The global concern for the control of coronovirus at the expense of internal security may likely be another pandemic.
The economy has totally shut down more over our places of worship. The increasing number of cases ( fake) was yesterday part of the briefing of the Presidential Task Force for the control of coronavirus.
The minister of information and chairman of PTF thus, answered questions by the press men, at the briefing, you can see from their body language that some of the many issues raised by the pressmen were not adequately addressed.
Nigeria is third world country, with disease of corruption virtualy in all structure of government. Dishonesty, deceit, treachery and betray of the commonwealth of the masses, intimidation, unpatrioticism and heartless leadership promote the competition by the state to attract federal government attention.
Many states today are competing even without confirmation to bury their dead and announce through local media that the death is that of coronavirus.
Indeed, evidence is much available that state resources are now abused in the name “control of coronavirus”. Local economy was shutdown even in the remote areas where nothing existed to show that indeed the government had concern.
The fear of the internal security shall be another important area that the government need to be properly addressed.
Poverty, unemployment, hunger are essential ingredients that ignite serious internal security. Go round in Abuja and see abled youth sitting and waiting to have those who can help them to break their fast.The masses in the FCT are getting angry and you can see hostility in their faces.
The bandits and kidnappers are also angry because the roads are empty, they are out of business for some time except areas which are bandits strong hold.
These issues are now put aside until the money of coronavirus which is more lucrative is stolen. Emergency offered opportunity for reckless spending like the security vote. Many documents that are now available gave testimony that the coronavirus is now a milking cow and it may take long before the breast of the cow dry off. In every isolation center you see beautiful empty beds side by side of an existing hospital wards. More worrisome is the extent of control of movement of people, services and goods which create another opportunity for some unpatriotic security agents to feed fat on the coronavirus.
The fundamental rights of movement has been infringed and also the freedom of worship. The masses had the President in their hearts. Only president Muhamadu Buhari can get these absolute loyalty from Nigerians.
Mr. President, Nigerian masses still have confidence in you alone in the whole system. You need to give internal security serious concerns and strategy in post Coronavirus security problems.
Our foreign policy and our sovereignty as independent nation qualified us to be a member of all word bodies and we must not be only committed to the global concern of coronavirus, it is equally imperative to know that internal security is very important.
The more disturbing is the world economic lockdown and the consequences of it’s burden in the third world country. For example the public service is under threat because some governors are paying half salary and very soon others will follow. All in the name of coronavirus pandemic control.
The strategy adopted by the PTF had certain disconnect from the realty. A man who had not have the means to one meal in a day having been lockdown in his house and his family may not be able to have the money to buy the coronavirus outfits.
The disbursement of the palliative to state is another mistake, in some states the palliative had been misappropriated by the elected representative of the people, and in some states the governors may only involve their party members and the opposition will not have a smell of it.
The impact of cash palliative and other initiative under the minisry of humanitarian affairs still do not have recorded physical impact on the people. Poverty rating keep on increasing every day. sokoto state is now said to be the first on the list of poverty driven state by the Bureau of statistics.
The issues of Almajiri and many narratives that they are also carriers of these elitist virus need to be handle with caution. Those almajiri have the legitimate rights to enjoy the common wealth of these nation not withstanding that they are neglected by their parents. Remember our constitution had provided that security and welfare of all Nigerians are the primary purpose of government. They are entitled to enjoy the wealth of this nation. They are entitled to be cared for from the common wealth nation. So far coronavirus has increase another dimension in our corruption tendencies.
We shall end up with coronavirus multi billionaires just like the pension fund, AIDS and Ebola.
Mohammed Sani Takori (Mni) writes from Abuja
