Yesterday Tuesday, 24th August, 2021 a devastating news emerged of deadly attack in the residential area in Afaka Barracks of the National Defense Academy (NDA) Kaduna, wherein, two army officers were killed and some were abducted. Unfortunately, this is a sort of news that army cadets and their masters only used to read on the pages of newspapers, but, by today’s sd event, its reality has reached their door step, whereas in ideal situation, an army barrack is expected to be a place with maximum security.
During campaign seasons, insecurity is one of the dominant issues promised to be addressed head-on by politicians. This insecurity consists of economic, social and environmental insecurity.
Politicians used insecurity as a campaign weapon to pave them way to the political ambition. Majority of Nigeria’s lower class are living a life typically described as “hand to mouth”, that is why, whenever insecurity is mentioned in Nigeria’s public space, attention is paid.
Without adequate security, farmers have no chance to cultivate their lands, those involved in buying and selling of farm products would have nothing to purchase from the farmers; the end result is that, the poor masses would nose-dive into abject poverty that they will have no alternative, but to join the crime world in order to survive.
During the height of Covid-19 pandemic, several measures where put in place in order to contain the virus. The virus respects nothing like “higher, middle or lower class” but hunt all! In that regard, a special care and attention was given to checkmate it.
In regard to environmental insecurity, most of the people being kidnapped or killed by those gun men are people of the lower class. Because they have no means to hire a luxirious cars, private jets to attend their business activities, weddings and they have not enough food in store that can cater for them a whole year. All they have is; public transport, old tukombo cars and machines, even the newly highly selective modern railway routes are not designed to favor the common man’s day to day shuttle.
Yesterday Tuesday, 24th August, 2021 a devastating news emerged of deadly attack in the residential area in Afaka Barracks of the National Defense Academy (NDA) Kaduna, wherein, two army officers were killed and some were abducted. Unfortunately, this is a sort of news that army cadets and their masters only used to read on the pages of newspapers, but, by today’s sd event, its reality has reached their door step, whereas in ideal situation, an army barrack is expected to be a place with maximum security. Trespassing and carrying out an attack and raid in the deepest part of an army barrack is really worrisome and a terrible news to the the civilians expecting the army to be able to guard the sovereignty of the state, but was attacked right inside its institution.
As usual with the Nigeria’s cyberspace, people are voicing out different opinions in respect to that attack, some are seeing the whole day as an embarrassing, while others are seeing it as a nemesis that befell the army for their poor security management (as their personnel in-charge of the attacked premises CCTV was asleep on duty when the attack happened). Personally, I see this as a wake-up call to all the security agencies from their deep slumber to face their primary assignment of securing the lives of all or else, if the situation deteriote more than the present situation, nobody will be safe. Furthermore, this attack portrayed the never-seen-before boldness and challenge these bandits and terrorists posed to all, for, if they can penetrate the premises of the army’s highest academic institution and attack it with ease, then no place is safe, except, may be the Aso Villa.
May peace reign.
Muhammad Sagir Bauchi, is a public affairs analyst.
ibrahimsagir1227@gmail. com
