The federal government is losing sight of its territory
There was tension penultimate Monday in Danare, Biajua and Bashua border communities in the Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State over a proposed visit of the United Nations Technical Team on border demarcation, allegedly to implant the new pillar 113A in line with the judgment of the International Court of Justice. Protesters, led by eight village heads, went round the three affected communities decrying the alleged plan to implant what would imply losing their villages to Cameroon.
Unfortunately, while the villagers have been calling on the federal government to intervene on their behalf, no help seems to be coming from Abuja. The hapless villagers have therefore concluded that they have no leaders or even a country to call their own. Coming at a time Boko Haram insurgents are also carving out territories for themselves, is our country gradually unraveling before our very eyes?
While we seek answer to that poser, one other worrisome development continues to be that of the nonchalant attitude of national leadership in the entire saga. There appears to be lethargy of sorts, a certain type of unwillingness even, by the nation’s leaders to apprehend or comprehend the situation. Many are now forced to conclude that Nigeria has enough lands to give away and could not therefore be bothered if things went the way they are going. Because it is hard to imagine how a self-respecting nation can comfortably lose its territories so freely without recourse to any attempt to reclaim them.
The failure therefore is strictly that of the leadership that has abandoned its primary assignment of safeguarding its citizens from external aggressors. It is increasingly appearing that the national leadership does not understand the enormity of its first mandate and pact with the people: to protect the territorial integrity. For what is the sovereignty of a nation if its units can be so callously left to scavengers? What is the value of leadership if it cannot stand up in defence of its law abiding citizens?
Equally at stake is national pride which is currently at an all-time low. No independent nation worth its flag would concede an inch of its soil to any other nation as the action strikes at the very heart of decency and a sense of corporate existence. Today, many Nigerians feel listless and have been shamed into hiding from a marauding force bent on decimating them. No wonder they now resort to self defence. In the long run, the recourse to self defence itself is a vote of no confidence passed on a leadership that is weak at protecting its citizens.
To worsen matters, the invaders who either by violent means or some judicial processes seize our lands are only emboldened by the weak-kneed response from the Nigerian authorities. They must have reasoned that there is no serious repercussion to such forceful acquisition. They are therefore encouraged to come for more. As we speak, it is not impossible that they are eyeing and hoping to gain more grounds in their expansionist quests. And they are not dissuaded by anything. Rather, having taken an inventory of the cowardly intervention of the Nigerian authorities, our enemies must have concluded that the least line of resistance in our country is territories.
Unfortunately, the complacency in high places makes it impossible for those in authorities to see the inherent danger in allowing these sorts of hostile takeovers of Nigerian territories to continue. There is even a certain mindset which makes the leadership believe that there are enough grounds to concede. But in the interest of our nation and people, the response process must change. The federal government must act fast to reclaim the lost territories and with it the glory of the nation.
