Last Sunday’s abduction of some 177 worshippers from three churches in Kurmin Wali community in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State illustrates once again the loopholes in Nigeria’s security paradigm. The abductions took place on Sunday, but it was not until Tuesday before the authorities acknowledged that a crime took place. Did no one lodge a report to the nearest police station? And if they did, why were senior police divisions, local government officials and state authorities not immediately notified? By initially denying the crime, state and local government authorities seemed mortifyingly unaware of any attacks and abductions in Kajuru.
Unfortunately, much time was lost bickering over whether a crime occurred or not, rather than immediately activating measures to intercept the kidnappers. As late as Thursday, however, according to some indigenes of the area, the kidnappers were observed travelling on foot in the same general area. Though some 11 people reportedly escaped from their abductors, some 166 are thought to remain in the custody of the criminals who are clearly having a hard time moving so many people at once, and on foot. Why can’t they be monitored and isolated?
Not only must states redesign their security architecture and crime reporting methods, they must also brace up for embarrassment now and again as the next election cycle draws near. The Defence minister Christopher Musa hails from the state and is a member of the ethnic stock of the victims. Only recently he publicly condemned the act of negotiating with terrorists. The terrorists and anguished public will watch to see what happens, especially when the kidnappers were quoted as mocking the affected communities for reposing too much hope in security agents. What is clear is that if the response time to these crimes is not shortened, the nation and the security forces will be repeatedly embarrassed.
Culled from The Nation
