Canticles…
By Eddy Odivwri
Did you see those top government officials, led by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wearing facial masks, how they looked like ghosts? What are they afraid of?
What kind of question is that? Are you not aware of the new global plague called Coronavirus, alias COVI 19. Did you not hear that it has killed thousands of persons in some 49 countries?
Yes, but we are secured in Nigeria.
Secured? Who said we are secured? Are you not aware of the Italian man who tested positive to the Corona Virus? And they said COVI 20 is yet coming.
God forbid that COVI 20 will come. This one cannot even survive in Nigeria. Yes, the infected Italian has been isolated and thus far, nobody has been confirmed to be a carrier yet. So why are we so afraid of Coronavirus that is slow to kill, yet negligent of the plague called Bandits which can literally wipe away some 13 communities in one fell swoop?
They are taking precaution against Coronavirus but doing nothing about bandits. Pray, which one is more deadly?
What are you talking about?
Didn’t you hear of the Kaduna killings? The midnight massacre in Giwa and Igabi Local Government Areas of Kaduan State? You didn’t hear of how bandits swooped on the villagers in these two LGAs on Sunday early morning and started shooting people, setting fire on dead bodies and their houses? You didn’t hear of this horrific attack leading to the death of over 50 persons?
I heard of the terrible pogrom, unprovoked. Those guys must be animals, I swear.
Thou shalt not swear! And they are not animals. They are businessmen. Didn’t you hear Gov Nasir el-Rufai talking about negotiation? They were that fierce, so that the stakes during negotiation would be reasonably high. Were it not so, why did Gov el Rufai raise the issue of negotiation? Is it not because in times past he had had to settle bandits and herdsmen so they will stop slaughtering human beings? Did the Kaduna governor not publicly announce that he had to be paying certain persons so there would be peace in the state? What kind of governance is that? He is now tired of paying and that’s why he is saying there would be no negotiation. And what that also means is that he knows such people. After all, he was not negotiating with ghosts in the past.
But Gov el Rufai has been working to ensure there is peace in the state. He’s made lots of sacrifices by constantly meeting with all religious leaders, clan heads and other stakeholders in the state. It is all meant to ensure there is peace.
So where is the peace if in one single night, over 50 persons can be killed, their bodies and houses burnt, when we are not under a war situation, where is the peace? I say where is the peace?
The governor said it could have been worse but for the timely intervention of the soldiers and Air force men.
My brother, don’t be deceived. So when the soldiers and Airforce men intervened, they neither killed any of the bandits nor arrested any of them? Hey, have you ever asked yourself why in all these many killings everyday, nobody has ever been arrested, prosecuted and jailed for taking the life of another person? Why are we behaving as if there is no law against murder and mindless killings? Are there no courts to prosecute the killers? And do you know this would not be the last killing? It would happen again and again and the same statements of condemnation would be re-issued, changing only the dates and locations. And nothing gets done to stop the onslaught. Truly and clearly, all animals are equal, but some are more equal.
Are you implying that those in government and power understand the people and motivations behind these killings?
You said so.
