What Happens to Gen. Sani Abacha’s Enduring Legacy? -By Abdu Abdullahi

“Any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, a government official has a hand in it.” -Gen. Sani Abacha

This is the most reflective thought that is generating momentum and echoing loudly while discerning the protracted insecurity bedeviling our beloved country. It is begging for prompt and decisive action to rescue the country before we all get consumed.

When the former military leader, Gen. Sani Abacha made that open declaration, it was as if he was fully informed of what would befall Nigeria in terms of the persistent and horrific insecurity that is putting the country asunder. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us to detail us the disgusting and bitter story of how some reactionary elements are digging Nigeria’s premature grave. Nevertheless, it is fascinating that he was the only person who volunteered to teach us this great lesson of security matters. It is left for us to deploy the political will to offer a great service to Nigeria by heavily descending on the government officials who are ascending the status of state enemies.

Interestingly, the two key terms of the quotation are ’24 hours’ and ‘government official’. This implies that any government is structurally and financially powerful not to allow insurgency exceeding 24 hours. But Nigeria’s lingering insecurity has taken more than 20 years. One can imagine the numerous government officials involved in this human catastrophe. Their prosperity begins when innocent people are in profound distress. The consequences of condoning treacherous acts will never augur well for Nigeria.

Referring to Abacha’s quotation on insecurity means that we should do away with vain practice of chasing shadow instead of the real object, addressing the ubiquitous symptoms instead of the real disease. It is high time to call a spade by its proper name and save the nation from international embarrassment. Nigeria has been degenerating towards doom and the mass destructions are frightening for all to see. They have murdered peace for personal aggrandizement. It is distress everywhere. People are living with severe agony. Homes have literally been broken down.

Two decades into the lingering and bizarre insecurity in Nigeria, the Northeast, Northwest and the North Central are all in continuous flames with no end in sight. It is Nigeria versus the enemies of progress. What foreign investments are we expecting to move Nigeria’s economy forward? What mastery of prayers will enable us achieve safety when we consciously ignore the officials in offices endangering the country through their acts of shenanigans? Traditional rulers are inclusive in the definition of government officials. Yet, some of them have been indicted for fostering rural banditry but are wearing the garment of impunity. If this negativity persists, banditry will last for centuries.

The fight against insurgency and other forms of insecurity must, therefore, be extended to the offices where complicity and treachery are hatched to let violence prevail. Abacha did not feel shy to utter government official. Therefore, we must not feel shy also to dig into the root of the officials and conquer them before they act on the next conspiracy to save more lives and properties that are vulnerable to destruction.

At different times, some leaders had admitted the presence of elements of security risks without achieving any desired result. Former President Good luck Jonathan had confessed that some Boko Haram elements were integral part of his government but no arrest was made. In Nigeria, the dangerous game of covering sacred cows has continued to cost the nation a tremendous loss in terms of sustainable development.

While reacting to the gruesome killing of the late General Idris Alkali, the former Chief of Army Staff, General Yusuf Tukur Buratai mentioned the fact that some people in Plateau were in illegal possession of arms. We had expected that he would organize the khaki boys to descend on them to perform their duty of safeguarding the nation. Up to now, they have remained untouchable and their filthy hands will continue to endanger not only Plateau but the country at large.

The other time I was writing about the unprecedented turbulence in Plateau state, I gave an example of how high ranking government officials made inciting utterances that led to the collapse of peace. It is not just a matter of 24 hours but actually 24 years of war in Plateau state. The recent gruesome murder of travelers from Zaria passing through Mangu is a good example of the multidimensional horrors of insecurity devastating us.

I remember the days of the former military leader General Ibrahim Babangida when a government official was arrested for having a hand in perpetrating insecurity. It was the case of an ASP in the police service who was supplying arms and ammunition to the notorious armed robber Lawrence Aninih. After being found guilty, he was summarily executed to serve as a deterrence. He was unjust to Nigeria and justice fought him back. This should be the case always. Unless if democracy is sympathetic to conspiracy against nations.

Since the return of the current democratic dispensation, the country has been passing through different forms of insecurity. Although the budgetary allocation for security has been increasing, violence has also been escalating, producing high rate of casualties. The referred government officials are also casualties of conscience and disloyalty to the country.

For instance, it is not a hidden trend that the act of corruption in connection with purchase of weapons, siphoning of fund meant for the welfare of battling military personnel to boost their morale, lack of proactive measures are typical examples of how government officials are active in the development of insecurity in Nigeria. Our beloved country will never know peace until the government elements who make official insecurity a merchant of personal gains are brought to book to serve as a deterrence to others nursing the same evil idea.

Finally, the fundamental question is: are we having this legacy on insecurity from Abacha for the sake of quotation or for getting the right actions done to save Nigeria from imminent collapse? Let us vote for one security, one country. It is then that Nigeria will rise again from further deterioration.

Abdu Abdullahi
aaringim68@gmail.com
07036207998