Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that any government that fails to guarantee the security of life and property has no justification to exist.
Obasanjo made this known in an interview with News Central Television at the weekend.
He lamented the worsening insecurity and leadership challenges confronting Nigeria, noting that the country has lost its influence in international affairs and mishandled key regional relationships, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States.
According to him, Nigeria is no longer “at the table” of global decision making, adding that the country’s inability to shape events beyond its borders reflects a broader leadership deficit.
Commenting on the pervasive insecurity, Obasanjo maintained that citizens must not accept kidnapping and other social vices as normal, recalling that Nigerians once travelled freely across the country.
He said any administration that fails to guarantee the safety of lives and property has effectively forfeited its right to exist.
Obasanjo traced the roots of the worsening security situation to the aftermath of the civil war, when the proliferation of arms was not properly controlled.
He added that the situation has since escalated due to poor governance and neglect.
The former president also linked the crisis to both external and internal factors, including the return of armed mercenaries following the fall of Libya’s former leader, Muammar Gaddafi, as well as the use of armed groups for political purposes.
He warned that the growing number of out of school children, estimated at about 20 million, poses a long-term security risk, describing them as a ready pool for recruitment into extremist groups.
Obasanjo said, “The other day, somebody came to me and said, well, from NIPSS (National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies), they were looking into the causes of insecurity. And I said, what is this about? He said the government has asked them to do this.
“I said, well, this government, will they have the courage to implement whatever you will get. He said he didn’t know. And I said, look, I came back to this country in 1959 after my military training, initial military training in the UK.
“You could go anywhere in the North. Anywhere. And what you will get is people being gracious there.
“And somebody was telling me the other day that, look, we’ve taken it (kidnapping) for granted. It’s no longer news.
“So when you hear that somebody in your family has been kidnapped, you all come together. Even for N2,000, maybe they can release him. Should we accept that as a way of life? No way.”
He emphasised, “And the first responsibility of any government, no matter how that government comes into being, is the security of life and property.
“A government that cannot give security of life and property to its citizens has forfeited the right of existence.”
Obasanjo raises alarm over insecurity, leadership deficit, says a government that fails to secure lives has no right to exist
