In the wake of the recent attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna State by suspected Bandits where some officers were allegedly kidnaped and killed, there has been a call for government to change its policy in curbing the rising rate of insecurity in the country. This latest of such security breach, on the Military facility, has sparked off reactions in different parts of the country and elicited concerns about how deeply rooted the menace of insecurity has eaten into the crust of the Nigerian State.
A retired Navy Commodore and Head of the Department of Criminology and Security Studies at the Chrisland University, Kunle Olawunmi, who was on Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, did not hold back his displeasure over the ugly incidence which he described as an ‘’aberration’’. Fielding questions from the main anchor of the programme, Chamberlain Usoh, the retired military officer was ascetic about the issues within the military arena that he expounded as fundamental and channeled them along religious and socio-cultural lines.
Commodore Olakunle Olawunmi (Rtd.) who served in different capacities of the highest military hierarchy boldly declared, ‘’he doesn’t care if he is killed’’. He continued, “I belong to a group in the Military that’s not supposed to be seen or heard. Right now, I don’t care if I am eliminated”. He recounted his days at different formations in which he served, pointedly raising the issue of how the Barracks were thrown open to all and sundry for the propitious Friday Jumaat prayers. According to him, this avails suspected terrorists to ‘’profile’’ the Nigerian military operations and operatives.
He noted that the military had no power to carry out any operation without the assent of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces whom Olawunmi accused of complacency. Nevertheless, he also acknowledged the concerted roles of the patriotic soldiers at the Defense Headquarters in combating the challenges of insecurity and the nightmarish tendencies of lack of political will to back their collective drive towards ending insecurity in the country.
Olawunmi, disclosed how military intelligence reports have been undermined by the deliberate efforts of the government not to prosecute funders and perpetrators of terrorism in the country. In a rather shocking revelation, the Security expert stated emphatically that a certain crop of the Nigerian ruling class consisting of Governors, ministers and Senators is one of the sponsors of Boko Haram. He went on to state that some Bureau De Change operators are also sponsors of Boko Haram, known to the Nigerian intelligence community.
He (Olawunmi) who doubles as a Professor of Global Security Studies also accused the government of escalating insecurity rather than curbing the spate of insecurity in the country. Speaking further, the University Don suggested a radical change of security policy that will discourage the actual perpetrators and funders of the crimes. He warned that failure on the part of the government may lead to chaos of indescribable magnitude.
