by Isaac Ochegbudu
For a while now, I have kept my pen aside and have refused to write on the happenings in our society. This is not because I ought not to write but because of the intricacies and complexities of the Nigeria situation, which easily drive one into pain and sadness while penning your thoughts and more worse, the mediocrity of Nigerians towards their condition. But today I was prompt to put my pen to action because of what I saw happened in Kaduna state.
Today, I accompanied my cousin to get some things from the market. After we had finished and were coming out of the market, we saw people running to different directions. I then out of curiosity looked toward the main road straight a head, I saw vans of diverse security agencies, the army, police, road safety, KASTELEA, etc. Before I could ask questions to verify, I heard passers by saying that, these security personnel were out arresting those without face mask.
While we were approaching the main road, we're were strongly warned to go back and get a mask to avoid being arrested, which we we did. On reaching my house, few minutes later, I saw people running to different directions again and immediately I rose my head up, I saw a van with with men of the Nigeria Army and KASTELEA on patrol in search of those without face mask. After seeing all these, I was driven straight into thought as regards the security situation of the country.
It is no more news that the security situation of the country is getting worse everyday. Banditry, Kidnappings, armed robbery and all other form of criminality characterise Nigeria today. Amidst all these criminality, is the inability of the security personnel to confront and curtail the situation. Secondly, most of the time this criminal activities takes place, security men are not there or arrive late to arrest the situation.
In spite of the argument that security personnel are short in the country, politicians are heavily guarded with varieties of these personnel's, while the masses are left to secure themselves or fall victim of these criminals. Also, these criminal activities are hardly perpetuated in areas where these politicians and the so called big men live, as they are well guarded with security. What baffles me about what happened today in kaduna is, if security personnel's can be dispatched to nooks and crannies of the state in search of those without face mask, why can't they be sent to every nooks and crannies of the state to protect the masses from criminals?
Crime is a constant phenomenon in ghethos, suburbs and rural areas, yet security is meagre. People live in fear daily because of their lives and properties. Today, those that are supposed to protect them, which they hardly see, are now sent to their door steps to arrest them for not putting face masks on. In Hayin banki where I live, for some years now has no police station but today we saw police, army and other security personnel's sent in numbers into the area to make arrest. Another question that readily comes to mind is, did the government dispatch such numbers of security personnel because the operation will benefit it? Because all arrested persons are to pay fine, which will enrich the state treasury. This I'm yet to get an answer.
It is clear that, the Nigerian situation in all ramifications is oxymora. At this point, it's very important for my readers to note that I'm not in anyway against the wearing of face mask as a step in line with protection of individual against the novel Corona virus but I want everyone of use to consider the irony of the country called Nigeria. I believe that if security personnel are dispatch as it was done today to nooks and crannies of kaduna state to protect lives and property, the security condition of this country would have been better.
Isaacochegbudu@gmail.com
08106194657, 09047416032
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