By Gabriel Ewepu

WITH insecurity engulfing Nigeria, Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, Tuesday, said it is not surprising Nigeria was ranked world’s second most terrorized nation, as they alleged sheer leadership failure.

It would be recalled that last week an acclaimed Global and International Terrorism Research/Analysis group which specializes in collating data on terrorists’ activities worldwide, Jihad Analytics disclosed that Nigeria ranked the second most attacked and terrorized country in the world with only Iraq being the first and Syria ranked third.

According to the its half year report which indicated that between January and June 2022, Iraq recorded 337 terrorists’ attacks, Nigeria recorded 305 attacks while Syria came third with 142 terrorists’ attacks.

 Insecurity now worse than Nigeria’s Civil War period – CN

The Convener, Concerned Nigerians, CN, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, speaking with Vanguard described the ranking as justification of the obvious, and said the Civil War period was better, not all geopolitical zones were engulfed by the war.

Adeyanju said, “On the ranking that Nigeria is second most terrorised nation in the world, this is the worst Government we have ever had since 1960 because even during the Civil War all the geopolitical zones were not taken over by insecurity or any form of war but today every region has been taken over by insurgents, kidnappers, and other criminal gangs.

“This ranking just justifies the obvious, and this was a man that said he was coming to rescue Nigeria from PDP. Buhari should apologize to PDP and Nigerians for lying that he was coming to effect change.

“Look at it now, things are so bad, and Buhari has surpassed his own failure; terrorists struck at Kuje prison and carried out a successful operation for three hours, and Buhari was asking citizens how did it happen, and is unfortunate that this is the painful reality we have found ourselves.”

He also asserted that among the political class that can help Nigeria out of the woods rather Nigerians should rise to take their destiny in their hands

“The only thing that can save Nigeria is a people centred resistance. The political system right now is that there is no way Nigeria can be pulled out of the quagmire”, he stated.

 Nigeria on free-fall situation- HOMEF

According to the Director, Health for Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, Arc Nnimmo Bassey, the ranking indicates that Nigeria is in a free-fall situation.

Nnimmo said, “There is no way the government can say they have achieved anything near a pass mark with regard to security of life and property in Nigeria.

“The nation is on a free-fall situation. The violence across the land is random and utterly unbelievable.

“The insecurity whether in terms of open violence in the North West, North Central and North West is so bad that we are not even thinking of the environmental impact of the explosives being detonated everywhere.”

Meanwhile, lamented that the impact of the level of insecurity in Nigeria has impacted negatively on the environment by actors in the current insecurity situation.

“Military waste is specialized waste and you need peace to carry out any clean up.

“Coming to the Niger Delta with high level oil theft. They equally spells stark failure. The burning of seized boats, barges and illegal refineries equally spell a failure of environmental security.

“With farmers unable to farm without fear of kidnap, rape or molestation we are not only on the brink of dire shortages, we are setting the stage for massive food insecurity.

“So, the ranking will be bleaker of these other indices are considered.”

However, he said as part of the panacea to the menace, “Invest more in education and keep young people in school.

“Bridge the unemployment gap. Retrain and rejig the entire security apparatus.

“Restructuring and making governance a sacrificial endeavour rather than a route for self aggrandizement.”

 Nigeria’s ranking sad news – OLF

Also speaking on the ranking of Nigeria’s security, the Founder and President, One Love Foundation, OLF, Chief Patrick Eholor, described the report as sad news for Nigerians.

“Nigerians can bear me witness that I had raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation in the country, and the urgent need to reverse the trend.

“I had raised alarm severally that the entire security architecture has failed in intelligence and kinetic operations and needed to be totally overhauled.

“But Nigerians taught we were joking or that we just wanted to trend. It is sad that Nigerians can longer sleep with their two eyes closed. It is a sad development. Leaders must learn.

“Security of lives and properties is a very sensitive and important component of governance. It is not done with sentiment or with a bias mind to favour a particular zone or religion. Must people lost confidence with the security arrangement of the nation.

“Nigerians have never been lucky with good leaders. Our system is weak and our institutions including the security agencies need to be strengthened.

“Security operatives should be motivated to enhance patriotism and commitment.

 “Whether Buhari has failed or not, Nigerians deserve better from its leaders. The country is drifting to failed state and we must unite to rescue it.”

However, he counseled that, “The President should use the remaining months left in the life of his administration to rejig the entire security architecture and redeem his name and past track records by appointing good and committed officers that can still reverse the negative trend in security even within three months.

“The appointment should be based on merit cutting across ethnic and religious lines. It shouldn’t be one sided for the purpose of trust and commitment.”