By the shadow of anarchy

Tribune Online
By the shadow of anarchy

Delighted were the citizens of Nigeria as they alighted from the Marcopolo bus of sufferance of men in green khaki and boarded a propitious plane of self-governing in the year 1999. Hoping and anticipating were the spirits of Nigerians in lofty expectations that the aircraft of self-rule will fly and landed them into a port of riches, unperturbed stability, unparalleled equality and undiminished maximum security. Approaching the democratic embassy for visa application is to courageously egress from the umbrella of Thomas Hobbes aphorism describing a state of war as “nasty, brutish and short”. The jetting into the atmosphere of democratic dispensation is for no other reason than to break the shackles of fascism, jettison the cargo of tyranny of the country ship and for her to sail through the turbulent regime of absolutism and to reach a harbor of representativeness where rule of law is the general acceptable commodity among the haves and haves-not of the country. However, the prior consensus among Nigerians to embrace democracy and to electrocute the servant hood of caesarism is in a mirage. Nigerians boarded a deceptive plane of transition that landed the country into a state of turmoil, totally different from the conceived dreams.

The country is in a state of macabre as the Nigeria ship is navigating towards and/or at the shore of horrific happenings. Insecurity is the new anthem that wakes the country up from slumber land and a substitute psalm that must be recited or listened to by Nigerians at cockcrow of an unhallowed day. It’s so pathetic that a day will not pass without having a national mourning moment. Death toll related conversations, commiserate messages and mourning sessions had been padded into the nation blue print. And having a conglomerate of insecurity magnates whose vault of wealth increases as the death toll accelerates is a bad omen that signifies the sinking of the nation ship. “Heartbreaking was the situation when a person you entrusted to relieve you of the itches at your back, backstabbed you. A person you consign your eyes blowing to, mouth peppered it. And a person you endowed the stewardship of your property to, liquidated your assets”. A government that pledged maximum security for her citizenry ended up issuing them certificate of death in advance with her dillydally approach of handling security matters. Haven’t we entered a lion den where dozing must be send into an exile? Who can we run to for shelter?

This unfortunate afoot gave me the reminiscence of a wise saying that: “if the domestic agent of death couldn’t trail one down, then that of abroad would eventually slip under the ground”. Local agents of death have tracked down their targets and they had formed (or still forming) alliance with their foreign desperados in trampling more victims.

Different versions of books, journals, articles have been written; seminars and conferences organized for the abatement of the gruesome killings in the land and to sanctify the land from the flow of blood of innocent souls. But, instead for we to have a comprehensive extraction of this poisonous acts through an antidotal administration, the situation is even getting more critical.  The nation criminality situation is akin to a survival relationship of a fish to water. If not so, the heart aching insecurity issue should’ve been a thing of the past despite the government commitment, civil society intervention and other stakeholders’ contribution.

The fabrics of the country security system are ravaged by species of Armageddon — ranging from Boko-Haram insurgency, Fulani herdsmen clashes, kidnapping, banditry and the uprising violence of shii’te group. The lacuna in the security architectural wall of the country demands urgent attention of reinforcement before we experience a collapse in the country defense structure.

The much talked about deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram was birthed as a pacific and disarming group until 2009 when its leader, Mohammed Yusuf died in the police custody. The death of Yusuf led to the eruption of violence, massacre, mayhem, abduction and destruction of lives and property instigated by his followers and supporters. We set the bush on fire but the extinguishment is beyond our capacity.

The monstrous killings, kidnapping and town captivity by this animalistic group in the north eastern part of the country gave them the automatic ticket into the global terrorism index reports (2017 and 2018) as one of the top deadliest terrorist group in the world, taking the number three position with her mentors (Iraq and Afghanistan) occupying the first and second positions. This subsequently gave Nigeria the throne of 148^th position in the global peace ranking of 2019, a retained spot from last year. The radical activities of Boko Haram insurgency ignited the light of fear across the nation, precipitated from their incessant bombings, slaughtering and other inhumane acts. Corollary doleful consequences of it are; economic recession, educational backsliding, religious activities stagnation and infrastructural deterioration.

What baffles Nigerians is the invisible chain of supply through which the group secures sophisticated weapons despite the declaration by the Nigeria army to have cut off the supply channel of their ammunitions and the recruitment of armies into their horrific organization. Many opined that the insect that is eating, chewing and sucking in the garden of the country vegetables is not an alien but a local insect.

