- This is not the way to go in a democracy.
There is no doubt that Nigeria is embroiled in serious crises at the moment. The situation thus calls for serious action on the part of those invested with the power to resolve the conflicts and wars in various parts of the country. But, in the process, government should be careful not to set aside the general interest and tenets of the democratic system, because, in doing so, knee jerk reactions could trigger unintended effects.
The presidential order that security personnel should shoot on sight those who carry or wield unapproved weapons such as the AK-47 assault rifles is not only extreme, but apparently done without due consultation. Had President Muhammadu Buhari consulted political strategists and statesmen before coming out with the order in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he would have been told that such directives to security personnel almost overwhelmed by battles is subject to abuse.
We call on the President to retract the order and modify it in the interest of the country before we begin to have people mowed down by members of the armed forces and the police. True, the general insecurity that has seen more than 600 children abducted from schools in various parts of the North, traditional rulers attacked and some killed in the North and the West, and kidnap that has left many in far-flung communities in the country feeling unsafe calls for serious concern and concerted action by all. But the answer is not in giving orders that could lead to reprisals and would further befuddle things in the country.
The president should do everything to ensure harmony among the forces. A situation by which the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno is working at cross-purposes with other agencies of the government, including those he is supposed to be coordinating, is not helpful. He had come out after the National Security Council meeting to brief the nation. He appears to enjoy flexing muscles and seems to be seizing the opportunity afforded by the change of service chiefs to take full control. In this, he has the spokespersons of the President, especially the Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity), Malam Shehu Garba, to contend with. It is high time the president as chief executive checked the excesses of his men and call those who step out of sight to order.
It is yet early days in the tenure of the service chiefs. They should however note that they would be judged by how well they check the raging insecurity in the land. The instruction of the president must be obeyed, but the world is watching us to see how we conduct the battles. All must be done in accordance with the rule of law and international conventions. Many military lords in other countries have been hauled before the International Criminal Courts to answer for crimes they committed directly or vicariously.
In all, the rights of citizens must be respected. Since all suspected criminals are adjudged innocent until proven guilty in the court of law, it stands to reason that the duty of security forces is to apply appropriate force in apprehending criminals. Except when faced with armed bandits, insurgents, terrorists who do not hesitate to draw their weapons, the duty of security personnel is to get criminals apprehended for the purpose of investigation that could assist in nipping the crises in the land in the bud.
General Lucky Irabor, the new Chief of Defence Staff, has given a hint that he would be open for a review of his stewardship at the end of his first hundred days in office. By then, we hope he would have found a way of transmitting to the troops new strategies and tactics that would be game changing. Till then, the president, too, should find better ways of communicating his messages, especially to the general public. Spreading fear and anxiety is not part of his job description.
