A disquieting pattern is emerging from the shadows of Nigeria’s persistent insecurity crisis, one that bears an uncanny resemblance to the tactics allegedly deployed during the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) administration. It is a pattern that suggests the festering wounds of terrorism and banditry are not merely random acts of violence, but rather, tragically, instruments wielded in the arena of political power struggles.
The assertion that Nigeria’s insecurity is politically motivated is no longer a whisper, but a growing chorus of concern. Consider the unsettling synchronicity: whenever the political landscape is fractured by power contests or the fallout from key appointments, the seemingly dormant embers of insurgency reignite with alarming ferocity, manifesting in well-coordinated and heavily armed attacks.
To dismiss this as mere coincidence would be an act of profound naiveté. The chilling déjà vu of the GEJ years, where national insecurity was allegedly weaponized to undermine the government, hangs heavy in the air. It is a heartbreaking indictment of a political class seemingly willing to gamble with the lives of innocent Nigerians, treating them as expendable pawns in their selfish pursuit of ambition.
The recent surge in unprovoked killings across Plateau, Benue, and Borno paints a grim picture of a nation under siege. The emergence of a new terrorist entity, “Mahmuda,” with its reported attack in Kwara State, adds another layer of chilling complexity to this already dire situation. This is not simply alarming; it is an affront to our shared humanity, a descent into an abyss of unimaginable cruelty.
At this critical juncture, the luxury of political partisanship must be cast aside. Every Nigerian who holds the well-being of this nation at heart, irrespective of their political leanings, must rise in unison to unequivocally condemn this madness. We cannot afford to be divided while the very fabric of our society is being torn apart.
The fundamental purpose of politics is to establish a leadership entrusted with the sacred duty of safeguarding the lives and property of its citizens. It is a profound betrayal of this trust when those very lives become bargaining chips in the murky game of political negotiation. This descent into the normalization of such barbarity must be vehemently resisted.
The marginalized communities, particularly in the North Central, are bearing a disproportionate share of this horrific burden. It is imperative that these regions awaken to the stark reality of their vulnerability and demand decisive action.
The echoes of the past are resonating ominously in the present. We must collectively reject any attempt to manipulate the security of our nation for political gain.
The lives of Nigerians are not collateral damage in a political chess game; they are the very essence of our nationhood and must be protected with unwavering resolve. The time for complacency is over.
The time for unified condemnation and decisive action is now.
Usman Okai Austin
Writes from Abuja
