-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –By Austen AKHAGBEME:
The public protest, demonstration and outcry of some prominent Christian Religious group yesterday, brought to the front burner, once again, the demoralizing state of insecurity in the nation and the resultant insensitivity of government to this hydra-header.
Despite the numerous applauses and criticisms that followed the demonstration of this religious group, one thing is Cristal clear: the palpable fear of a possible overwhelming failure of government being bereft of ideas to tackle the challenge anymore.
The spate of killings and the boldness of the perpetrators, in recent time, cause some chilling goosebumps down the spine of those who truly love Nigeria in particular and humanity in general. It is one death too many. Gory videos abound of gruesome depreciation of natural human love and the rendezvous of an already broken and forgotten humanity all over the place, caused by the reprobate minds of those who choose to do evil and the ignorance, complicity and complacency of those who have the political will and might to stop them.
The most unthinkable thing about this all, is the attempt to play politics with the precious innocent lives of those who are already victims of the Boko Haram war including the Soldiers on the front line. When the government is berated for not doing enough, they throw tantrums at every opportunity. This has made the reality on ground to look like a child’s play in the prying eyes of the international community.
What is stopping Nigeria from calling for help just like the Iraqi government did when they were faced with the deadly annexation and occupation of part of her territory by the ISIS? Britain openly declared last year that Nigeria has not invited her for help. Who is this crisis benefiting?
It should be recalled that playing politics with the issue by the powers that be versus the then opposition led by the present President, was what gave BH much ground to expand their evil frontiers in the first place. Today, the issue of changing the present docile security architecture headed by tired and tactless service Chiefs has become a matter of politics. How did we get here?
It is equally very myopic, narrow and bias to think that this present issue of insecurity, especially that of the BH genre, is targeted at a particular Religion. These are heartless crops of twisted hearts, dare-devil killers who care little or nothing about religion even though they leverage on it as a smokescreen. The twelve year old war of the Boko Haram has ravaged, displaced and impoverished both Christians and Muslims in our Nation. Kidnapping and banditry, too, has no religious inclination nor colours. The earlier we accept this the less opaque the road to a permanent solution becomes for all of us. The open protest of the Christian group is long overdue. Despite their religious affiliation, they’re humans and fellow Nigerian citizens to even show concern and do more than what they just did for the peaceful coexistence of all. Just like one of the placard read, every life is important just as every death is a subtraction from our collective humanness.
Summarily therefore, it is obvious that the establishment is in a dilemma as to what next to be done to restore peace and hope while chasing the insurgents and bandits to oblivion. It is becoming very pertinent that independent statutory groups like the National assembly, should intensify efforts at telling the president the truth which may never come from the service Chiefs for obvious reasons.
This is one problem this government must not leave behind for the next government to inherit. It is on the basis of this that this government purportedly claimed to have fought by whatever means to come on board. The government must deliver “security dividends” to us all.
*Austen AKHAGBEME is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online
