 As Nigerian marks our 62nd independence, the security of the country remains a worrisome trend which has triggered fierce peace may not be restored. While calls have been made at different times by some state governors for citizens to protect themselves, it's obvious now that the daunting insecurity challenge is a wait on security providers, our correspondent Stephen Enoch reports. As after Nigeria gained independence, the country plunged into a civil war that lasted for about three years. Since then, other crises have followed at different times, until dates that trajectory threatens the national security system, even though the government is confident of winning the war against insurgency. In the midst of these, some state governors urged citizens to defend themselves. The country has actually filled us. It has filled us a lot in the aspect of security. Imagine hearing stories of kidnapping every day, people can't sleep, you can't travel safely. If I get this chance, I will die as soon as possible, I won't even look back. It has not actually improved, because in those days, I can remember working from maybe, or just to drill a bag in the night, you come back, nothing happens. But currently, you hardly can work from those places, you see people at 10 o'clock. Nigeria's security has not improved. Rather, the government have left it in the hands of the masses, for everyone to cater for their own security. Having a discussion with those that were around long before Nigeria got independence, and then till now, and they will realize that in some way, Nigeria has not really improved in terms of security. This year's independence celebration comes amidst heightened insecurity challenges. Government after government has promised to tackle insecurity head on and return peace and tranquility. But this looks like a statement rather than becoming a reality. Before the coming of this administration, the major security challenge was the issue of Boko Haram. But today, we still have Boko Haram issue in the Northeast, and we have other security challenges in other parts of the country. On the part of the government, there is this, what I can call, lack of will in some cases to address the issue the way it is. Time was when we knew what the security challenges were, you know, armed robbery, no common crimes that we are used to. But now we are witnessing some very disturbing dimensions to insecurity, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping. These are concepts that were alien to us. The northern part of the country grapples with the onslaught of innocent citizens by terrorist groups, rapist killings for ransom, and armed banditry. In the southeast, secessionist Slamo for a breakaway from Nigeria has lingered on with reckless killings. In the southwest, agitations for a Yoruba nation at some point gained momentum, even as the region now has its own security outfits named Amotecum. The way the Yoruba nation is going about their own, you see it is being done in a matured way. However, that of the IPOC, they have taken arms against the government, against the citizens, and that to some extent have contributed towards creating a kind of insecurity in the minds of people living within those areas. Each time you see people being killed, and most of these people are even prominence in the things of that region. So now, when these incidences happen, you hear of unknown men. Who are these unknown men? In the southern part of the country, we just talked about the secessionist agitation, militancy, ritual killings, cyber crimes, domestic violence. In the northern part of the country, in the north central, we have farmaheader clashes. In the northwest, there's the issue of boundary tree kidnapping, and so many crimes. Experts consider the politicization of the country's security affairs as a reason for the government's failure, and have expressed fears about the common general election in 2023. I think the major problem is that security has been politicized. Now, did you observe that there are steps of the ascertainment, just for the purpose of election? Must we only step up security when elections are approaching, just to win votes? You cannot say there is no politicization of this insecurity in Nigeria. Definitely, there could be political undertone in some of the happenings within Nigeria. One should feel concerned going towards the 2023 election because the division is too serious. notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates