Buhari, Zamfara and other killing fields

With poverty headquartered in Nigeria and Nigerians ranked among the most miserable people under the sun, Nigeria, no doubt, cuts the picture of a beautiful bride clad in filthy rags given her enormous endowments.

But the gift of life is an assurance of hope. After all, it is said that when there is life, there is hope. Hope that these sad narratives would someday become testimonies. That Nigeria will someday take her pride of place among the comity of nations. However, only the living can dream and hope, when the lethal weapons of bandits or terrorists condemn innocent Nigerians to early graves, dreams and destinies are buried. Hope evaporates.

This aptly captures the situation in Zamfara and other states where our compatriots are killed like chickens on a daily basis. The ugly specter of violence is on the rise across Nigeria. In fairness to the current government, Nigeria had suffered deplorable security situation before the Buhari government.

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We can’t forget in a hurry how Boko Haram elements conquered some Local Governments in Borno and hoisted their flags. How the current President escaped death by the whiskers when he was attacked in Kaduna. Not even mosques and churches were spared by the notorious merchants of death. Who will forget the abduction of Chibok girls?

But riding on the crest of the change mantra and integrity to power, Buhari and his party had promised to wipe the tears of Nigerians, but tears still flow like a brook. He specifically mentioned on national television that our children will be safe in their schools prior to the 2015 presidential election but like Chibok, Dapchi happened.

From Zamfara to Borno, Taraba to Benue, Kaduna to Katsina, the killing fields are getting larger. The tales of sorrow, tears and blood remain unceasing. With his military background, Buhari  was expected to have a better grasp of security issues than his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, but like the Jonathan era, the worth of human life remains constant at a kobo a dozen.

Truth be told, whatever success the present government has recorded in its fight against Boko Haram insurgents has been reversed by wanton loss of lives and property occasioned by the activities of marauding herdsmen and bandits in Zamfara and other troubled states in northern Nigeria.

It is not enough for Buhari to tell the world that he is unhappy about the killings in Zamfara and other troubled states in Nigeria; he must be seen to be concerned. A great number of Nigerians are still shocked that Buhari has failed to turn around the country’s security architecture despite the crying need for such.

Only last month, Mali’s army chief lost his job over killings of villagers by rival ethnic group. Also, in neighbouring Chad, the murder of 23 of its soldiers was enough to axe the Chief of Army Staff. Why some security chiefs in Nigeria still have their jobs remains a riddle. How many Nigerians will stream to early graves before a security chief is fired? How many communities will have to be leveled before we roll out workable strategies to change the status quo?

To bring the current orgy of killings under control, there can’t be a better time than now to decentralise the Nigeria Police, mop up the illicit arms and allow communities design their security capacity.

Ladesope Ladelokun,

Ogun State.

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