We can’t continue like this

Two frightening alerts by the United Nations (UN) and United States of America (U.S.A.) last week gave clear indications that time had come for authorities of the Nigerian state to wake up to the reality of the drift confronting the country.
In one of the alerts, the U.S. government listed 20 of Nigeria’s 36 states as unsafe and asked its citizens living in the country to stay away from them. Among the states listed, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe were categorised as complete no-go areas on the ground that “the ability of the U.S. Mission to provide assistance to U.S. citizens” in those states remained severely limited.
In addition to the three frontline states, the Department of State also “recommended against all but essential travel to the following states due to the risk of kidnappings, robberies and other armed attacks: Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and Zamfara”. The travel restrictions also affected embassy and other U.S. officials.
America anchored its action on factors of insecurity and crime.
Almost the same time, the UN also raised the alarm over the illicit proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in Nigeria. According to the world body, over 350 million (70 per cent) of estimated 500 million of such weapons said to be circulating in West Africa are domiciled in Nigeria.
Director of United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), Ms. Olatokunbo Ige, reportedly made the disclosure at the National Consultation on Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) in Abuja.
According to Ige, Nigeria is awash with illicit weapons, which have found their way into unauthorised hands on non-state actors that are threatening the existence of the country, as well as lives and properties of the people.
Since the shocking revelations, there has not been any attempt by the Nigerian authorities to allay the fears injected into the system. Of course, the alerts came with statistics that could hardly be faulted.
That notwithstanding, it will be a huge surprise if sycophantic government officials and their garrulous social media foot soldiers are not unleashed at UN and U.S. for “undermining the giant strides of the government” in making the disclosures.
But that is as much as propaganda and bare-faced falsehood in information dissemination by the officials of the state can go.
A point that not even the staunchest supporters of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration can ignore is that Nigeria is currently at the crossroads. The rot, undoubtedly, did not commence with the regime; but since governance is a continuum, it would not be too much to look up to the President and his team to provide the compass out of the quagmire.
There is hardly any part of the country that is currently not experiencing one variant of strife or another. It is either the Boko Haram still rattling the North East with occasional incursions in the North West or the Fulani herdsmen drawing blood and destroying properties in the North Central and pockets of communities in the entire South.
In the South South, the Niger Delta militants still hold sway, while the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and their Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) counterparts are bent on their self-determination campaign for the Igbo.
For the obviously criminal Boko Haram and herdsmen gangs, easy resort to arms is hardly surprising. Even within the principled agitation by the IPOB and Niger Delta activists, it will not be out of tune to read infiltration by criminal elements. These untoward tendencies are expected in the state Nigeria currently finds itself.
What has however remained amazing is the attitude of the state in the situation. Aside employment of military actions in addressing the crises, there is yet to be a comprehensive and enduring strategy in taming the monster of insecurity in the country.
What the government is presently doing to address the situation is more of knee-jerk operation or, to borrow a popular street lingo, ‘fire brigade approach’. It is yet to be visibly involved in capacity-building to steer the youth from the path of criminality.
What is therefore needed is a radical departure from the culture of delusion and self-righteousness that have characterised the Buhari administration since its inception, over one year ago. There are reasons the government must climb down from its high horse to address the burning issues that are gradually razing the fabric of the nation.
At the inauguration of the current administration on May 29, 2015, the profile of Nigeria’s reputation in the comity of nations was an all-time high. On account of goodwill that surged in the country, Nigerians at home and abroad walked shoulder high. It was, in the opinion of many, a new dawn.
In line with the mood of the day, the President instantly became the axiomatic beautiful bride, courted by leading European and American states, each said to be inviting him to a visit with a wish-list. The reverse is, sadly, presently the case.
For the very same Nigeria that was celebrated barely a year ago to be sullied with the tag of travel alert by America shows the level we have plummeted in international reckoning.
Though the UN was more diplomatic in its revelation, the volume of guns it indicated as being in circulation in the country simply amounts to a caution on intending visitors to the country.
Even without saying it, the impression being created on the country outside is one that is steadily drifting to pariah status. The creeping danger in the entire thing is that from visitors shunning the country, time may come when Nigerians will begin to experience ban from other countries.
The government must therefore wake up from its slumber. Idle youths should be put on jobs. The push on Boko Haram insurgents should be sustained. The President should also speak up and demonstrate decisive action on the menace of the Fulani herdsmen. Niger Delta and IPOB activists should also be engaged in a sincere dialogue.
We really can’t continue like this.