A romance with bandits (Opinion)

By: Paul Damgbor

There have been reports in the media recently that the Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Masari is allegedly hobnobbing with Bandits in his State as a last resort towards seeking an alternative way out of the security quagmire confronting Katsina State. Incidentally, that is the home town of Mr. President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces of Nigeria.

The story reveals the helplessness and hopelessness of the Government to guarantee security of lives and property which underscore the fundamental and primary responsibility of any Government.

This, indeed is a sad commentary in our political history as a Nation. Unlike the case of the militants whose struggle was targeted at genuine agitation for economic independence and the desire to control their God-given resources, a Bandit can be defined as one who rob other people. They are outlaw, Although they are yet to be officially branded by the Nigerian Government like that of IPOB or the Religious sect – The Shites, It shows how low we have fared in the acts of governance and leadership prowess.

From the biblical reference in Matt. 4: 1-9, imagine if Jesus had honoured the request of satan to bow to him for whatever reason or offer during His traumatic period of pressure, the baton or crown of Authority and kingship would have been surreptitiously transmitted to satan.

Agreed that some kind of bargain can some time ensure during hostage taking even in America , the picture is not the same with what is happening in Katsina State where Bandits had literally held the once most peaceful State in Nigeria to captivity.

Ironically, most of these invaders are foreigners from neighboring countries.
You can not negotiate from the point of weakness and still command political influence and control.

To negotiate with organized criminal elements whose sole motive is simply to kidnapp, inflict unwarranted pains on their victims ,dispossess them of their hard earned resources and in most cases kill at will is like taming a Tiger in your family House. One day, the Tiger will either kill you or you kill it.

I will rather subscribe to the modus operandi security incentives of the Governor of Rivers State ,Chief Barr Nyesom Wike of placing bounty on the head of criminal gang leaders as one other means of tracking crime in the State. Experience shows that Governor Wike security strategies is paying off effectively couple with the recent donation of patrol vans, amour Vehicles, Gun Boats and security gargets including compensation or reward to gallantry efforts by Security Operatives in the State .
It seems the FG is not keen in this option or even the intelligence gathering formula.

We must embrace other technological devices like the CCTV and Drone in fighting crime in Nigeria vigorously .
Again, I am sure Mr Lai Mohammed has learned his lesson that insecurity is never defeated on the pages of News By-line or Breaking News in Broadcast media.

No country advance by politicizing it’s security architecture. Enough of media hype . It’s time to look inward and find solution to the challenges confronting us as a people . Economic opportunities and jobs must be created to positively engage our people. The FG should earnestly consider granting licences for modular Refineries in the Niger Delta not just for job creation but as a reciprocal gesture for cessation of hostilities in the Region over Oil exploration and exploitation . The Ogoni Clean up must be accorded the seriousness it deserved beyond lip service. If these ideas are given attention, the menace of bandits will naturally fizzle out.