By Toheeb Azeez, the LASGIDI FARMER
Insecurity is a leading driver of food insecurity among the top food insecurity drivers, and Nigeria must do all it can to rid the already established and emerging forms of it. This is not just important for Nigeria but also for Africa and the globe.
The most food insecure places in the world –to mention few –DR Congo, Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia, and even Nigeria etc. all have cases of insecurity.
Insecurity impacts food insecurity in two ways –by a direct impact disrupting food production and raising food cost and also indirectly by impacting livelihoods and eroding earnings and purchasing power, making it difficult to purchase (yet a costly) food.
For instance, in the most food insecure region of Nigeria, the North East, insecurity does not only make food production difficult but also leave people displaced and of their livelihoods (farmers inclusive) to comfortably earn a living.
The impact is not localized as the region is a major food producing hub servicing places across the nation and that the displaced people have extended relatives and dependants which the tremor of a livelihood stress/loss would reach.
This then informs on the scale of impact of the different insecurity threats across Nigeria, having to do with food availability, distribution and access, economic activities, income, poverty and hunger.
As Nigeria is reeling out of a previously high food inflation but the effect yet to be felt by the citizens with the current reforms and harvest abundance, developing security threats could worsen the food insecurity state of the nation and decimate economic progress being recorded before they trickle down.
Recently, there was a rumour of coup in the country and which was quickly denied but, however, a following rejig of security cabinet by the Presidency had the public confused and suspect there could be some truth to the issue.
Also, is the intent of the United States to expel dangerous criminals to Nigeria and who are not originally of a Nigerian origin.
Another worry is the moving train by some political actors and private military service providers in the United States to force physical intervention in Nigeria holding to persecutions of Christians in the state and enabled by the Nigerian government.
And yet is a frightening occurrence with people already killed, the banditry invasion in some parts of Kwara state of the nation and attendant flee of communities, which joins other cases of terror acts in the north central region.
Intelligence reports inform of insurgent agents from the far north now having a foothold in the north central evident with the Kwara state incidence and tending to spread into the s/west.
Kwara state then follows others states in north central Kogi, middle belt, north east, and rural areas of s/west states that are terrorized.
Several areas and known for food production in these places are being deserted to terror acts, and if care is not taken a successful emergence, emboldening, and spread of insurgent groups could threaten both national physical and food securities.
All these security issues come at a time where a major election is around the corner in need of a comprehensive security cognizant of the nature of election in the nation, but where the Nigerian security apparatus is stretched in action across the nation –confronting foreign invading terrorists at our borders, fighting Bokoharam in the north, settling herders-farmers clashes in the s/west, combatting ethnic and territorial conflicts in the middle belt and north central, keeping in check IPOB in the s/east and militancy and energy infrastructure vandalism in the s/south, among many others.
While the issues at hand demand proactive and a stronger security response, most require intelligent and calculated responses especially in the face of unrelenting opposition forces who do not mean well for the nation, an evolving pervading sensationalism and politicizing of issues, and state-sponsored sophisticated propaganda machineries leveraging divisions, emotions and digital capabilities.
First on the list is the potential US invasion. The Nigerian government must assert its sovereignty and capabilities to handle its own problems and not allow unsolicited foreign intervention with potential of disastrous outcomes, a number of cases that can be pointed to in the modern era.
For instance, Libya used to be a beacon of a vibrant state and especially in Africa until the collapse of the Gaddafi regime and now with many poor and hungry and which encouraged the taking up of arms and spread of insecurity to neigbouring countries that disrupted their economic activities and food production pushing many into poverty and hunger.
Similarly, Nigeria with her huge population and being a leading economy in the continent and with satellite states cannot afford an unrest to either foreign invasion or coup, as the impact would not only have many in poor living conditions locally but also across the continent.
The Nigerian government must then unequivocally reject an exportation of criminal illegal aliens to its sovereign state capable of fomenting unrest. It must demonstrate that they cannot be dictated to and especially on matters that do not align with the prosperity of its people.
It cannot be imagined that as the Nigerian government pushes for this yet the presidency let loose dangerous domestic criminals of all kinds with a presidential pardon. It is bad optics; portraying the nation as a reformation camp or haven for criminals other countries can offload their criminals to.
The existence of international and world powers influencing global politics and pressuring weak nations cannot be denied, Nigeria thus must strive to be militarily and economically strong in ways that guarantee its sovereignty, influence and stance in the global political arena.
It is the reason alongside a weak judiciary domestic terrorism and insecurity fueled by local and international terrorism financing web axis cannot be exposed, justice ensured and their operations terminated.
This judiciary must then be strengthened and to also deliver equitable treatment and consensus of the people, and as well hold accountable politicians, figures and media outlets sowing divisions.
The government also needs to be honest and thoughtful with approaching the different security and societal issues of the nation. There are genuine complaints of intentional harm infliction, inequalities, and unmet expectations. These must be acknowledged and resolved accordingly.
Christians and Muslims are killed alike and in many cases Muslims and their religious sites destroyed by extremists professing Islam. Still, there are cases of a number of Christians persecuted for their faith. However, this must not be inverted to depict what holds in most cases and for ethnic and territorial conflicts as in the middle belt.
The government must then act decisively to resolve these issues and govern as expected for a multi-religious and cultural society but not without ruthlessly dealing with perpetrators of assaults on others, to eradicate apprehension, lower tension, rebuild trust and confidence, and communicate clearly, truthfully and firmly and also own the narrative about what is happening in Nigeria.
A unified and holistic effort is required in remedying the issues we face as a nation and especially security but it requires fairness, justice and sensible tolerance and also that we the citizens act right. We must act now!
