Some people are feeding fat on our security challenge

Despite the huge amount continually being voted to security at the expense of sound education and poverty alleviation, the state of our nation security wise still gives room for so much concern. At times I ask myself if we are planning to go for some kind of war when the huge budgetary allocation for security stares me in the face. But taking a critical look at this issue, I can almost infer that some people somewhere are not only compromised but are feeing fat on the security challenges we have got just so they can enrich themselves.

To be candid, this despicable act is not only inhuman but can only be carried out by people who have lost their conscience, hence can’t be bothered even if the next blast affects their relatives or even children. The love of money has so much overtaken the need to do things properly whilst considering the common well being of every citizen.  Little wonder we have become a laughing stock in the world.

From the security operatives to intelligence and even the contractors, I dare any one of them to come out and tell us they have got a clean sheet.

When the former National Security adviser {Rtd General Andrew Owoeyi Azazi} after being sacked acquires three properties totalling about 3.8B naira, two at N1.5B each situated at No 19 and 21 Mambila crescent in Aso Drive and a third at N800M on No 2 Olumo close off Mambila Crescent, it goes on to tell how much more he will have in his account for him to have nominated this amount to getting just three buildings at the choice area of Abuja. You can then decipher how much more his subordinates would have amassed and what corners would have been cut all in the name of amassing wealth at the expense of our collective national security.

A man who’s highest earning was as a Military General, where he earned 1.4M monthly and 16.8M annually. He earned that perk between 2006 and 2007. Going by this statistics, the Rtd general would have served as a Military General for 94years to earn as much to acquire just one of his estates through known legitimate earnings.

As National Security Adviser for 21 months, the retired general earned a total of 5.471million as annual salary, N455, 940 monthly and N35, 000 as duty tour allowance of $1000 per night. Relying on his annual salary as the National Security Adviser, Mr Azazi would have served for 274 years to earn 1.5B, the value of just one of his apartments.

When people become as callous as amassing wealth at the expense of lives and security of fellow citizens, are we not truly at a crossroad? When money is being exchanged at the detriment of people whose security should be paramount, does it not say a whole lot about us as a people? When values and sense of responsibility are lost all in the name of cutting corners, are we better off than those who are in war? When counterfeits and substandard security gadgets are substituted for the sake of maximizing profit.....then tell me, are we not indirectly telling the whole world that life has got no value in this part of the world?