The security situation in the country appears to be getting out of hand. Armed robbery, political assassinations, car jacking, mugging and kidnapping have become rampant.
The situation took a more dangerous dimension last week when six hapless telecommunications maintenance workers were killed in Aba, Abia State.
The workers, members of the MTN workgroup which included two policemen were said to have gone to carry out maintenance operation at a base transmission station in Aba.
The dead included one Ericssion engineer, one driver, two mobile policemen, a rigger and the site security guard.
One Valentine, a project manager of MTN based in Aba in his report to the management of MTN said that a team of engineers went out to work at Gabby Oil Aba Road and while working on the generator, four gun men walked into the BTS site while the team of engineers were waiting for the RBS to load after bringing up the generator and held them at gunpoint.
The gunmen were said to have opened fire and shot sporadically at the victims and some engineers of Ericsson working at the site, when their request for the Petrolseal car key was not immediately granted, because the person with the car key had gone to use the toilet.
Such callous murder of the workers point to the precarious security situation and we join well meaning Nigerians in condemning that detestable act.
It is a shame that the communications industry, the only thriving sector of Nigeria’s comatose economy has also come under attack by some frustrated Nigerians.
The killings may have negative impact in further investment in the sector with the attendant ripple effects on the economy including job losses, reduced taxation to the government and so on.
We agree that government at all levels have sat idly as the country relapsed as one of the most backward in the world with poorly maintained health facilities, bad roads, lack of steady supply of electricity, fraud and terrorism.
But frustrations because of the inexcusable subjugation of Nigerians to worst living conditions by self serving political leaders are not a guarantee to kill.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) must ensure the speedy investigation and prosecution of those found culpable of the murders.
Government must sincerely work to improve security of lives and properties in the country.
It must also put machinery in motion to provide employment to that army of qualified Nigerians who are without any means of livelihood.
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