National Issues
Nigeria’s Involvement In Benin’s Regime Conflict -By Mohammed Ahmed
In North Central, banditry, kidnaping, and intercommunal clashes are becoming rampant, especially in states like Niger, Benue, and Kogi state. Porous boarders and small arms proliferation exacerbate the situation.
Last week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered Nigeria’s troops to invade Benin due to the regime conflict, resulting in a coup in the country.
There has been rising concerns among Nigerians about the Nigeria’s involvement in Benin’s Regime Conflict, questioning Tinubu’s audacity to be involved in such an external crisis while failing to address the increasingly distressing crises in Nigeria.
Recently, there were abductions of students from different schools by bandits, though there were reports confirmed that some of the abducted students were rescued. The killings of innocent Nigerians, including the recent killing of a brigadier by ambushes, demonstrates the indifference of the Tinubu’s administration, which questions his audacity to leave home insecure to secure another country.
Nigeria as a giant of Africa needs holistic approaches to address insecurity and ensure peaceful-coexistence not only in the country but also in Africa as a continent. Failure to do so rises doubt about Nigeria’s involvement in Benin’s Regime Conflict.
How in a diverse country like Nigeria can peace be politicized to become like a thing of past? Each region of the six (6) Nigeria’s geopolitical zones battles with different security concerns.
For example, the subregion of the Northeast like Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa State, these states are plagued by Boko Haram insurgency and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Armed groups target civilians, and military operations often lead to displacement and humanitarian crisis.
In Northwest, while states like Zamfara, Sokkoto, and Kebbi are grappling with the brutality of bandits, kidnappers, and armed robbery, the emergence of Lakurawa terror groups has raised fresh concerns, exploiting socioeconomic, discontent and posing a significant threat to the life of locals and their livelihoods.
In North Central, banditry, kidnaping, and intercommunal clashes are becoming rampant, especially in states like Niger, Benue, and Kogi state. Porous boarders and small arms proliferation exacerbate the situation.
Come to South East, separatists agitations and unknown gunmen attacks continue to dent the K-leg peace of the region. Neither security personal nor civilians are safe. The region sociopolitical context complicates security intervention.
Also in South South, militant groups target oil and gas infrastructure, while armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism are as prevalent as the region’s norms and values. Niger Delta, a state in that region has become an arena where intercommunal clashes doesn’t petrify anyone.
The South West, while this region is relatively stable, it also faces kidnapping, armed robbery, and cultism. In states like Ondo And Osun, peace is being restored with the help of Operation Amotekun, a regional peace initiative.
It’s a president of the country with the aforementioned collapses of peace in each region gather audacity to secure another country that involves into a regime conflict.
Remember, these security concerns are interconnected with regional instability with unknown wicked citizens contributing like external factors to complicate the country’s security landscape.
Frankly, Nigeria is a country where peace is as rare as hen’s teeth. Yet the legislators of this country are backing the president to invade another country in restoring democracy.
