What I find difficult to understand is why the government has not been able to effectively cut off the lifelines that sustain these criminal and terrorist groups.
Food, medicine, fuel, arms, and other supplies are their oxygen. These essential items do not appear out of thin air; they are sourced through networks that often involve people within surrounding communities.
If these supply chains can be identified and disrupted, their operational capacity would be severely weakened.
Furthermore, ransom payments collected from kidnapping victims eventually find their way into local economies. Tracking the movement of these funds could provide valuable intelligence on those who support, benefit from, or facilitate these criminal activities.
These groups also rely heavily on modern communication tools such as mobile phones, social media platforms, and messaging applications. With today's technology, many citizens wonder why greater efforts cannot be made to trace communications, identify networks, and locate criminal hideouts.
Some have suggested the use of advanced surveillance and tracking technologies to gather intelligence on terrorist and criminal organizations. While any such measures must comply with the law and respect human rights, the broader question remains: are all available intelligence-gathering tools being fully utilized to dismantle these networks?
Another issue that raises concern is the policy of deradicalization and reintegration of captured insurgents into society. While rehabilitation may have a role in addressing extremism, many citizens struggle to understand how individuals involved in the murder of innocent men, women, and children can simply be returned to communities without adequate accountability and justice.
How are the families of victims expected to feel when those responsible for unimaginable atrocities are reintegrated into society? What assurances exist that such individuals have genuinely renounced violence and no longer pose a threat?
These are difficult but legitimate questions that many Nigerians continue to ask. Addressing them openly and transparently is essential to restoring public confidence in the nation's security strategy and ensuring that justice, security, and reconciliation are properly balanced.
There are still many unanswered questions, and Nigerians deserve clear and honest answers from those entrusted with protecting lives and property.
Yomi Idowu
