Following are readers’ reactions to last week’s column.
“Impressive! I am really touched by this article.
May we always be the agents who fix broken windows and not the ones that break more.”
Lawal Mu’azu
“Dr Dooba I read your piece. You hit the nail on the head. Late Dele Giwa once lamentably described Nigeria as God’s experiment with the impossible. The late Richard Akinjide also once said that he keeps two brains; one for his stay in Nigeria where he lapses into our uncivilized ways and the other when he is abroad to behave in the genteel and civilised ways there.
- Nigeria was handed over to Nigerians, not to Fulani
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Now this is one of our best lawyers, a former Attorney General and a celebrated elder statesman.”
– Iliyasu Gadu
“Prof. This is very educative and thought provoking. We pray those that have the wherewithal to fix the broken windows do the needful. May the ink of your pen never got dried. Ameen.”
Ayo Adetokun
“Love this one. It needs to be taught in that school of Strategic policy or something.”
Dr Habiba Muutasim
“A masterpiece Dr. While not contesting this theory. Crime seems to be in the DNA and biologically inherent in some people. This explains why even when the system is working, you still find criminals contumaciously thriving in every society. You’ll find Nigerians committing crimes on foreign lands. But that said, scientifically, Nigeria is a fertile ground for criminalities. It fits into every theory: Evolutionary, political, economical, cultural, biological, etc. Like Cesare Lombroso, we’ll have to start measuring jaws, and taking blood samples of harden criminals and looters. We may arrive at a trajectory.”
Jibrin Abubakar
“This is highly inspirational. Does that explains the widely known notion in this part of the world that “if you can’t beat them, join them”? I think it calls for an attitudinal change as the broken can still be repaired and fixed.”
Ibrahim bin Ibrahim
“Excellent as always Prof.”
Dr Ziya Mukhtar
“Very insightful.”
Engr Fatima Shettima
“Salutations to you Sir. You have said it all, if this could be taught in our tertiary instititions at least some would benefit and adopt reasonable behaviors.”
- Garba
“Masha Allah this is a masterpiece.Indeed lack of deterrence encourages people to indulge in more crimes and leads to broken windows, broken doors, broken homes and unfortunately broken society. May we learn to amend broken things around us and encourage people around us to do the same amin.”
Ya’u Abu Abdurrahman
“Can you remember when Buhari first came onboard? Everyone became more responsible for a while, we thought we voted for the former Buhari that doesnt take nonsense. I guess fear is a good motivator, if we can have a serious government, most of the work would happen swiftly. Jazakumullahu khairan.”
Adama Abdullahi
“Restoration of public order is a most, if indeed we want to make progress as a nation. How do we restore public order? Make sincere effort and commitment in punishing crime with the speed of light. And I can assure you, things will fall in place like magic. And these points are not rocket science or involve something like getting water from the moon.”
Engr S. Yushau
For this to happen, the government must know the residential address where every citizen and other dwellers in the country. Invest heavily on technology especially in the security and social order sectors. Develop criminal conviction database to document offenses from traffic violation to murder. Ensure the efficient running of the justice system. Among other things.
Engr. Ibrahim Yayaji
“I hope you are putting together these pieces into a compendium! Apt and factual. Kudos. I wish I will be free to translate it for you in Hausa for wider reach. Well done.”
Khalid Imam
“This reminds me how a robber told the story of how stealing his colleague’s petty things such as pencils and books at primary school level without being cautioned by his parents opened up a bigger way for him to become a notorious robber…. So many broken windows everywhere! God, save this nation!”
Abdullahi Jibril
“This is truly insightful, learned something here.”
Murtala Adam
“This reminds me of a lecture by late Prof. Femi Odekunle years ago on Reward and Punishment in Tackling Crime wherein he opined that a lot is wrong with Nigeria’s reward approach to fighting crime. According to him, punishment and reward can both be used strategically to emphasize or de-emphasize particular behaviours.
I remember him citing an example with Traffic Police or Road Safety Corps. He said imagine what would happen when say randomly, a driver is flagged down and instead of the usual haranguing, he or she is handed a hamper of goodies with a “thank you for driving safely” card from the police or road safety officers. In the same vein, when people are sent straight to jail for violating traffic lights instead of the usual pat in the back because the assumption is that it’s a “small” offence, it would automatically reduce the rate of other “bigger” violations.”
U.K. Umar
“Even little sparks could start infernos.”
Nabil Mustapha
“Sponsorship of thugs by the political class is a shattered glass. Not recognizing early warning signals of conflict and crime by those saddled with leadership responsibilities is another, and many more!”
Abraham Kolo
“Really everyone has a role to play to fix the multiple broken Windows in sight. Thank you Sir you have started your own by supplying us with this eloquent and enlighten write up. How I wish every Nigerian will read this and act approximately.”
Aminu Abubakar Karfi
“The analogy is well thought out, incisive and straight talk.”
Tanko Nayashi
“Very educating, I am looking forward to see that “Broke Windows Theory” is being applied to banditry and insecurity in this country.”
Usman Zakari
“A food for thought piece for all of us.”
Hassan Mohammed
“Almost what is now happening with menace of banditry, the unfixed window attracted many into the folds of these bandits. But when the government is awaken, we have seen a significant fixed so far along the dreaded kaduna-Abuja road.”
Aliyu Muhammad
“The whole of Nigeria is a broken window by this article.”
El’Yusuf Abu Mujaheed
“Sums up our societal problems. It has been long I read something this good Ibraheem Dooba.”
Hamza Suleiman Mashegu
“The broken windows are everywhere!”
Dr Mustapha Bello
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