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By Ozioma Onyenweaku
Nigeria boils! The past one week has been a week of horror. The week sad news started with the bye election for Ekiti East Constituency 1 which had three people killed and many wounded when thugs opened fire at the election ground and disrupted the election.
This was followed by the kidnapping of about 23 students and staff of Greenfield University in Kasara village, Chikun lga, Kaduna. The abductors demanded eight hundred (800) Million Naira; and were offered fifteen (15) Million Naira which they turned down and threatened to kill three students per day. They started carrying out the threat. As at the time of writing this, five (5) of the abducted students had been killed by the abductor in keeping to their threat.
Also, about eighty-five (85) people including women and children were killed in an attack at Zamfara.
Again, Boko Haram has displaced residents of Kaure and Shiroro local government areas of Niger State and taken over the land, and hoisted their flag.
As we write, Imo State is on fire, and some people are running out of their villages.
JAll woes in one week! This is a clear case of total collapse of the security system of the nation.
When the issue of insecurity started rearing its ugly head, much heed was not paid to it. Our security system seemed to be meant for particular issues and people.
While terrorism was getting hotter and hotter, our security system was being directed to causes for which they were not meant for; to attack innocent citizens of the country, and for political fights. So we got it all wrong in commitment to the protection of lives and property.
In one of my recent articles, I stated what I still maintain is our show of lack of commitment to the Cause of security:
“…Nigeria has been ‘fighting’ the fight with a kid’s gloves. How on earth does one expect to end abduction when the abductors are romanced, and treated to a King’s banquet! How do we end this menace when the abductors dictate the terms and they are obliged? For instance, about a hundred of the Chibok girls were released in a Prisoner Swap deal between the abductors and the government. In this deal, five Boko Haram Commanders were released in exchange for the hundred young innocent girls. In the case of the Dapchi girls where two of the girls were found dead, 104 of them were freed after the payment of ransom. The recent ones are no exception.
Here, we are yet to record any bandit arrested for abduction, tried, convicted and sentenced to serve as a deterrent to others. Instead we present ourselves as people condoning the crime of abduction and kidnapping, and as such create enabling environment for it to thrive. Crimes are meant to be punished for. When there is no punishment for a crime, the criminal is emboldened to commit more crime. Like Marcus Tullius Cicero said, “The greatest incentive to crime is the hope of escaping punishment”
In Nigeria, the abductors do not just hope to escape punishment, they have assured expectation of escaping punishment…”
Some people turned their eyes away from the insecurity situation in the country either because they had not been affected, or they did not see their locality being in danger. These ones forgot that the rain does not fall only on one roof.
Now even the seat of Nigeria seat of power, Abuja, is no longer safe. Niger state which is just a stone-throw away from Abuja has been overtaken by terrorists. Book Haram has taken over the Kaure and Shiroro local government areas of Niger State, and have hoisted the Boko Haram flag there. Following the takeover, many women and girls were forcefully taken away from their husbands, and given to Boko Haram leaders. Quite disheartening!
Indigenes and residents of the two local government areas and environs have fled for their lives.
With the message getting clearer that Abuja is no longer safe, it is hoped that our leaders would borrow the willpower to review their current approach to the insecurity situation in the country. This is also hoping that our leaders would awaken to the full realities and strive to get their priorities right; and channel efforts and resources towards this mayhem that has enveloped our country.
We must go beyond condemning the soituation, and extending condolences to people and places affected. We must act now! That is the only way we can avert this doom that Nigeria is heading towards.