Insecurity: ‘Enemies within govt, elite ranks’ – Rufai
Nigeria’s Insecurity Attributed to Government Complicity, Says Arise News Anchor
Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni has asserted that the ongoing insecurity crisis in Nigeria stems from entrenched complicity within the government and elite class, rather than a scarcity of resources.
During a discussion on the network’s “Morning Show” on Wednesday, Oseni expressed doubt about the nation’s preparedness to address issues such as kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism. He argued that increasing the number of security personnel or establishing state police would be ineffective if security officials and government actors are working in league with criminals.
Oseni pointed to a recent attack in Woro, Kwara State, where armed assailants killed civilians despite prior warnings to security forces about a potential threat. He also mentioned instances where state authorities have posed for photographs with bandits, illustrating a troubling relationship between certain government officials and criminal elements.
“Are the people perpetrating this insecurity far from us in society? No, they are not. There are individuals within and around the government who are linked to this level of insecurity, and they remain unpunished as part of the elite class,” Oseni said.
He expressed skepticism about the government’s willingness to combat insecurity effectively, stating, “The day any Nigerian government is ready to end insecurity, it will end. Are we ready to end it? I don’t think so because there’s way too much complicity in the ecosystem.”
Oseni emphasized the need for transparency, lamenting that citizens often react negatively to the truth about the situation. He recounted the experience of Woro residents who reported threats to security officials, only to be attacked shortly thereafter.
“How did the bandits know that the people informed the security operatives?” he questioned. “Then they came and carried out a massacre, and after the slaughter, they took hundreds of people. They only released them recently after many days in captivity,” he added.