Genesis and management of Nigeria's social problem.

 On September 12, 2013, I wrote this edited piece of opinion on one of the National Dailies in Nigeria- (Daily Trust Newspaper). And I am today reminiscing on it ............

It has been proven time and time again that it is extremely difficult to disarm young people that were armed during conflict situations all over the world.
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This is simply because once young minds are “mentalized” that overpowering perceived enemy is easily achievable through the use of alternative measures like sticks, knives, rods, guns, dangerours weapons etc, they will do everything possible to remain like so as champions of violence. They wish to be as a macho man. This young people are always bigger burden to those who armed them when the dust of conflict settles. Yet it is on record that these armed youths in the absent of conflict do use these tools of weapons against those that armed them in the first place, and most time those who armed them are the political elected, making it real of a story when bush meat hunt the hunter. In this case, Civilian Jonit Task Force(C-JTF) in Borno State may not be an exception, no matter how mild they may look. They can become monster in future if you watched and did nothing. Nobody can tell.

In retrospect, in 1952, when Prof  Wole Soyinka of the university college (now university of Ibadan ) led the big seven alongside ; Puis Oleghe, Ralph Opara, Frank Aig-Imokhuede, Ifoghale Amata, Oye-lola, and Awe to form “THE PYRATES” Confraternity (PC). This group in the beginning was formed due to some societal ills and conformist degradation which were exhibited not only by students but by the society at large according to Dr Tunji Tubi, a onetime national capon of the Pirates Confraternity. The ideals were lofty as it strived to change the society. But in the mid-70s the pyrates exploded when a member was black-spotted and expelled. The expelled member, aggrieved, left to form a parallel confraternity called “The Buccaneers” claiming that he was unfairly treated by members of the former.
It is there for record that the founder of the “Buccaneers” later became provost of one of the nation college of education in Nigeria.

Then the two groups started having confrontation which snowballed into violent clashes where sticks, rods, knives, guns, and other dangerous weapons were used against one another for supremacy. Members in attempts to stay safe started arming up self for defence and as time goes on, different groups emerged as break away. This includes – The Supreme Vikings, Black Axe, Red Berets, Eiye, Mafia etc. You will agree with me that as at today, campus confraternity or as you may call, secret cult in our tertiary schools has caused unimaginable catastrophes to extent that the original ideal of its formation has lost taste and test. The originality was to check and reform the society for good and not violence and killings as things have turned to be as at today.

The politicians are good at exploring and exploiting them as political thugs to rig election into office. These groups are armed to teeth by politicians and are promised juicy things before elections as motivation to maim, kill and destroy opponent but only to be dumped after election and or when the politician is sworn into office. Normally, the first thing the elected politician want to do once sworn in, is to look for  ways to disarm these groups knowing full well that they will not be able to fulfil the promises. Then they would use the apparatus of the state, the police force against the group and usually the centre will explode and the explosion is manifested in assassination, kidnapping, armed robbery, bombing etc. The dimension of the present violence in the country started way back from 1999 when it returned to democratic rule. 

So do our leaders know the perpetrators of these violence crimes in Nigeria? Yes they do and do pretend not to know. If not, let see what every election birth in Nigeria.

Every post presi-dential election in Nigeria has always birthed a monster of security challenges. In the aftermath of 1979 presidential election won by Alhaji Shehu Shagari, it birthed armed robbery of the highest order led by the Lawrence Anini group. In 1999 post-presidential election of Obasanjo, Bakassi Boys, OPC were birthed. In 2007 election of late Yar’dua, militancy in the Niger Delta took a fearsome dimension. In 2011 election of President Goodluck Jonathan, the Ombatse cult and Boko Haram insurgency became more pronounced. Who knows what 2015 post-presidential election would bring?  One can only but discern. 

It is then worrisome considering the kind and nature of babies birthed out of every presidential election in Nigeria. It is a call for our security agencies to have a rethink of going for pre antenatal; for virtually all violence crimes in Nigeria have mute political tones. But the police seem snail at combating violence crime with its obsolete strategies of “Oga at the top” syndrome. If one will ask, what is the role of civilian vigilante or JTF group in the north east of Nigeria? If not; to die innocently and ignorantly. How armed and trained are they in combat of such magnitude?

Why would a responsible government be quiet to push out civilians to fight insurgence the police could not handle but transfered to the military? This is a miscarriage and I see the vigilante Civilian JTF beginning to fortify themselves beyond sticks and rods, for guns as they are continually hunt for suspected Boko Haram members. The question is who will buy those guns? May be we will know when the dust settles in the region and at that time, when attempt to disarm them begins. Of course as usual, the centre will explode and who can tell what will happen? May be that would be after the 2015 presidential election.