By Adetunji Ayobrown
Life is not some childish drama where you make little speeches and your insipid statements magically come true. If you doubt this, ask those unfortunate enough to discover such promises to be vague, empty and have paid heavily and dearly for it. With gun barrels to their teeth, they make compulsory vows in inaudible languages.
Katsina people just like many other of their countrymen in other parts of the country now know what it means to make wrong choices when it comes to issue of security of their lives and property.
But when the fell is born of death, it must have a costly price was one of the first things that came to my mind as I go through the daily news items showing that our country is besieged with insecurity, even the Presidentโs state is among the worst hit.
Leadership failure as we have it today is causing Nigerians double jeopardy, with records of daily occurrences of banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, all these need no special or further debate because it is glaring to all, even the blind can notice the obvious. But how our security situation got from bad to worse is a cause of worry for all. With no new clear-cut strategy, some analysts have declared that the president’s security chiefs though, could have tried their best but with little success to show for the huge investment in the nationโs security output.
And that the destiny of a nation that refused to listen will definitely hang in the balance as being witnessed today. Some were execrative describing the 2019 presidential election, which was a choice for incapability, a kind of wrong turn that have now become glaring to all.
From the recent killings in Laata, Patigi LGA of Kwara state to Niger, Katsina, Delta, Anambra, the Fulani herdsmen have continued to terrorise all parts of Nigeria while having President Buhari as their life patron. Miyetti Allah’s noticeable activities continued unabated, so who will not accuse their patron for these miscreants atrocities. While pretending to be innocent, the President assured again that the nationโs overwhelmed armed forces are capable of dealing with the security challenges which he said are more of banditry and terrorism.
But countless melodramas that had played out in recent times while the Presidentโs statement which approved joint military and police operation specifically targeted at combing Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states to rid the areas of bandits seem fruitless and only God knows when and where they will strike again, attested to analyst claims.
People are better enjoyed when they are for you than when against you, but who will advise the president over this, considering that he still has three more years to go in the life of his 2nd term in office, it is quite still a long way to go. The northern youths are lamenting as they see no hope in the present administration, so where is hope?
Many of those who appreciate these angers and grievances, said it is a matter of staying silent to stay dead, are asking Buhari to resign if he cannot protect the lives and properties is not too much to ask of any citizen. No wonder the northern youths gave him a 14-day ultimatum to get serious or face mass actions was supported by even the eldersโ forum too.
Memory, many believed is the only curse ever inflicted on the human race but put to good use by only people with common sense. However, not many, not alone an ex-general could handle the peopleโs verdict. Like many Nigerians from other parts of the country, the Arewa youths has now woken up to demand for their rights and have given President Buhari 14-day ultimatum to end the incessant killings in the northern part of the country or face nationwide protests.
This is Nigeria where leaders can promise anything, but behave anyhow in the contrary.
But taking him for his words doesn’t make Nigerians fools, but it actually does make the subject a liar, or how would you describe a man who cannot defend or stand by his words. No wonder, the ‘sai’ Babaโs spirit lost all of its potency as ‘Sege Babaโ has taken over the country. Though Buhari seems to be begging, saying he is capable of dealing with terrorism and that people should be patient with him. The question is for how long? The people are no longer interested in his empty promises.
His stepping is what majority of Nigerians desire and it is now obvious that they are no longer interested in him and his security chiefsโ excuses. One may want to consider this of little importance but the truth and of great importance is the knowledge that innocent people are dying daily, there are political and security sicknesses, which are tumours that need to be removed.
It is a proposal to make himself ridiculous; for the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, to say that information available to him pointed out that it was the IPOB members disguising as indigenes of the states to protest the defeat of Biafra in the name of banditry. How Lastura and many other protesters became Biafrans overnight makes mockery of his statement. The Nigeria we know is better than this, how disgruntled former praise singers turned his worst enemies should rather better be his and that of his bossโ concern.
Nigerians expect better lives as a right and not a gift, Northern leaders have agreed to allow protesters in as much as Goodluck Jonathan allowed such during his administration, Buhari is condemned for clamping down on Katsina’s or any other protesters in the country. The 1993, NRC Vice Presidential candidate, Alhaji Bashir Tofa too has warned the president on the handling of the protest, saying Lastura Sherif, leader of the protesters with 16 others that were arrested should be released immediately and without any condition.
Unlucky in their choice, victims of elections riggings, many contemplate an natural death. Though, death is the only disease you donโt look forward to been cured of, but no one wants it untimely. Many who had the haunch that rigging to win might turn out to be something very dangerous like we are witnessing, noted it then.
In the opinion of local and international reviewers, not only the economic development, but the security blueprint of this government seems faulty. How can you pay kidnappers and bandits huge sum of money? It is nothing but encouraging these miscreants in their acts of terrorism. I believe with their incredible stamina, our security agencies should let out not only the full assault in their arsenals but act like hungry lions ready to devour.
Crescent means light in the midst of darkness, but how do one describe tasteless salt. The question is where would our nation be categorised in the comity of nations seeing people from the presidentโs home town and state crying over insecurity? Truly, value comes from demands, waiting for respite to no avail after five years of non-performance, and one expect them to still keep quiet in the face dangers from all angles. Many with placards messages, among which read, โend banditry in Katsina; we need peace; stop the killing in Northern Nigeria; enough is enough; resign if you canโt; the list is endless.
Law abiding criminals donโt exist. About time the president stop giving himself too much credits, throwing cash at fancy lawless criminals shows nothing but breaking the law to enforce the law, dialogue with criminals is cascading shit-storm. If that was some test, his state governor, Aminu Masari had failed woefully.
Think fast, plan fast and act fast, our survival depends on offensive attack, though like most insecurity situations, it is not agility but we must have some tricks off our sleeves. This kind of attack or defense is called calculated gambling. Ask those countries serious with their internal security. Let us have a rethink in the name of common sense now that it is no longer ‘sai’ Buhari but ‘sege’ Buhari.
* Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via aayobrown@gmail.com
