Dangerous politicisation of national security

Aminu Iyawa

In the wake of the recent Auno attack on stranded travellers by Boko Haram, the military has come under renewed fire from especially the opposition that does not miss such opportunity to cash in and blame them and the administration.

They called on the President to sack the service chiefs despite the glaring success the military has recorded since 2015. A call that is clearly mischievous, misplaced and done only to score cheap political goal with the grieving relatives of the victims of the Auno attack.

I think every leader has a choice to make with who to work with at that high level. I am sure the President is not ignorant of the reaction of a section of Nigerians who do not see the nation’s security issue beyond their bigoted, clouded minds. What is important to note here is there is a lot of sabotage going on, aimed at plunging the country into unreversable chaos and, yielding to such unreasonable agitation is certainly undesirable at this point.

Nigerians need to realise that there could be a lot happening on the security front that the federal government is not at liberty to tell citizens. It would rather remain silent and continue to work on overcoming the challenges.

Politicising national security should be abhored by all patriotic citizens. We should not succumb to propaganda that is clearly aimed at futher dividing our beloved nation.

As someone who lived for nearly a year in my state capital, Yola, under curfew from 5.00 pm to 6.00 am and total blockage of cell phone during the same period because of Boko Haram, I salute the Nigerian Army under the current leadership for saving Adamawa State from such torment.

During that period, we remained incommunicado with the rest of the states and the outside world. Many have had to travel to neighboring Cameroon republic, Gombe or Taraba states to make essential phone calls. Muslims could not go to Mosques to perform their Magribh, Isha and fijr prayers as ordained.

The weekly congrigational Jumma’at prayers on Fridays and all the special Eid prayers were prohibited in so many communities and where allowed, everone had to be frisk-serched before entry into worship places.

And now someone is trying to convince me not to appreciate the liberty offered to me and the good people of the Northeast as a result of the excellent job done by President Muhammad Buhari and the service chiefs? No, I will never fall for such propaganda. Nigerians should shine their eyes!