The signs are ominous.
The clouds are gather-
ing; imminent storm
beckons. This is no time for
apathy. This is the time for
all peace loving Nigerians to
come together and speak out
in one voice to condemn the
killings going on across the
country. It should go beyond
just speaking; there should be
concrete actions to end this
gloom once and for all.
To say there is heightened in-
security is saying the obvious.
This is not the time to paint
issues with political coloura-
tion. This is not time for ethnic
demonization. This has to do
with the very soul of this coun-
try. Our leaders should for
once step out of their comfort
zones and begin to respond
appropriately to the security
challenges in the land before it
consumes everyone.
From available records, the
number of victims of insecu-
rity is rising by the day. Thou-
sands have been killed in the
past few years. Some of the
events are even under-report-
ed. Kidnapping has taken a
very frightening dimension.
Our highways have turned to
death zones. Boko Haram is
still dancing and waving its
flag. There are first hand re-
ports from victims depicting
the bravado with which the
perpetrators operate as if they
own this country. The insensi-
tive and unrestrained manner
they are going about this gives
one the impression that our
security agents have gone on
recess. It is as if the very root of
our intelligence gathering has
long been compromised.
Like the infamous Abacha
years, Nigeria is drifting to-
wards a pariah state. It is now
ranked as a haven for terror-
ists. Its corruption index level
is abysmally high, one of the
highest in the world. It is rated
as having the highest number
of poverty stricken people,
hence the nomenclature the
poverty capital of the world.
America recently announced it
has commenced withholding
immigrant visas for our citi-
zens. They claim we don’t have
proper records of our true cit-
izens. Kidnapping and bomb-
ing have almost become a way
of life in some parts of the
country. Men, women, chil-
dren, even the men in uniform
and the clergy are not spared.
The murder of the young sem-
inarian, Michael Nnadi, the
CAN officials and 23 innocent
residents of Plateau State are
still very fresh in our minds.
We cannot hurriedly forget the
gruesome manner Mrs Ataga,
wife of a medical doctor was
murdered recently and the fact
that her two little children are
still at the mercy of their ab-
ductors. What becomes of Dr
Ataga, a man who we gathered
have been a blessing to his com-
munity?
We can no longer pretend that
all is well. Our government owe
this country the responsibility
of safeguarding the lives and
properties of its citizens. This
was why it was elected in the
first instance. It is equally our
duty as patriotic Nigerians to
speak out and call our leaders to
order when we perceive they are
missing the track. This is such a
time we must equally knock on
the doors of the members of the
National and State Houses of
Assemblies, Governors and the
law enforcement agencies in the
country, urging them to urgent-
ly do the needful.
We want to call on the inter-
national community, the true
friends of this country to as-
sist the government in fighting
these monsters that are posing
big threats to our sovereignty.
The consequences of not act-
ing fast can better be imagined.
The aftermath of inaction on
the whole of Africa would be
catastrophic. All hope is not lost
if our leaders begin to take the
right actions. We can still over-
come these turbulent times
and come out stronger and
more united.
