Insecurity: Declare Total War Against Insurgency To Have Peace In Nigeria, Education Expert Urges FG

By Oguns Sammy, Warri

Following the rising and frequent cases of kidnapping, rape and criminal activities of bandits and other insurgencies in the country, a renowned educationist and Proprietor of Challenge Group of Schools Udu in Udu Local Goverment Area Delta State, Mr David Ohikhena, has tasked the federal government to declare a total war against insurgents to put an end to this saga.

Mr David Ohikhena who is a member of Top Notch of Organisation of Private School Owners of Nigeria (TOPSON) disclosed this today in an interview with newsmen in his office in Udu Local Goverment Area of Delta State.

He said if the federal government uses the soldiers to search all the bushes at least for one month, there would not be a hiding place for the bandits but to surrender.

He said however, it is not easy, but it can be done if the bandits’ menace must be stopped.

He lamented a situation where the bandits say they are dialoguing with the federal government but before one knows it, they have attacked villages, which he said is unfair.

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He said: “Fighting a guerilla war by our soldiers is not easy, but l believe they can.”

Mr. Ohikhena however commended the military for staking their heads to protect the country against bandits just as he urged them not to rest on their oars until sanity is returned to the country.

On youths’ restiveness in the Niger Delta, the seasoned educationist said an idle mind is the devil”s workshop, saying if the youths are given employment, they have no choice but stop any of the social vices.

He therefore charged the three tiers of government (federal, state and local government) to find a way to create jobs for the youths in the country.

On the part of the youths, Mr Ohikhena said engaging in heinous activities such as kidnapping, drug abuse and other social vices is not the best way of life, saying the resultant effect is death.

He said: “Rascality is the bad way of life; there is no gain in kidnapping and engaging on other social vices.”

He said the youths should also help themselves by engaging in a trade to live a life worthy of emulation.

On the effect of Covid- 19 which ravaged the world, Ohikhena said the pandemic led to the closure of many schools as many proprietors could not pay their rents.

He noted that the pandemic made teachers diversify and go into other business thereby making teachers to be scarce.

He said: “The Covid -19 pandemic has served as an eye opener; it has made many teachers enter the markets.”

He further stated that the government through the Ministry of Basic and Seconday Educariion did not help matters as they have never helped private schools owners before and just as they did not give palliatives to private school owners, neither did the (
Education Ministry give a waver for the payment of renewal fees which would have been a form of palliatives to rhe private schools owners since they are partners in progress in education matters.

He said: “We, the private school owners were not given any form of palliative even though we are partners in progress in this regard.”

He also hinted that the parents of the children did not find it easy as they were hit by the pandemic, saying many of them could not pay for children’s schools, adding that today, the effect is still there.

He however said it is not too late, saying the state government through Ministry of Basic and Seconday Education can still come to their aid in whatever capacity as they would be happy.to receive it.

“It is too late, the private school owners would not hesitate to accept any help whatsoever if the government can still help us in this direction,” he said.