POLITICAL thuggery has continued to rear its ugly head in today’s Nigerian body politic that one begins to wonder what the perpetrators of the trend stand to achieve or benefit as far as modernity and civilization under which democracy is being practiced worldwide, are concerned.
The unfortunate development is flourishing despite efforts by relevant government and private institutions,as well as well-meaning Nigerians.
Thuggery is defined as a violent behaviour, especially of a criminal nature.
Political thuggery in Nigeria dates back to 1959, that is even before the onset of the first Republic, when youths were used by desperate politicians to attack and humiliate their opponents in order to actualise their selfish political ambitions.
It is therefore apt to say that thuggery in Nigerian politics has become a means to an end, especially during political campaigns for elective offices, and periods of general elections, and even re-run elections as Nigeria’s political system is characterized by thuggery, violence and harassment of opponents, among other dastardly acts.
Political thuggery is also characterized by robbery, intimidation, gangersterism, murder, physical assault and often involves physical combat between two opposing gangs or groups, which ultimately generates interpersonal or group hostilities.
It could be recalled that since the pre-independence General Elections of 1959, politics in Nigeria has been characterized by thuggery and violence.
A recent study reveals that poverty, unemployment, financial attractiveness of elective positions, the value system of wealth accumulation, and an ineffective security agency account for the incidences of political thuggery in Nigeria.
The study posits that political thuggery hinders public accountability of elective officers and thus is a bane to good governance in Nigeria.
Among other salient factors raised by the study are party intrigues, as well as political violence that have became so prevalent in electioneering process in Nigeria and therefore, call for sober reflection.
Thuggery has brought a lot of conflicts in Nigeria’s ethnic groups, nations, religions and tribes.Its effects have reached a crescendo so much so that poverty, unemployment, financial attractiveness of elective positions, the value system of wealth accumulation, and an ineffective security architecture account for the incidences of political thuggery in Nigeria.
Similarly,political thuggery hinders public accountability of elective officers and thus is a bane to good governance in Nigeria.
It also increases the crime rate and the emergence of credible candidates in elections and thus is a threat to the achievement of democratic dividends and exercise of Citizenship rights in Nigeria.
Kano State being the hotbed of political activities in Northern Nigeria, is bedeviled by this menace, although the ratio has been reduced to the barest minimum, all these years.
However, recent developments have shown that some politicians in the state have yet to accept the cautionary measures taken by the security operatives, as they have been unleashing open attacks on one another.
The urgly incident which happened amongst some notable party members recently, was a source of concern to the electorate and the security personnel who were compelled to voice their feelings, especially the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Kano office, Alhassan Muhammad, who openly read the riot act to them on issues bordering on political thuggery and the need for caution.
Muhammad warned that the service would not condone political thuggery to contnue threatening the peaceful atmosphere existing in the state, especially now that the general elections are few months away.
Mohammed said no singular act capable of fomenting crisis would be tolerated, henceforth.
He gave the warning last Thursday at the Election Stakeholders Forum, organised by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Kano.
“I call on politicians to caution their supporters against the act of destroying campaign materials in the metropolis. This is the present trend in Kano and if that does not stop immediately it would lead to a dangerous result.
“But before that happens, we are deploying our men out to go after anyone caught in the act. Now, it is time to caution them because I will not listen to any begging for release of anyone arrested. Culprits would be arrested and charged to court, no matter who is involved. Enough is enough,” the DSS Director further warned.
On his part, the newly-posted Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mohammad Dauda, restated the position of the Police Command in order to ensure a peaceful atmosphere before and during the election, saying that the police would remain neutral and non-partisan during the electioneering Campaigns.
This writer would like to advice that we should all rise up against political thuggery and redirect our thoughts to positive things that would help democratic norms and ideals to grow in our country.
Let me also recommend that government should make elective offices less attractive financially, and conceited government programs and policies should be aimed at alleviating unemployment and poverty and strengthening the capacity of security agencies.
Further more, Government should consistently educate citizens and youths on the dangers of political thuggery and violence.
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