet on the setting up of State police, Tinubu is under no inhibition to encourage communities with the necessary fiat to police themselves. The situation has become bad and drastic measures must be taken. There is no time to spare anymore.
The military have been on this beat for so long, yet the killings continue. New strategies have to be adopted and one of such is the disengagement of the military from police duties. Nigerian soldiers have been so localised that the people do not trust them anymore, like before.
Tinubu could support each of the legion communities around the country to have their men fully involved in policing them. The locals understand their land more than those who appear from the forests, and are better positioned to secure these places. This is not calling for the proliferation of arms. There must be rules.
The men presented by the communities must be properly registered and well trained by the DSS in weapons handling. And like the secret police, they do not need common uniforms. This is because the military fatigue of the Armed Forces is all over the place and worn by terrorists, leaving citizens more confused.
Since the people that will police the various communities are at liberty to identify themselves through their own peculiar means, any intruder will be easily fished out.
Nigerians are tired of killings in Bokkos today, Nsukka tomorrow and Ondo in future. If the Federal Government is not bothered about the food shortage caused by these terrorist attacks, the people are concerned and feeling it.
It is a shame that our nation, known for securing countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and foiling a coup in Sao Tome and Principe, cannot free itself from terrorists that were imported by politicians. Nigerians are not cowards. They have led United Nations Forces, Commanded African Union troops and powered ECOWAS combats. Enough is enough.
