Nassarawa Killing: Violence and Anarchy Is Replacing the Motto of Nigeria –Campaign for Democracy

Campaign for Democracy (CD), a leading Nigeria pro-democracy organization, has criticized the recent killing of policemen in Borno and Nassarawa States, describing it as troubling and heralding dangerous dimensions.

“The high rate of casualties on the part of policemen witnessed in just one week has not been recorded in most of the wars fought in recent history which confirms the notion that Nigeria is presently at war,” the organization said in a statement signed by its President, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin.

It expressed fright that the new trend of killing policemen so cheaply has further reduced the hope for unharmed civilians of their safety and protection. In addition, it said the incessant insurgent’s killing coupled with the inability of the security operatives to contain it signals a confirmation that the nation is a failed one.

In the statement, CD reminded the Federal Government that the poorly equipped and less-empowered security establishment would not produce any result better than the country presently has.

“It is needless pointing to the government the implications of a poorly motivated, harassed, ill-equipped and heavily assaulted security forces and the health of any polity.”

It expressed regret that the vulnerability of security forces to the seeming superior power of terrorists removes whatever confidence the civilian population has in the state to guarantee security of lives and property and by extension a clear demonstration of the failure of the state.

“One of the key characteristics of a failed state is the lack of capacity or unwillingness of the state to secure the lives of its citizens. It becomes direr, when the forces the state should use to protect itself now become preys in the hands of deviants”, the statement said, adding that the Federal Government’s only forte is empty platitudes that have become standard response to “the festival of killings” crippling security and stability of the country.

While commiserating with families of the policemen who were killed in the attacks, the statement urged the Federal Government to end the violence which is seizing the country by bits.

“It is time to put an end to this orgy of violence and festering anarchy that is fast becoming the motto of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, it said.