In the last few months, the activities of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, have become so devious, dastardly and widespread that even places never thought of have become serious targets.
The Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State; the attack on a Deeper Life Church in Gombe State on January 5 and other worship centres in parts of the Northern region, the recent multiple bomb explosions in Kano that claimed over 200 lives have reinforced the high level of insecurity in the country.
Although the activities of the sect have largely been concentrated in the North, every citizen, however, must be vigilant and more security conscious. This is necessary because some criminals could use the Boko Haram sect as a pretext to carry out deadly attack on institutions and individuals. So it has become necessary to advise citizens to be more security conscious than ever before.
While the Federal Government and security agencies continue to plan how to rein in the criminality, every citizen, to a large extent, has the responsibility to protect his/her life. It may not be possible to shun worship centres in a religious state like Nigeria, but it does behoove on the leadership of religious centres to make adequate security arrangements for bomb-detecting gadgets. Vehicles going into such centres should be subjected to routine checks at the gates. Likewise, individuals with suspicious bags and questionable bulge underneath their garments should be properly, but politely, searched.
City dwellers, who are always attracted to some scenes on the road or within their neighborhoods, should learn to mind their business by shunning such side attractions. This is because bombers usually target crowds. Operators of viewing centres, on their part, should devise means of checking their patrons properly.
Habitual night crawlers who visit drinking parlours and joints seeking fun must learn to tame their habit. A good number of places Boko Haram members had visited with fury were drinking joints and many people had been killed in those attacks.
While we believe that people have the right to catch fun once in a while, it must not be to the detriment of their own lives. It is gratifying, however, that the newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Dikko Abubakar, has promised to ensure a crime-free society and guarantee security of life and property.
“We shall fight crimes and criminality by whatever name it is called, in all its ramifications whether Boko Haram, armed robbery or other forms of crimes. We shall fight all of them. What I want to assure you is that our administration is going to be different in terms of fighting crimes. We shall not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corruption,” he said.
The IG’s words sound assuring enough, but we hope that Nigerians will be sensitive to going-on in their surroundings and learn to take necessary personal precautions. That way, they will be helping the police stamp out insecurity from the country.