By Rotimi Fasan
AT this stage even the most starry-eyed Nigerian must admit that the Nigerian state represented by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is at the point of capitulating before the terror tactics of the fringe Boko-Haram group.

There is no other word for it but that the group now defines its terms of engaging the Nigerian government which seems as lost as ever determining how to respond to Boko-Haram in any way other than with fear.

If there is any doubt about this, such must have been erased with the bloody Eid El Kabir ‘gift’ the group threw in the face of Nigerians from Damaturu in Yobe State. It was a bloody harvest, a massacre of over 150 Nigerians that no government worthy of its name should allow.

From execution of security personnel, journalists and persons of different religious orientation, Boko-Haram has graduated to killing Nigerians in their hundreds. And it does so with impunity. But it is like Nigerians expect too much of Abuja these days, even in matters as mundane as providing security for them.

There is hardly any other sane way to respond to the idle prattle from Abuja than to hold President Jonathan, the symbol of the administration, responsible for the lame-duck manner government has so far responded to the threats Boko-Haram presents. Nigerians have every justification to question the role of our security agencies in all that has happened so far.

To the extent that they have not been able to show any sense of purpose or urgency in taking on Boko Haram, the country’s security hierarchy from the National Security Adviser, Azazi Owoye and the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim down to the commissioners of police in states so far affected by Boko-Haram activities- all these officers ought to hand in their resignation in the very first instance. Others like heads of the SSS, NIA, etc, should follow suit in due course, but the first set of officers should lead the way.

The only reason Nigerians have to demand the resignation of these officials is anchored in the peculiarly Nigerian malady of public officers not recognising when their services are no longer needed or when, indeed, they can longer justify holding on to their positions. Here, it is not the practice for public officers to resign out of a sense that they have failed in the responsibility entrusted to them.

They have to be told, in fact, compelled to leave. And it is now in the larger interest of Nigerians to demand and insist on the resignation of the top echelon of the Nigerian security establishment. Other issues concerning the politicians could be settled electorally in the future.

A Yoruba proverb says that a deity that cannot improve the lot of its devotees should have the good sense not to worsen it. But it seems the present crop of Nigerian leaders will not recognise it for the indictment it is when outlaw groups begin to tie Nigerians to the stake before live cameras and have them executed extra-judicially. Gradually Boko Haram is forcing us all to conform to the outlaw ethic of its members, no thanks to the vexing and criminal negligence of those with responsibility to protect Nigerians.

But rather than admit their failure, if not complicity in the failure of governance- the ineptitude that is creeping into so-called federal administration is nowhere being addressed, the same people who ought to bury their heads in shame are talking loudly. The undue criticism of the US Embassy warning by Azazi Owoye that some highbrow hotels are in the terror-vision of Boko-Haram deserves nothing but scorn. Fighting fire appears the best that one can expect from the security establishment now.

No sooner has Boko-Haram struck than the NSA or the IG or their representatives, come out with casualty figures that seek to downplay the gravity of the latest crime. These individuals were out in the wake of the Damaturu attack to counter the Red Cross with casualty figures far less than the one provided by the humanitarian body. When the Police Headquarters came under attack by suicide bombers, the same Police that initially claimed it was a suicide mission would recant within days, claiming thereafter that it was mere explosives that had been set off. But when Boko-Haram responded with a more emphatic attack at the UN House, the cover was blown off what was being hidden. Then did it become clear that both attacks were the work of suicide bombers.

Mr. Azazi might be thinking nothing beyond saving his own job when he spoke in the manner he did but the lives of Nigerians who are in fact his employers weigh far more on the scale than his little job. We may need to ask the quality of advice that the President is being provided with by people like the NSA and the IG.

If on the other hand, as it is possible, their proposals are not being taken into consideration by the President and others in the political class, these security officers should, as true professionals, resign their appointments.

There is no point holding on to a position that portrays you as incompetent. Yet incompetence, mediocrity and indecision appear to be the hallmark of this present administration.

Those who look out for what they call solutions in articles like this would do well to look elsewhere because the problem staring us in the face at this present time is not one of lack of appropriate suggestions by way of solutions (there have been many of those here and elsewhere by more competent Nigerians), what is lacking is the will to act, a shameful spinelessness that is bringing Nigerians under the painful shadow of a national disaster.

We are redefining our lifestyle and the character of some of our national institutions by the standard dictated by Boko-Haram which can see that it has the upper hand in its fight against this government. In the last NYSC exercise, ‘endurance trek’ and the passing out parade that are among the defining features of the orientation exercise for corps members were removed.

Even the national parade that is a major highlight of our national independence celebration was absent from the menu of events this last October. The celebration itself didn’t go beyond the bounds of Aso Rock Villa- no thanks to threats from Boko-Haram.

Clearly lionised and with a larger-than-life image, Boko-Haram now issues random threats which it backs with actions but government cringes in fear and gives the impression that the entire machinery of government is unequal to the crude weaponry and intelligence of a murderous group. This is both shameful and criminal, and some people should and would some day account for this capitulation, the failure to perform their duty by Nigerians.