Okuoma: Our soldiers, police must be protected – Our Security, Our Peace By Prof. O.E Bassey

On 14th March, 2024, a despicable and dastardly incident occurred in Okuoma community in Ughelli LGA of Delta state as 18 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army were killed in cold blood by allegedly the locals in the community.

The officers and soldiers were reported to be on a peace mission to the said community who had been overwhelmed by a protracted communal clash which the soldiers were sent to dissolve only for them to get ambushed and killed by allegedly irate youths.

These were men committed to the peace and security of their fellow countrymen, men who had families they provided for, loved ones they cared about, friends they shared bonds with, and whose only crime for meeting death in the most gruesome manner they met it was because they wanted peace and safety to reign in a community who instead turned around and paid them back with death.

The truth remains that we can’t be serious about having a peaceful and secure society if all we do is to kill, abuse, desecrate, and dehumanize the very personnels who have abandoned their personal comfort to be out in the sun, under the rain to ensure you and I are protected from vile state enemies. The killings of the soldiers in Okuoma exposes in full glare the agelong resentment and fiery ill-will some have towards security personnels – not only soldiers this time around – that they keep thinking that they are the problem of the country other than one of the important solutions we need to getting our country to where it is supposed to be. The abuse, killings and dehumanization of our military, police and security personnel is averse to the concept of peace and development we seek as a nation. We are bound to remain in the same position that we are or even retrogress security and peace wise should we continue to treat our military, police and security personnel as animals, enemies, and mini-humans that deserve no empathy, respect or goodwill all of which is very important to give them a sense of appreciation knowing that the people they sacrifice their lives daily for recognise their efforts, consequently pushing them to do more and do better.

A lot of military, police and security personnel are demotivated at their jobs, and this is not entirely because their paychecks are not commensurate with their financial priorities, but because the very people they are to service are contemptuous of their efforts that it seems everyday they put on their uniforms, they feel unseen and inconsequential in the concerted efforts of nation building.

We really need to do better as a people in the protection and appreciation of our military, police and security personnel. They are crucial to the goal of a secure and safe Nigeria. This is not to excuse or hold forth for some of the bad eggs in the system, but to re-emphasise that instead of taking to abuse or killings, they could be called out, reported for the authorities to dole out necessary punitions. While those who are professional and productive at their jobs, we should not hesitate to appreciate in words and kind as this goes a long way in encouraging them to do more and better while inspiring their colleagues to emulate their good works seeing that the very people they are out to protect demonstratively love and acknowledge their sacrifice.

Leviticus 19:18: You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

Meanwhile, I am delighted to inform you that come October, 1, 2024, we at NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace Leadership will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary.

To this end is our campaign to spread the education of peace leadership to both the old as young, women and children in various places from corporate organisations, to political organizations, worship centers, educational institutions, markets and communities.

It is in our belief that the more educated the people are in respect to peace leadership, the more peaceful our country will become.

So this is a call-to-action, to hop on our Peace campaign train, to arm yourself, your friends, your colleagues, your employees, your congregation with contemporary peace leadership knowledge that makes for a happier and more fulfilled life, personally and collectively.

Kindly call or send a message on Whatsapp to +2347065828892, to be a beneficiary of this.

Prof. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Leadership, Conflict, Peace and Security Management Coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.

He has served and interacted at the top level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.

Ofonime is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently a Professor of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution with ICOF University, USA/Zambia and a Professor of Peace Education with Charismatic International University, Cameroon.

With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa, he is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace Leadership.

Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2030 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.

For leadership, conflict, peace and security consultations and trainings, reach him via:

Facebook: Dr. O.E Bassey

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WhatsApp: +2347065828892

Mail: emmanuelbassey@gmail.com