BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
The Nigerian Baptist Convention has lamented the poor standard of equipment being used by security personnel to combat criminal elements and terrorists.
Spokesman for the Convention, Eben Durodola, in an interview with The Point on the recent abduction of 125 students of Bethel Baptist School, Damishi, Kaduna State by armed bandits, and other attacks in the land, expressed worry over the rising cases of insecurity in the country.
The abduction came hours after Governor Nasir El-Rufai withdrew his son from a public school, following alleged security threats against the pupil.
Durodola said, “The quality of equipment and the level of preparedness of security personnel in Nigeria, as it appears, are getting poorer. These people (bandits), because of the millions (of Naira) they are getting from their victims, have the resources to buy sophisticated weapons that our security agents do not have. That accounted for the killing of the two soldiers that tried to stop the kidnap.
“Many of the security personnel fear for their own lives because they are overwhelmed. A lot of billions of dollars have been spent on the issue of insecurity but we’ve not seen any sign (of improvement).”
The cleric urged schools and communities to provide for themselves an appreciable level of security.
He said they should, however, desist from the use of illegal weapons such as AK 47.
He said, “Government will not allow people to take up AK 47. So, whatever level of security people can do, they can still put it up, at least, to a certain level. Even if they don’t carry guns, there are other means of protecting oneself.
“What security will you put in place when you have just you, your wife and your children in the house but you have 30 of the bandits coming? Even if you have a gun, what will you do? These people move in large numbers whenever they are going for operations while the military could just be like 15 going to engage the large number of bandits. We pray God to intervene.”On last Monday’s directive by the Kaduna State Government o the closure of some private schools in the state in the light of the recent abduction of pupils by bandits, Durodola said, “We cannot close down schools because of bandits. That means you have caved in and you encourage them to achieve what they are planning to do.
“There are people behind them providing ammunition and intelligence services. Our security operatives should rise to the occasion and the government should do the needful. Whatever money you are getting, use it to buy the necessary equipment, then the problem will be all over.”
