It is undoubtable that the Nigerian state is presently groaning under the yoke of what can best be described as unprecedented lawlessness.
This, naturally can be linked to the recently staged #EndSARS struggle that saw to it that many police stations were completely razed.
Those not affected by the unfortunate and unnecessary mob action are too intimidated to function at the optimal level as expected.
In Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State for example, the popular Ojoo Police Station was vandalized and practically demolished to the extent that new visitors to the area will never know that a Police Station ever existed there.
In addition, many police stations got their armories looted leaving most officers with little or nothing to use to fight crime.
All these are, perhaps, responsible for the level of lawlessness being experienced and even perpetrated by Nigerians across all social divides.
Road rage has attained different level. Jungle justice is the order of the day. Once you are accused of being a ‘thief’ and this gets to the hearing of two or more people, the next thing is for petrol, matches and used tires to ‘surface’. God help such a hapless fellow.
It is most unfortunate that governments at all levels seem to have lost the enthusiasm and political will to tackle this menace. The difference between jungle justice ‘dispensers’ and the Boko Haram elements cannot be said to be much. This is because if an attitude is wrong, it can never be right.
President Muhammadu Buhari and all the state governors need to pay attention before things go really out of hand. A stitch in time can save more than nine. Now is the time to take responsibility. Lawlessness in Nigeria must be nipped in the bud.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