Truth need to be told because a deceased will never go into hideout for a mortician. The Nigeria government statement that Boko Haram militant group has been technically defeated and awarding an honor of victory to herself is a blatant lie that needs to be debunk. However, the clipping of their wings by capturing and regaining back some states, towns and local governments in Bornu is a laudable achievement by this administration. Albeit the triumph, the recent attacks and wanton destruction of lives and property that has the inclusiveness of both civilians and soldiers as victims are testifier that the insurgence is waxing stronger. This is not a time for soothsaying but a period to re-strategize on how the menace of Boko Haram will be a historical event.

The master plan of battling with the imminence of Boko Haram is still ongoing; then, we have the ebullition of Fulani herdsmen clashes. This is another cankerworm that is shaking the Nigeria pillar of peaceful co-existence. The seed of hatred has been sowed among the ethnic groups of Nigeria, an offshoot of RUGA policy. The nomadic farmers that wander around for grass and water for their cattle suddenly turned their itinerant farming into a criminal fortress by which they unlawfully graze on farms, beat, and even kill farmers. Their crooks have been substituted with a self license munitions they carry around to perpetuate their evil acts. The horrendous act is compounding and no region is free from it. This devilish indulgence of Fulani herdsmen in Benue state sent a frightening signal to my brain, processing the data into an output of alteration of the slogan of Benue state from “food basket of the nation” to “desertic hub of the nation” if care is not taken. And by extension, other affected regions inclusive.

This same snail like handling or politicization of Fulani herdsmen is what gave their prior satanic predecessor, Boko Haram the dreadful opportunity of transforming Bornu from “home of peace” to “center of war” is a methodology that needs to be avoided. The herdsmen clashes that many think is a minute issue turn into blazing fire that doesn’t know its pioneers. This statement was authenticated by the killing of Afenifere chairman daughter, Pa Reuben Fasoranti by some suspected herdsmen. The death of late Mrs Funke Olakunrin, the statesman’s daughter sent a beckon to Nigerians that an exit of one relative is a quick notice to all. The daily killings and clashes among herdsmen and farmers is a timely bomb that need exigent defusion before it detonate. A cautious and swift action that will not threaten the harmonious relationship among Nigerians must be taken by the government and to ensure that a round peg is inserted in a round hole.

Banditry and kidnapping are the latest feasible businesses flourishing in the country which germinated from the teeming numbers of unemployed Nigeria youths. This venturesome mercantile shouldn’t have dumbfounded us. It is said that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Yes! The devil has resumed after an elongated mandatory intolerable holiday. The proliferations of kidnapping for ransom become notable immediately after Chuckwudumeme Onwuamadike, otherwise known as Evans. The notorious kidnapper motivated many young Nigerian youths to jet into the demonic fast rewarding business emanating from the corruptible sword of law which fails to chop the fingers of the culprit. This gives many Nigerians charter to commence the operation on a large scale. Banditry is the other side of the crime coin. A pitiable situation where band of marauders attack and steal from travelers on our highway. The fear of travelling from one state or town to other has enveloped the country tranquility cloud because there is no guarantee security of lives and property on our roads.

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Saddening is the story as Nigerians keep advancing in criminal activities and the nation is topping the table of the most villainous country while her western world counterpart is progressing in economic and technological development.

Yoruba will say, “It is from shrub that the observation of pruning of Iroko tree must be done because when it grows up, axing it down would become a herculean task”. The sprouting violence of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (shii’te) is an emergency issue that needs to be address by the federal government without falling into the same noxious pit of her antecedent. On July 22, 2019, the group embarked on a peaceful protest in Abuja against the continual detention of its leader, despite a court ruling that he should be released. From the dystopia output is the recorded death of Precious Owolabi, a serving NYSC corps member of Channels TV that went for the protest coverage, eleven protesters and a senior police officer, DCP Umar. It’s very expedient that the government handles the situation with utmost vigilance and conscientiousness as any form of mistake might breed another youngster Boko Haram.

Pinpointing the callousness of our soldiers at this bleakish state of the country is eminently important before they turn into tool of controlling over-population. The satanic prevalence indulgence of our armies in criminal activities calls for checkmating. There inordinate actions against the civilians portray an unquestionable statutory power bequeathed upon them. Their mode of operation in this democratic era is not different from that of despotism regime. Perhaps, their kinsman which is at the realm of the nation affairs gave them the plethoric confidence to continue to wallow in these unpleasant acts (killings, rapping and civilian clashes).

We sought for democracy in order to terminate the forlorn contract we had with men in green khaki and to reap the palatable fruits of the viable seed we had sowed. But, we are oblivion of the roll up plan to imprint the stamp of Nazism and lives sacrificing. The conceived dream of having a hunky-dory nation is drowning down the sea of regret and we are being afflicted by the shadow of anarchy.

By the shadow of anarchy
Tribune Online