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Increased Crime Rate In Kano State: The Genesis By Mahdi Shehu
One of the biggest and among the many challenges facing many growing societies world over is that of security of lives and properties through coordinated efforts, proper and timely allocation of resources and of course periodic reviews and update of all security variables and situations. The issue of security becomes of greater concern in rapidly growing societies that assume cosmopolitan features wherein cultures, traditions and other social, economic and political equities and inequities are melting together with all the attendant multiplier effects on individual and group behaviour, attitude, cultures, religious, idiosyncracies and world views.
For the government, particularly, Federal, State and Local, the issue of security is not a matter of choice or chance but rather that of discharging a clearly defined constitutional duty and burden whose discharge gives credence to those in governance. Chapter II of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution dealing with fundamental objectives and directive principle of State policy states very unequivocally the security responsibility of any government worth its name.
Security is everybody's business. For the individual it is both a civil, civic and constitutional responsibility and duty which if positively achieved helps and allows the individual to plan and achieve his set objectives with minimal fear, risk and interference.
Rate of reported crime incidences, instances and episodes in Kano State from 1999 to April 2003, vide the police periodic crime review bulletin clearly indicates that crime, particularly armed robbery, houses and shops breaking, wilful murder, suicide and homicide cases, breach of trust, etc. were rising at alarming and geometrically rate and speed. Although the various police bulletins did not attribute facts that could be said to be responsible for the scourge. But that does not make it difficult for one to comprehend.
These crime rate increases (from 1999 to April 2003) were not coincidental but happened to be incidental, identified and associated with the then Kwankwaso regime which deployed and adopted pedestrian and vigilante approach to security matters. An approach with inputs from hunters syndrome, a syndrome often and many times left to chances, assumptions and wishful thinking. With political thuggery promoted, protected and handsomely rewarded by the government (1999-April 2003) one does not need further explanation as to what accounts for the increase in murder, arson and other assorted crime instances.
With zero ethical and moral orientation and reorientation programme of the Kwankwaso regime, one needs not to look far to understand why cases of breach of trust, rape, arson and other tangentially related crime cases become on the increase in Kano State (1999 to 2003).
When government programmes are not people-oriented nor God inclined, the consequences are that people become alienated, frustrated and sidelined consequent upon which they do not feel belonged as a result of which they will remain unwilling members to partner with anybody or government particularly in the area of peace building and security for the general benefit of all sundry.
As a result of the glaring failure, inadequacy and laxity of the Kwankwaso Administration particularly on the security aspect, the electorates in 1999 exercised their franchise wisely in spite of all the conspiracy theories thereby voted out the heartless regime for then and forever.
Soon after the Shekarau administration set in, policies with human face and with compliance to Allah's command, were introduced through legitimate legislations. Illegally dismissed civil servants were reabsorbed and all their outstanding entitlements pai d. All outstanding gratuities and pensions settled. Contractors and contractual obligations discharged. Promotions in public service became a matter of right not privilege. Traditional institutions given their rightful places, local government councils took firm control of their statutory allocations, public opinion respected, views contrary to government positions expressed freely. Journalists briefed periodically on government activities, wider channels of consultations with all stakeholders ensured. Sustained budgetary discipline and expenditure patterns put in place. Opposition accommodated. Political thuggery became a thing of the past. Youth engaged gainfully, women empowered, religious leaders and other relevant and time-tested institutions brought into the mainstream of governance, moral and ethical orientation programmes become integral part of the Kano society and Kano people. The poor and the needy clothed, fed and monied. And most importantly gradual implementation of Shariah became the leading light.
All these evolving deliberate policies started to change and impact positively on the Kano population with drastically reducing squabbles, petty thefts, reducing instances of breach of trust, declining cases of rape, murder, arson, homicide, suicide, alcoholism and other forms of crimes such as house and shops breaking. These are signs of peace, harmony and tranquility achieved by the Ghanian administration with record time of slightly more than two years.
But from within the last 40 days, the much improved security situation in Kano State is being deliberately diluted, distorted, disturbed and compromised, again this time by Kwankwaso's federal government, all in relation and retaliation from the defeat it suffered in the 2003 elections and the daily declining popularity and total disarray of the people democratic party (?) in Kano State and the whole country.
Take, for example, some 40 days, 350 Nigerians and nationals of other African countries were deported back to Nigeria from Morocco on their way to Spain. Kabo Airline were given the contract to bring them to Nigeria and was clearly instructed by the federal government to land at Aminu Kano International Airport with them where they were eventually dumped instead of taking them to their respective States. From their travel documents except for one person all the remaining 349 deportees are indigenes of either South western or South-South or South-Eastern states.
Worst of all, two days after Kabo Airline have dumped them at the Aminu Kano International Airport, officials of NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) came to the airport and gave each one of them the sum of 3000 and dispersed all of them out of the airport. Perhaps the 3000 was meant for them to buy arms.
Not yet done, the federal government without any prior notice, discussion, consultation or approval, is trying to take over the Mariri transit camp, an extensive structure, erected by Governor Abubakar Rimi, for the purpose of converting it into a camp where all deportees to Nigeria are to be kept.
And from then on, house breaking cases increased, armed robbery became a daily report. General insecurity returned because the Federal Government through NEMA decided to let loose aggrieved and questionable characters into Kano society that has been gradually brought back to a decent status by the Shekarau regime, a regime which is on record to have spent millions of Naira and supplied over 120 brand new vehicles to the Nigeria police and other security agencies in its honest commitment to peace, tranquility, cohesion, harmony, progress and development.
The government of Kano State must take all measures against this open security threat to their State and must stop at nothing in ensuring the PDP federal government does not succeed in creating for them another state of vandals, vagabonds and criminals within the existing State of Kano.
Mahdi Shehu |