I write in response to your editorial with the above caption published on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. What caught my attention was the unbelievable approach by the Edo State Government which recently ordered all herdsmen operating in forests in the state to vacate or face dire consequences. The pertinent question is: Does any state have the authority to give such an order to a fellow citizen?
How could a state government give an order conflicting the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Chapter 4, Section 41 states that: “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from the country or refuse entry thereby or exit therefrom.”
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However, it is agreed security is a source of concern all over the country.
I have a firm belief that for us to get it right, everyone must be involved; it’s our country and our communities. We should work together for the peaceful coexistence of the nation. Indeed, peace is priceless. We either live with it or perish together, as a deserted nation.
Indeed there are criminals in every region and we have to fight them collectively to make the country a better place for all citizens.
We have a responsibility to secure our nation and give our citizens a sense of hope, trust and belonging that will be accepted by all and sundry. Certainly, there is a need to have an all-encompassing approach to dealing with the general insecurity in Nigeria. The federal government and other tiers should be assisted by citizens in providing necessary information in our domain. We should not blame a certain entity based on its tribe or perceived religious beliefs. Fish out criminals whoever they are and let them face the music. The selective approach always escalates a vicious cycle of violence in the country.
Of course, the results will not augur well for the country. We need each other to progress as a nation.
I, therefore, make a humble appeal for the Edo state government to restrain its unconstitutional decision that cynics the well-being of the country’s cooperative coexistence.
Tajuddeen Ahmad Tijjani writes from Galadima Mahmoud Street, Kasuwar Kaji Azare, Bauchi State
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