Solomon Dalung, a former Minister for Youth and Sports, expressed his disapproval of what he referred to as unequal responses in Nigeria’s handling of insecurity incidents in a recent interview that was uploaded to the official YouTube channel of News Central on Wednesday, June 10. Concern was voiced by Dalung on what appears to be a selective urgency in rescue attempts. He pointed out that those who are tied to powerful figures frequently receive speedier attention from security authorities.
It was his contention that this trend has contributed to the dissemination of the impression that the lives of average citizens are accorded a lower importance. Bringing attention to a recent incident, Dalung noted how: “A sister of a former minister was rescued within 48 to 72 hours while others remain captive for months.” This incident was used by him to call into question the uniformity and fairness of the security response system that the government has in place.
According to him, a significant number of Nigerians, particularly those who come from less privileged backgrounds, have been held captive for extended periods of time without any significant intervention. He issued a warning that such differences could make the public less trusting of the institutions of the government and could intensify the sense of neglect that residents have. The importance of the government demonstrating an equal commitment to the safety of all Nigerians, regardless of their social or political status, was further emphasised by Dalung.
Specifically, he advocated for a security architecture that is more open and accountable, and that gives equal importance to each and every citizen. Therefore, he came to the conclusion that fixing these anomalies is essential in order to restore faith in the nation’s security system and to guarantee that justice is served to all.