Former commander of Multinational Joint Task Force, General John Temlong (rtd) and Human rights activist, Mahdi Shehu spoke on ARISE News Morning Show on Tuesday about insecurity in Nigeria, how Nigeria is now under siege and no one is safe.
Human rights activist Mahdi Shehu expressed that a government is supposed to protect the peoples’ lives, property, honour and dignity, and any government that fails to do so should be removed from power.
“A government is supposed to protect the lives, property, honor and dignity of the citizens, and any government that fails to do that shouldn’t be in charge,” he said.
He further expressed his displeasure on the fact that there are billions and trillions of naira being borrowed and spent because of insecurity, yet the number of deaths, kidnapping, assaults and threats increase by the day.
“A country with an organized security system with trillions of naira being spent every day, billions of dollars being borrowed in the name of security, yet everyday it is harvest of deaths, everyday it is kidnapping, maiming, assaults and threats by the hour, by the day, by the week, by the month and all through the year.”
Meanwhile former commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force, General John Temlong (rtd) who was also on the show, said that the threats from terrorists to kidnap the commander-in-chief of the Armed forces and President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, is a battle of wits with the government over who controls the narrative through the use of fear.
He continued by saying the media should downplay the attention given to the terrorists’ statement, saying that if it is given a lot of attention it would mean the plan has succeeded.
“If we give it a lot of attention it means they would have succeeded in creating fear and terror amongst the people,” he submitted.
He further added that one of the major problems in Nigeria is the inability to understand the problems and that for Nigeria as a country to see any improvement, these problems have to be tackled from the bottom by providing the necessities.
“Goodluck Jonathan was chased out of office on accounts of ineptitude and incapacity. He was chased out on account of his inability to deliver. Flashing back from 2015 and now, Jonathan would be laughing and sipping a cup of tea in the comfort of his bedroom.
“Goodluck Jonathan was a victim of propaganda. For me he meant well and he did well even though he had his own shortcomings. In totality, he was a good and honest man. He Was willing to do everything for the country but he was blackmailed out ” he stated.
He mentioned also that, like in many advanced countries, political candidates, particularly for Presidency, should be thoroughly subjected to mental test, drug test, and the like, before being voted into office.
He rounded up by saying that rather than playing the blame game, it is the elite who are aggravating, sponsoring and funding insecurity in Nigeria because there are merchants of crisis entrepreneurs who are making money out of what is happening.
