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In peace time, a curfew could draw attention to the “fragility of stability and the inevitability of instability”, (apologies to Prof. Augustine Ufua Enahoro of the University of Jos).
Coming just hours after the state government attributed its inability to conduct the LG elections to the wave of insecurity in the state, (having voted N450 million for the election in the 2017 budget), the declaration of an absolute curfew in the Central District is suspect! This is especially so, because the “wailing hailers” had never cease to hail government’s “giant strides” in the area of security.
However, and in spite of the above, the governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state has more information and intels than the rest of us. As painful as this curfew is, let us give the government the benefit of the doubt until we get credible information as to the sincerity or otherwise of the government on this issue.
Our stability is fragile. Instability is inevitable in human societies. What makes the difference between an eldorado and a Hobbessian state is leadership.
We must remember that constitutionally, “The Security and Well-being” of the people is the primary purpose of government. Note that the “security” comes before the “well-being”.
Information is still sketchy as at now but we hope that government would clear the air in the days to come in order to dispel certain unpalatable and partisan rumours surrounding this imposition. Some say the imposition is to serve a political end. Others say it is strictly a security issue. The rumour mill is agog.
Whatever the case is, caution is the word.
Security operatives who would be ensuring compliance with the curfew must be properly briefed on the rules of engagement. A curfew is not a war situation. It is also different from a state of emergency. Even in such situations, not all rights are suspended. There are rules of engagement.
Security operatives must be well-tutored on who and who constitute “essential” workers. Journalists, electricity distribution personnel, water board staff, medical personnel are all essential workers and must not be harassed.
Also, knowing that the declaration was made barely an hour to mid-night, those who had gone to work this morning should not be harassed on their way back home.
Not many people have heard of this curfew. I stay in Abuja and have had to call several people in the affected areas who said they were not aware of the curfew as at 8am today.
– Omeiza Ajayi, JP wrote in from Abuja and can be reached via omezonline@yahoo.com
“In Nigeria, cataract is the third biggest cause of blindness. Religion and ethnicity remain the first two”.
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