Banditry, Kidnapping and Insurgency Causes and Viable Solutions
Written by ANUOLUWAPOSIMI FABIKUN
Class: Year 12 (2020/2021)
In recent times, the media has been full of the news of incessant multiple killings, kidnapping for ransom and terrorism by bandits who parade themselves as a cankerworm disease wrecking havoc up to the bone marrow of our dear nation. It makes her bleed profusely as people watch in vain. Perhaps their “modus operandi” are not effectively deployed, thereby making us vulnerable to these men of the underworld.
The aforementioned crimes have so many causes, one of them is unemployment. If a person is unemployed, he or she might be pressured into going for other means of livelihood like stealing, kidnapping and so on. This would make the rest of the citizens scared and unsafe. People need to earn a living and if they feel they can’t get it in an honest or legal way, they will definitely try other means that may or may not involve hurting others. Remember, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Corruption, the ugly hydra monster in our society especially among our leaders is another one. Some of our leaders are corrupt. They are partial in their judgement. This allows criminals to roam free among honest citizens. This is turning the nation upside down!
In addition, the high influx of arms in Nigeria is alarming and abused. Weapons are generally meant for the military or other people who are legally authorized to carry them. But now, people just randomly buy and sell these weapons, and before you know it hoodlums and bandits are in possession of these arms. They could start killing and kidnapping people any time they want without batting an eyelid. The thought of this makes me shiver, and not just me, other people as well, thus creating a perfect environment for criminals to reign.
Terrorism is a recurrent crime in our country and it is caused by the porous borders we have. These terrorists came into Nigeria and try to portray themselves as rulers of our great nation. If the borders were more secured, terrorism would be less of a problem in Nigeria. The borders are not guarded effectively which allows hooligans and all sorts of miscreants into our peaceful country. When these miscreants come into our territory, they terrorize our people the citizens. If the borders could be guarded properly, none of this would happen. We would be living in peace and harmony,
The above are just a few of many causes of these terrible crimes in our nation. Even though the insurgency has caused a lot of damage, we still have to pick up the pieces and put them together by providing solutions to these problems. One of the solutions could be creating more job opportunities in the society. If the government and private individuals could make more job opportunities available to citizens, there would be no cause for kidnapping, as criminals would now have a source of income.
Another solution would be the creation of enlightenment programs. These programs would help criminals see that what they are doing is totally wrong. It would help them see things in a new light. It would also encourage them to start their own business or do something that would serve as a source of income so they would not feel the need to steal or kidnap for ransom. These programs might even change them completely into new patriotic and law abiding citizens.
It is high time the government of the day put their arsenals together by firing at all cylinders through their various think tanks. They should not play a scenario of “Emperor Nero dancing and winning with ecstasy when Rome burns” in order to seek an end to the evil perpetuated by the bandits holding our country at jugular. These criminals are gradually forming a clique of renegades who by their acts are turning Nigeria into a state of Fiefdom! It is up to us, the citizens and government to stop them.
Photo Credit: Ayanfe Olarinde/Unsplash
