Dangers of imposing military dictators in emergency declared states

Insurgency is biting more and more harder In the three emergency declared state of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe. On 16 of November this month, President Jonathan yet again sent another request to the spectators, I beg your pardon, Senate chambers of the national assembly requesting them to allow him to extend by another six months emergency to the emergency declared states.

That was the third time  emergency was extended since imposing it.

Already there reports that this time around, Mr President wants to remove the democratically elected governors of the affected states and replace them with military dictators. This will be a very great mistake should the people allow the President to do that and get away with it. According to the constitution of Nigeria, there are only three ways one can remove a governor. Either impeachment, incapacitation, or  resignation.  It was true Obasanjo removed Joshua Dariye of Jos during the Jos crisis, they call it “necessary measure” in ensuring peace and protection of Nigeria. I do not argue with that, but why not strengthen the governors with reinforcements and all other things required to safe guard peace. We have all heard the heroic action of ‘Kauraye’ the vigilantes in Adamawa in recapturing Mubi. They deserve a national honors and award of CFR, CON etc. There heroic action shows how determined they are to fight. Unlike the Nigerian forces, some where even shown running away in a recent video uploaded on you tube.

In my opinion, the need for state police is long over due. This is because, for a local police officer serving his state/local government, he knows that he is protecting his parents and relatives. While a federal. Security officer is only doing his job to get money, there is no that motivation in him that he is protecting his people. Think of it for example, a security officer who happens to be an Igbo Christian from Imo sent to Borno to fight, will he fight like an indigenous to Borno where the conflict is going on?

Removing the three state governors of the emergency declared states will cause controversy and may confirm the insinuations that some elements in the Presidency don’t want elections to hold in those state. The reports that a PDP chieftain was escorted to Borno with over 200 soldiers for a political occasion – if true, then is most unfortunate and baffling. The government most show genuine feelings that it wants this thing to end, and it is doing something serious to end this conflict. If not, people will continue to organize themselves like the Kauraye vigilante did in order to protect them selves as advised by the Emir of Kano, that will make the government irrelevant and will loss it legitimacy shall it fail to emancipate the people.

Comrade Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari
Usmanu Danfodiyo University
+2348035424321
@jariabdubaqi