There’s something strange and very disturbing about the failed republic. The citizens of Nigeria surrendered their power to bear arms to the government under the bogus 1999 constitution in exchange for security guarantees by the government.
Now that the government appears to have admitted it’s failure in this regard, as can be inferred by the trending comments of the experienced Director General of of the Department of State Services, constitutional reforms or restructuring or better still, devolution of power so that local policing will become constitutional in the spirit of the only authentic 1963 constitution of the Federal Republic should be given utmost priority by the Tinubu regime.
Suffice to say that local communities in every free society are constitutionally empowered to organize and govern themselves; harness their resources and taxes in order to provide basic welfare services and amenities for their people, including the protection of lives and property which is the primary purpose of government.
It is a constitutional anathema for the federal government of Nigeria to confiscate state resources in Abuja and expect ordinary citizens at the sub national whom they’ve denied the right and resources to bear arms to confront terrorists and bandits with bear hands and knuckles.
Therefore, there is a compelling need for a radical departure from the existing status quo through peaceful constitutional reforms or a referendum to determine the future of the failed republic.
Charles Obinna Chukwunaru, PhD
President,
Eastern Nigeria Development Association
