By Daniel Kanu
Assistant Politics Editor
The National President, Arewa Consultative Youth Forum (ACYF), Yerima Shettima, has said that the abduction of the 110 students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, was not only a national embarrassment but an indication of government incompetence.
Shettima said that it was sad that government had not learn’t its lesson from the Chibok girls’ abduction because the loopholes ought to have been properly addressed to avoid a re-occurrence.
The activist noted that it was a shame that what happened on the Chibok abduction was choreographed in Dapchi, which he opined was an indication that the government in power never learn’t from history.
Shettima told The Niche exclusively that government must go beyond words and promise but step up the search to making sure “the girls are immediately rescued unhurt, safe and sound.”
He lamented that a situation where money had been involved in previous negotiations would make it difficult to tackle abduction malaise in the country as it had become a thriving business for those involved in it.
His words: “In my view, we failed to look at the issue critically and technically and it’s so sad and so unfortunate that we never learnt our lessons, we never learn from history, if we say the Chibok girls abduction was alien to us that of Dapchi could not have happened if we had taken proper measures.
“It means to an extent somehow, somewhere things are not done properly. It is a clear indication that our security is under serious threat. What we are witnessing is a national embarrassment. It is clearly a demonstration of incompetence.
“If it were to be the time of President Jonathan, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would say he is a failure and his government clueless. Now what do we say to the APC government? Do we say they are naïve too?
“It is a sad development. A demonstration of government that is not serious when it comes to action. It is an indication of a people that do not attach great importance to the life of citizens.
“If we know what life is in terms of value in other developed nations one soul is a serious issue and now we are witnessing hundreds and thousands of souls being wasted. It is a serious thing that needs more than a cosmetic approach.
“What is happening is an indication that this government has no programmes because some of the loopholes are things that should have been addressed by this government before now?
“Some of us were jubilant and happy believing that the coming of the new government will offer in lots of positive changes at least on insecurity because that is the primary responsibility of any responsible government.
“You must protect lives and property first, then other things like social welfare, infrastructure development will follow; but security is key to overall development.
“Inability to protect the citizens show or is a reflection of failure of leadership, it shows to a large extent that there is absence of government or insensitive government in power.
“If there is no government then what are they governing? On whose interest are they occupying those offices at the level of federal government to that of states and down to the local governments? “With the loss of lives in parts of the country, with the hunger in the land? It is indeed a serious issue that we are facing and government must rise up to this challenge.
“When the government entered into the arrangement of negotiating with terrorists some of us kicked against it and said it was not the right thing to do because we felt the action will encourage terrorism and embolden them the more.
“When you negotiate with them behind doors you are indirectly telling them that they are powerful, even stronger than you are. It’s a sign of weakness, that you cannot contend them and it becomes a business for them.
“For you to address it, it will become very difficult. By the time you begin swapping and giving them money behind the scene, releasing their Commanders for whatever reason you lose the battle because what you are doing is a clear indication of being defeated.
“From what I was thought in school I know that government is one of the strongest institutions anywhere in the world. In fact some people do say that after God then you have government; but it is a reverse case in the Nigerian situation.
“I don’t see why a particular group of people, militia or terrorists will hold a country to ransom, on its knee and the country will be looking for a negotiation option which for me is a sign of weakness.
“Here it is the government seeking, begging to negotiate with the same people that are supposed to be eliminated or you convict them and jail them.
“When you agree to pay them tax payers’ money behind the scene what do you expect them to do? Stop their business? No you are thinking the impossible.
“From statistics each policeman is saddled with the responsibility of protecting over 40 lives, how can that be possible when over 70 percent are following those in power, in government houses, for VIP’S and other super rich individuals?”
