By Innocent Anana, Ikeckukwu Nnochiri, Onozure Dania, Bartholomew Madukwe

The war against the Boko Haram insurgency is one that most Nigerians want to be waged on all fronts and won as fast as possible, so that life can go on for most Nigerians, who depend on daily efforts to survive.

Aside the bombing, raiding of villages, abductions, killings, the insurgents seem to have added the hoisting of their flags on ‘captured towns’ to their atrocious acts, as witnessed in Gwozo, coupled with the recent fleeing into Cameroon of Nigerian soldiers, during heavy fighting with members of the Islamic sect.

Saturday Vanguard sought the opinion of lawyers to the deteriorating security situation in the country.

Prof Itse

Itse Sagay

, SAN

I believe that the army and other security agencies have the capacity to deal with the problem. But we are not, probably, giving them enough incentives. I think we should do a rethink of the situation. We should now think what kind of weapons they need and what type of incentives they need.

For example, if anyone of them is a casualty, what type of compensation would the family get? How long would the family be allowed to be in the barrack unmolested? .

I do not think we need a new army, all we need to do is improve their weaponry and give some more incentives. Of course the issue of intelligence is very important. We are not behaving as if we have an Air force. I have not really heard, like the way Obama is saying America Air force in Iraq, or seen that being done here. And yet we have Air Force. . Why is our Air force ineffective? We have the people, but I don’t know whether we have the equipment.

Chief Morah Ekwunoh

The way out of the present Nigerian quagmire over Boko Haram activities lies in the most urgent application of both stick and carrot, inherent in military and diplomatic channels.

This is because of the failure of military option. There are other factors like corruption, sabotage, low moral of our fighting forces, linkage with, and sponsorship of the sect by our political elites, coupled with its international affiliation with Al Qaeda, Al Shaab and, you may add, ISIS.

Nothing attests to complete failure of military option in this regard than the demonstrations by wives of the fighting soldiers, against their husbands’ further fighting, and recent massive abandonment of battle- fronts by our soldiers and their escape “on tactical maneuvre” into Cameroon, whereas it took the same Cameroonian forces only two days to rescue their Deputy Prime Minister’s wife from the same sect. Yet our over 200 Chibok school girls have spent their most excruciating 138 days in the captivity of Boko Haram.

Mr Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, a lawyer and rights activist

Section 14 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution states that: “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

This is indeed the essence of government, whereby the people surrender themselves to be governed, upon a mutual covenant, for the government to take over and provide common services, such as security, infrastructure, etc, for the common good. Once it becomes impossible for government to guarantee the common security of the people, then such government has lost the right to govern.

At Present, the security challenges of Boko Haram in the North East, seems to have overwhelmed the government.

The embarrassing revelation of Nigerian soldiers scampering into safety in Cameron, is to say the least, humiliating, given that the Army had before now, given the impression of being on top of the security situation, in that region.

When all these are viewed against the backdrop of the recent protest by wives of soldiers, demanding the redeployment of their husbands from fighting or confronting Boko Haram insurgents without weapons, it is becoming clearer, day by day, that the Nigerian military, seems to have lost the battle against the terrorists.

I believe that the option available to the government is to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, whereby funds appropriated and designated for security, will be used for that purpose and not be frittered away by politicians, only to leave soldiers and indeed the military, at the beck and call of criminals and insurgents.

Also, it may be necessary for Nigeria to seek foreign assistance, from those countries such as Israel and the USA, which have a rich culture and experience in combating and containing insurgencies.

As it is presently, it would seem that this particular government has left Nigerians to their own fates, as the focus presently, is all about the 2015 elections. I therefore call upon and urge the Goodluck Jonathan administration to do all in its powers, to offer protection for the people of Nigeria, in the discharge of the basic responsibility of government.

Mr Monday Ubani, former Nigerian Bar Assocation, Ikaje branch chairman:

In tackling the security challenges in Nigeria, it has to be a multi- dimensional approach. One of the ways is the economic policy. Nigerians are not enjoying the economic fare, it is only a few that are enjoying same, which is why we have all these criminals like the Boko Haram insurgence. They resort to all kinds of criminality, so it is a consequence of economic policy. The Federal Government has to implement robust economic policy.

The second issue is equipping the military. I am sure you are aware that they fled to Cameroon because they were not properly equipped. How can you say they should fight people whose weapons are more sophisticated?

The wives of the soldiers even protested over that. The issue of betrayal and that of politicians are there too. Some people are giving out information to them while some politicians are supporting with funds.

Mr Jiti Ogunye, lawyer and activist:

Nigeria is at a cross road. The Boko Haram has been with us for sometime and our leaders are always saying that they are on top of the matter, that they will soon end the insurgency. And the menace of Boko Haram is becoming ferocious and out of hand. The reason is simple. Lack of equipment, sabotage or support from some big people as people have alleged. The reason this Nigeria has failed to deal with this problem is because there is no well defined common good, purpose and creed in Nigeria. What is the moral right to persuade a soldier to go to war?

The wives of some soldiers who lost their lives, came out on a public television that they have not been catered for since their husbands died. If one were to be the wife a soldier, won’t you protest too?. In the midst of wars, the soldiers are dying, it is not the quality of uniform that will stop this insurgency. The morale is low.

Chief Nkereuwem Akpan, a lawyer and activist

The popular view is that those soldiers are cowards and should be tried for mutiny. The mere thought of Nigerian soldiers scampering over the border fence and fleeing into enemy territory on foot is not only bad, disgraceful and sad but truly humiliating.

Secondly, we must address the root cause or causes of this scandalous affair, if not for anything for the sake of national pride and the need to restore confidence in the ability of our armed forces to perform their statutory mandate.

Thirdly, there is of course an urgent need to provide training and state of the art machinery and equipment to our troops so as to prevent them being outgunned by these vicious insurgents.

Fourthly, erring officers and men must be punished accordingly.

Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey

I do not think the country has put enough efforts. Is the senate or National Assembly still absorbing the kind of fund that they absorb, when the army is purportedly fighting a war? The president must confront the areas of waste in our governance. When a government is at war, they divert resources from those who are benefiting from such.

The budget as currently structured for security agencies is poor. The police budget is N315billion for 2014, in fact less than last year. And N219billion goes for salary, so what is left? That is why in seven years, the Federal Government has only given the Lagos State command five vehicles.

I do not think the country has yet confronted the reality. And when countries are fighting war, like we are at war with terrorists, sacrifices have to be made. The question to be asked is if the National Assembly is still receiving those huge amounts of money, while the country is at war and everybody is saying that the army is not well funded? need.