pannigeriannews 
By Gabriel Adisa
In Nigeria, we claim to have right to life but unfortunately, terrorist inhuman activities across the country have been threatening and intimidating the populace. Countless number of innocent lives are being lost on daily basis as if government exists not.
In principle, Nigerians would always talk about right to quality education for all citizens. Sad enough, Nigerian cutizens hardly have access to it because of incessant hikes in tution which is supposed to be free for all from primary to tertiary institution.
This is a country where only children of the politicians, the haves and few ‘struggling parents’ can afford the exhobitant school fees while the less privileged children drop-out day-in day-out due to financial constraint.
We must not forget the freedom of speech.This is a country where everyone is being careful of what to say, where and how to say, it especially on matters of administration of this country or the enemies of the truth. Everyone is now scared of saying the truth because no one knows who might have been offended and ready to attack the speakers because of the undiluted truth spoken or written to correct the wrong doing of the perpetrators.
What about freedom of movement? Today, nobody is safe to go to school, market, farm or their work places. Nigerian citizens are, indeed, now in fear of abduction by the terrorists in broad daylight, not to talk of moving about in the night or in the outskirts of our communities.
This is a country where someone who is going to his place of work can no longer guarantee safety of his return alive or being abducted. Parents cannot have peace of mind when their children leave home for school untill they arrive in the afternoon with common prayer “Thank God, my child eventually arrives in peace”. The farmers can no longer go to their farmland with peace of mind because one might get killed by terrorists or abducted before coming back home.
Likewise, Nigerian Constitution allows freedom of association which means one has the right to join any group, practice any religion he or she likes. It is sad that here in Nigeria, if you belong to a particular religion, certain people already hate you and will do everything to frustrate you or torment your life.
The Constitution also states the right of Nigeria citizens to participate in an election either by casting our vote for any candidate of our choice or to contest for any post if eligible according to the Electoral Act.
Unfortunately, many eligible voters have turned apolitical. This category of citizens decide to do so because shiuld they contest, the process might never be transparent and only money bag politics, godfatherism and rigging ensures electoral victory.
It has also been said that votes don’t count and that winners would have been decided even before election.
Yet, it is in the Constitution that no citizen shall be detained more that 24 hours without presenting him before a court of law to decide on the allegation made against him. This is Nigeria for where an innocent fellow might be detained for days or weeks especially if such suspect doesn’t meet up with the demanded amount of money to be out on bail.
Why is it that everyone is now leaving in fear in this country? Fear to speak, fear to go to place of work, fear to go to school, fear to go to relious worship centres, fear to eat and fear to sleep because one doesn’t know what may happen to one in the middle of the night. Investigation from different quarters claim that what Nigerians are experiencing in this country is the wrath of God which I totally disagree. It is purely a man-made disaster; nothing but man’s inhumanity to man and must be abolished.
What then can we do to regain our fundamental human rights? I put God first. It is only by the mercies of God that we can enjoy our fundamental human rights in this country like ever before. If we are going to see positive result, Nigerians must join hands with the government to fight this battle collectively. Nigeria government should be intentional about making laws that prohibit everyone from carrying or being in possesion of ammunition in this country except the security porsonnel that are being authorised by law. Anyone found guilty of this offence should be arrested and prosecuted without fear or favour. Also anyone that engages in abduction activities, either as abductor or informant, should be sentenced to death.
In addition, there must be good remuneration for our security personnel because if they are not well paid, they might not have the zeal to defend our territorial integrity wholeheartedly. It is also very important to provide sophisticated weapons for our security porsonnel from federal to local levels. This will enable the security agents to have courage, face and defeat the terrorists.
On the part of the security agents, with the availability of sophisticated weapons, there should be deployment of a huge number of security porsonnel to all insecurity-prone areas, forest and towns; their presence alone will ‘scare’ the terrorists and there must be quick response to any security threat during the day and at night.
Citizens must also be vigilant and give helpful information to the security agents whenever they sight any strange movement.
…Adisa writes through adisa.gabriel18@gmail.com
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