Problems Of Insecurity In Nigeria: Its Implications And Possible Solutions

The duty of any government is to maintain peace and keep the citizens safe.

The Problems of insecurity in Nigeria has presently taken a new dimension. No day passes without reports or records of scores of deaths of innocent Nigerians and foreigners.

 

The insecurity problem resulting from kidnappings, armed banditry, ethnic clashes and religious crises have continued to be on the increase forcing many to flee their homes. This has also brought about hard economic and political issues resulting in loss of loved ones and investments across the country.

 

Many factors have been adduced to this problem ranging from structural imbalance, religious bigotry, nepotism, marginalization of ethic groups, political rivalry and general failure of leadership resulting in hardship across the country.

 

This problem has continued to threaten the unity of Nigeria, thus

created the ecology of fear, disquiet and anxiety among the populace. The government’s efforts aimed at arresting this menace seem to yield no solution, rather, news of senseless killings have continued to rise unabated.

 

In this post, we shall bring out in a simple diction, some causes of insecurity in the country, its effects or implications and possible solutions. The current problems of insecurity in Nigeria can be attributed to the following:

1. Failure of Leadership: This manifests in the incapacity of government to deliver public goods to its citizens. The lack of basic necessities of life has made many Nigerians frustrated and left with no option but resort to violence at the slightest provocation or opportunity.
2. High Rate of Unemployment is another factor. Millions of Nigerians graduate from school yearly without jobs. Corruption in high places has resulted in the dearth of basic necessities, leading to the crime rate shoots up and the security of lives and property are no longer guaranteed.
3.  Inequality and Absence of Fairness and Justice is another strong factor which has brought about this problem of insecurity in Nigeria. Yes! The perception of marginalization from various ethnic groups in the country. Many Nigerians blame this on political class and elite visa vis the level of poverty and hardship faced by the people. What this simply means is that there is no equitable distribution of social, economic and political development. This state of inequality, unfairness and injustice has made many to take to arms to seek redress.
4. Religious Conflict is another factor that is largely responsible for insecurity in Nigeria. This also centres on inequitably sharing of scarce resources resorting to hatred, violent killings among the ethno-religious groups in Nigeria.
5. Large gap between the government and the people is another reason for insecurity in Nigeria. No sooner the political class assumes the mantle of leadership than they become a tin god. In other words, governance becomes a selfish ambition. Nepotism, I don’t care attitude and lack of provision of basic amenities become the order of the day. This mistrust and growing disconnect between the government and the people resort to destruction of lives and properties which have taken the centre stage in our current political dispensation.
6. The Outright Collapse of moral values within Nigeria is seen by many as a critical factor which have destroyed the fabric of our nation. It has become a common thing to see oppression and exploitation of the weak, among others, have also done more harm than good, bringing about frustration and distaste for ruling class. All of these have brought about insecurity in the country. Boko Haram, Jos crisis, Niger Delta crisis, Benue killings and many others are the products of terror machines that have destroyed several lives across Nigeria.

 

Its Implications

The implications of problems of insecurity in Nigeria are many, some of which are:

1. Deaths of scores of people.
2. The unity of Nigeria is being threatened.
3. It resorts to hardships, as people are made to flee their original place of birth.
4. It leads to what we now have as internally displaced persons in thousands in some parts of the country.
5. It brings about fear, distrust and uncertainties among the populace.
6. It also means huge economic loss both on the part of the government and the people.
7. Hunger, deprivation and chronic health issues and other social vices become the order of the day as it becomes a survival of the fittest.

 

Possible Solutions

Something urgent and serious has to be done. The government needs to redouble its efforts at arresting this ugly trend.

1. Security and preservation of lives and property is the primary aim of any government. Thus, the government must have a defined and purposeful efforts at putting an end to problem of insecurity in the country by focusing on examining the contributions of moral values and virtues in tackling insecurity in Nigeria.

 

2. The government should do more to tackle unemployment in the country by resuscitating infrastructural decay which has been on over the years. Electricity, good roads and enabling environment for foreign investors to operate should be given much attention rather than giving it political colouration.

 

3. Restructuring which has been the cry of the various ethnic groups and concerned individuals should be well addressed. Restructuring the social, economic and political structure of the country will help put an end to the agitation for separate state and bring about even and vigorious development in the country.

 

4. The problem of corruption in public places and nepotism in the corridor of governance should be vigorously fought to its logical end. This problem has bedeviled the country for so long and no meaningful development can take place in a fantastically corrupt society.

 

5. Lastly of the many possible solutions to the problem of insecurity in Nigeria is for the government to take proactive measures to address the marginalization of certain groups in the country. For instance, calling the stakeholders in the country to proffer solution is not a sign of weakness on the part of the government, rather a quest for peace, harmony, fairness and justice for all.

 

In summary, the problems of insecurity in Nigeria can be solved if indeed, all Nigerians should embrace peace and patience in achieving this goal. The government on its part should look inward in tackling ethical degeneration and moral depravity which have contributed largely to the gradual and institutionalized erosion of personal and collective peace, safety, stability and harmony in the country.