By, Olawale Ogunbusola

Nigeria has reached a pain point where if nothing drastic is done to descend heavily on terror, financiers and necropoliticians, the ship of the Fourth Republic might regrettably shatter.

We commend the efforts of the army and other security personnel in their campaigns and war against terror.

While condemning the terror attack and chopping off of the head of a teacher in Oriire local government in Oyo state recently, we call on the concerned authorities to expedite action in setting free the pupils and the teachers in captivity in the Old Oyo Park. The terrorists should be hunted down and be severely dealt with.

However, the election cycle and the preparation for the 2027 General elections have whittled down the critical strategies for tackling terrorism in Nigeria. We need to note that humanization of politics is very germane to politics of culture required to protect the right to life of the people.

We need to up the game of ruthless fight against terror. What is happening in Nigeria today is a mixture of domestic and international terrorism concentrating on the hinterland.
We need to apply national power in fighting terrorism wherever it rears its ugly head devoid of religious fanaticity and necropolitics.

We must support indigenous methods in fighting terrorism from all fronts by collaborating with international allies to rid Nigeria of the violent non- state actors causing death, sorrow, and phenomenal human rights abuses with impunity.

We must stop politicization of security at this critical choking point of our kinky history. Kidnapping, banditry, suicide bombing, enclave economy, hijacking, beheading, psychological asymmetrical warfares are all tactics of terror.

Operation Occupy Your Streets strategy will be helpful. Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 should be intensely applied when and where necessary. Doctrine of Necessity should be considered also where necessary in the rural areas to rid our forest of nomadic terrorists masquerading like cattle rearers.

 

ANGEL FOLORUNSO  is a Director,
Human Security Awareness and Intelligence Committee (HUSAIC), Awe, Oyo State.