Nigeria: Bulletproof-Car Craze And 2011 Elections

opinion

Lagos — The recent report that top government functionaries and politicians in Nigeria are currently in a mad rush for multi-million Naira bulletproof cars, ahead 2011 general elections, calls for grave concern to all well meaning Nigerians, especially, those disturbed by the level of poverty and hunger in the land.

As a Nigerian and an important stakeholder, I feel particularly concerned by the reasoning of most of our leaders. I am not an enemy of personal success; neither do I condemn genuine efforts of affluent Nigerians desperate to protect themselves in the face of increasing insecurity in the land, but considering the abject poverty of present day Nigeria, something in me simply could not come to terms with this option of reckless display of wealth in the name of reacting to state of insecurity. Rightly or wrongly, I fear that proliferation of bulletproof cars and similar sophisticated security gadgets, aside being unpardonably wasteful, will only teach violence merchants how to also go for the most lethal weapons of destruction. This will not be in anybody's interest.

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