“People speak sometimes
about the “bestial” cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive
to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so
artistically cruel.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The above line from Fyodor is truer of Nigerian situation today
which leaves one to wonder if we will ever come out of this pit. The killings
are no longer fluid but continuously stable that many of them go unreported.
Kidnapping is now a mass business and every detail about
these kidnappings are questionable raising debate if they were real or staged.
We are so deeply torn
apart that evil is triumphing not only within our boarders but the psyche,
mind, heart, ability and competence of those entrusted to govern
presently.
The inspector general of police, Ibrahim Kpotun
Idris told the senate that suspending the anti-open grazing laws passed by some
states is one way to end the deadly clashes between herders and farmers. He
said this at the Senate committee hearing when he was invited over 73 people
mowed down in their homes by herdsmen terrorists in Benue state. If we were to even go with his
groundless reason of anti-grazing law, what about Nimbo inEnugu state, Olu Falae’s farm in Ondo, Zamfara
and many other states that do not have anti-grazing law yet where these attacks
have taken place massively and or in isolated cases? He has either knowingly or
inadvertently admitted before the Senate that the situation cannot be contained
or handled by the police under his leadership. The same police boss once
referred to these attacks as communal clashes and not invading terrorist
attacks.
On the other hand,
Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali, the defense minister told Nigerians who cared to
listen to him that blockage of cattle routes which he said was available at
independence which was over five decades ago was the cause. Looking at it from
his angle, cities should not grow in certain areas, farmers should not farm in
certain areas of their ancestral lands because cattle must have that route.
What happened to ranching and what happened to vast sea of land in far north?
Does it mean they have given up on effect of climate change? That this
reasoning or excuses is coming from a defense minister terrifies concerned
citizens.
‘The Islamic State in
West Africa network operating within some North Central and South-South
sections of Nigeria may be responsible for the recent killings recorded in
Benue State and other parts of the country.’ This information is said to be
contained in an intelligence report presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by
security agencies, including the Department of State Service. Even the
intelligence community inNigeria do not have their hands around the
situation thereby feeding the presidency with maybes reports.
There was uproar in
the Senate recently over President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim that the herdsmen,
who have killed hundreds of Nigerians, particularly since the inception of his
administration, were trained and armed by the late Libyan President Muammar
Gaddafi. This is in continuation of his blame game policy as he was discussing
with Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby. He said so again in his
recent visit to the White House. We all know that Muammar Gaddafi died seven
years ago but still disrupts the ability of the present leadership
ofNigeria to protect its citizens which is the primary duty and sworn oath
of the government.
These so called
Gadhafi trained and equipped murderous terrorists did not kill in Algeria,
they did not kill in Mali, they are not killing in Niger, they are
not killing in Chad but they are butchering in Nigeria. Even
in Nigeria, they are not killing in Kastina, Sokoto,
Kebbi, Kano or in Kaduna excluding the southern part. But
they have wetted the grounds of Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and
even Enugu states with the blood of the people of these states. That
claim may appear excusable enough in the perspective of this administration but
in reality, it is self-indicting which should have triggered the resignation of
the president himself first and all the present security chiefs or be
appropriately impeached by the national assembly. How can foreigners match
through the boarders of a sovereign nation and savagery keep butchering the
citizens for years and only thing the commander in chief would say is that they
were trained and armed by a dead man?
Few days ago, over 60
worshippers were bombed to early grave in a market mosque in Mubi, Adamawa
state and a ruthless gun attack killed two reverend fathers and 17 parishioners
at Mbalon Catholic Church in Benue state yet no section of our
government is ruffled or rattled. To remember that it was on this same security
problem and corruption that this government rode to power and yet not bothered
of its worsening dimension leaves Nigerians with only one choice towards 2019.
By Obi Ebuka Onochie
*Onochie could be
reached with:obiebuka360@gmail.com
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