Insecurity: ‘We Politicise Everything’, Professor Disagrees With Former Presidential Aide

A Professor of Criminal Justice System and Penology, Ussiju Medaner, has insisted that the issue of insecurity in Nigeria is being politicised.

He said this when he made an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today, in reaction to comments by a former presidential aide, Akin Osuntokun, who believes that the reverse is the case.

“It’s unfortunate, we politicise everything,” he said.

His comments come on the heels of the murder of Funke Olakunrin, a daughter of Afenifere’s National Leader, Reuben Fasoranti – a situation that has sparked outrage from different groups across the country.

One of those include former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who in an open letter to President Buhari, said the killings (which many say have become one too many), can no longer be ignored or treated with nonchalance.

In the letter, he highlighted major steps he believes can be taken to curb the menace – which include collective thinking and dialogue, as well as avoidance of blame games among key stakeholders.

However, in reaction, Medaner said, “to the best of my knowledge, President Olusegun Obasanjo is a member of the Council of States and if really, there is no politicisation of this issue, he would have discussed this issue in the council”.

According to him, during the regime of the former president, in October 2004, there were reports of communal clashes which resulted in the death of over 50,000 people at the time and nothing was done about it.

“When we talk about security, it is everybody’s business. And I think if we can do that, we can help the country and not just trying to be a disinterested but benefitting party in the security situation in the country.

“This is an issue that the world over is facing.

“Let me just refer you to what is happening in Cape Town, just within a month 3,000 people were killed in gun violence.

“What the country is doing is not to go to the media to politicise it. They came together to proffer solution”.

As part of the solutions, he believes the country needs to review its Criminal Justice System.

“Let us discuss how to solve the problem. We need to review our Criminal Justice System. Some of the deterrent measures we are taking do not mean well for us.
Let’s us come together, how do we solve the problem. That is the issue,” he said.