Ø As Northern Groups warn of more grave conflict in the region
The well respected Financial Times of London, has described Nigeria as a country at risk of attaining the status of a failed State.
The newspaper, in an editorial, yesterday, warned that if nothing is done and the country is allowed to continue in its current trajectory, it will soon become a problem far too big for the world to ignore.
The newspaper highlighted the fact that Nigeria is plagued with terrorism, illiteracy, poverty, banditry, and kidnapping, while its oil dependent economy is in tailspin, worsened by Covid-19 and is destined to end 2020 at -4 percent GDP.
It defined a failed State as one where the government is no longer in control, noting that “by this yardstick, Africa’s most populous country is teetering on the brink.”
The newspaper said the abduction and subsequent rescue of over 300 schoolboys in Kankara, Katsina State, revived memories of the 276 Chibok schoolgirls abducted in Borno State in 2014.
It emphasised that while the government’s claim that no ransom was paid to the abductors of the schoolboys remains doubtful, other acts of criminality could not be overlooked.
The newspaper said the claim by the President Muhammadu Buhari government in 2015 that Boko Haram had been technically defeated, has turned out to be fanciful, as according to it, the terrorist group remained an ever-present threat.
The newspaper said security is not the only area where “the state is failing”, adding that Nigeria has more poor people than any other country even as Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children on earth.
The newspaper stated that as oil continues to lose its value, Nigeria’s economy would worsen, adding that Buhari, who has less than three years left in office, must use the remainder of his term, to redouble efforts at improving security.
It advised the government to restore trust in key institutions, among them the judiciary, the security services and the electoral commission, which will preside over the 2023 elections.
The Financial Times noted in conclusion that it was time for Nigeria to restructure its political system and concentrate on security, health, education, power and roads
This is coming as the Coalition of Northern Groups, (CNG), on Monday warned Northern leaders of the danger of even more grave conflicts if current insecurity in the region is not tackled on time.
The group gave the warning when its executive members paid a visit to Governor Aminu Masari in Katsina, arguing that it was not celebration time yet because of the rescue of the three 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, insisting that other serious incidents had occurred in the North shortly after the rescue of the students.
According to the group, the Northern leaders that their communities were hungry and angry and they should do the needful to pacify them.
