‘Are we safe?’ This question popped through my mind countless times. It is a security observation. Hmmmm, gone are those days when you can walk freely (even at night) without fear. Now, you have to check and watch your sides, front and back (and even your inner-self because you never can tell) vigilantly to be assured and that even does not mean you can not be kidnapped or robbed. That is naija for you. But why?
Almost half a decade now, we experienced what I call the ‘commercial kidnap’ of close to 200 school girls in Borno State which we are yet to recover from and again, we were romanced and raped. Just recently, there was another raid by the insurgency carting away about 94 school girls. (This made me ask, ‘ why always girls?’)
Just as events unfold, we heard about the arrest of the kidnap kingpin Evans of which the case is gradually sweeping itself into the ocean of forgetfulness. They made us believe the paparazzi of the capture which in my opinion, is a case of thieves tracing their colleagues footprints on the mountain of loot.
The new menace, I hope you have heard. The staffs turned rifles. The herdsmen (so are they called) sending our fellow countrymen to Thanatus cold-blooded. I even heard that there is nothing or nobody they can’t destroy (to the extent of threatening a state governor). Yet, all our oga at the top could do is to ‘beg’ them not to kill anymore. Damn it!
Are we even secured with the presence of our security operatives? Some policemen were ambushed and killed in Benue State. Even those who we thought would protect our lives. (Well, my own life is protected by God).
Can you imagine? A state governor sounded an almighty alarm that his state is going to be under attack and nothing was done to protect his vulnerability. The state was eventually attacked anyways.
Several cases of killings and insurgency were recorded in Benue, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara States etc. Yet, we live in the cacophony and whirlwind of fear. Sleeping with our two eyes open and our leaders: the encyclopedia of nothing.
A Yoruba adage says, ‘a child should not be afraid of his father’s house’ but when the father’s house has proved to be a slaughter slab, won’t the child run for his life?
No wonder Nigeria is among the deadliest countries to reside. Do we still have our peace? Or have they matriculated us with the gown of distress never to convocate?
In the Nigeria of today, it is everyman for himself and God for us all.
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