The recent senseless killing of over 70 members of a vigilante squad in Plateau State underlines the critical state the nation’s security has nosedived precariously.
It is worrisome that increasingly, Nigerians are suffocating under the danger posed by criminal gangs masquerading under several identities. It is indeed difficult to absolve the authorities from these human and material carnage that have become a recurring national shame. It is of concern that Plateau and Benue States have become the epicentre where frequent killings have been massive of late. This is further heightened by the worries that there is a failure of the Nigerian state to protect its citizens from terrorists masquerading behind different names: armed herdsmen, Boko Haram, bandits, Lakurawa, ISIS, Mahmuda, and others. The list appears to be elongating.
From reports on the Plateau incident, the vigilantes, from Kukawa and Bunyum communities in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, were on their way to identifying the hideouts of bandits that had been terrorising their people when they were ambushed and more than 70 of them gunned down.
Chairman of the vigilante group, Aliyu Baffa, said after burying over 70 bodies in a mass grave, many of the members remained unaccounted for.
We boldly stress that our country is under siege from bandits, Boko Haram and other criminal groups destabilising normal livelihood especially in the north part of the country while Fulani militants.
Security agencies appear to have become overwhelmed or are no longer able or disposed to doing the needful to go the whole hub to tackle this national distraction.
Given the fact that more communities are resorting to self help, more dangers are looming as they exposed several vulnerabilities from the terrorists and their accomplices.
This is obvious because the vigilantes are poorly armed compared to the enemies who are adequately kitted and armed for offensive action. The terrorists are tested fighters. Some of them are operating under the supervision of hardened and experienced terrorists who are versed in asymmetrical warfare.
There is the need for proper training for community vigilantes so as to respond appropriately when the need so arises.
The calls for synergy between the state forces and the local communities must be activated as that would engender a better response to the situation.
Should the nation continue in its current path and warlords emerge from among the community vigilantes operating outside our security agencies then anarchy of no mean order is around the corner.
It is of note that President Bola Tinubu had given marching orders to the security agencies to rise from their lethargy and crush the terrorists. It is imperative for security forces to do the needful and restore law and order in communities ravaged by insecurity nationwide.
