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Insecurity and fear in Nigeria
LIKE A TIME BOMB, INSECURITY IN NIGERIA NOW SCARY AS KILLINGS AND KIDNAPPING CUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY FCT.
BEYOND THE HARDSHIP OF THE MAJORITY OF NIGERIANS , THE YEAR 2024 IS ALSO BRUTAL, AS MANY CITIZENS ARE RUTHLESSLY KILLED BY TERRORISTS AND OTHER NON-STATE ACTORS.
UNDER FORMER PRESIDENT BUHARI’S SECOND TERM ALONE (2019 TO 2023),
AT LEAST 24,816 NIGERIANS LOST THEIR LIVES, AND AT LEAST 15,597 PERSONS WERE ABDUCTED.
IN THE 2023 CALENDAR YEAR, OVER 8,119 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN OVER 4,326 VIOLENT EVENTS THAT WERE RECORDED ACROSS NIGERIA
DATA FROM THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS (CFR) AND NATIONAL SECURITY TRACKER (NST), SHOWS THAT A TOTAL OF 1,228 PEOPLE WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED WHILE 844 HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED IN NIGERIA BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND APRIL 30, 2023, REPRESENTING A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS.
AN AVERAGE OF 10 PERSONS WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED, AND 7 WERE KIDNAPPED DAILY IN VIOLENT ATTACKS REPORTED WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2023.
A TOTAL OF 407 PERSONS WERE KILLED IN THE NORTH-WEST, 389 IN THE NORTH-CENTRAL, 128 IN THE NORTH-EAST, 118 IN THE SOUTH-EAST, 106 IN THE SOUTH-SOUTH AND 80 IN THE SOUTH-WEST. ALL SUMMING UP TO 1,228 CASUALTIES.
ACCORDING A REPORT FROM THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS 2,423 NIGERIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED,1,872 KIDNAPPED UNDER PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU, BETWEEN MAY 29, 2023 TO JANUARY 26, 2024.
BEFORE 2024, THERE USED TO BE CASES OF BANDITRY IN NORTHERN PARTS OF NIGERIA ; BORNO, KADUNA, PLATEAU, BENUE, ZAMFARA, AND KATSINA
AS IF THE TERRORISTS WERE ON A BREAK DURING THE 2023 ELECTION, THE ATTACKS RESUMED WITH REINFORCEMENT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE POLLS. THIS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY AND THE WESTERN STATES OF NIGERIA.
THE MOST RECENT WERE THE ABDUCTION AND KILLING OF TWO MONARCHS IN EKITI STATE IN FEBRUARY 2024
THE TRADITIONAL RULERS, THE ELESUN OF ESUN EKITI, OBA DAVID BABATUNDE OGUNSAKIN AND THE OLUMOJO OF IMOJO-EKITI, OBA SAMUEL OLUSOLA, WERE KILLED BY THE GUNMEN; WHILE THE ALARA OF ARA (IKOLE), OBA SUNDAY FATOBA, ESCAPED BEING KILLED DURING THE ATTACK ALONG OKE AKO-IRELE ROAD
NO FEWER THAN 15 PERSONS HAVE BEEN REPORTEDLY KIDNAPPED IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT) SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2024.
THE VICTIMS WERE KIDNAPPED IN TWO MAJOR INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR THUS DEPICTING RISING CASES OF ABDUCTION IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL.
BARELY SIX DAYS INTO THE NEW YEAR, SEVEN PERSONS, ALL MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY, WERE ABDUCTED BY GUNMEN AROUND ZUMA 1 IN THE BWARI AREA COUNCIL OF THE TERRITORY.
DURING THE INCIDENT, ONE PERSON, SIMPLY IDENTIFIED AS ALHAJI, WAS SHOT DEAD WHILE TWO POLICEMEN SUSTAINED INJURIES DURING A GUN BATTLE WITH THE KIDNAPPERS.
OVER 200 VIOLENT ATTACKS HAVE BEEN RECORDED ACROSS ALL SIX AREA COUNCILS OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY SINCE PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU ASSUMED OFFICE ON MAY 29, 2023.
THE INCIDENTS LED TO THE DEATH OF NO FEWER THAN 87 RESIDENTS OF THE FCT, WHILE 176 WERE KIDNAPPED WITHIN THE PERIOD.
SINCE THE ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF THE FCT, NYESOM WIKE, ON AUGUST 16, 2023, THERE’S BEEN A RISE IN VIOLENT ATTACKS IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL WHICH HE VOWED TO STOP AN EMERGENCY SECURITY MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
WHILE CALLING FOR THE PROSECUTE 400 SPONSORS OF TERRORISM CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED UNDER THE BUHARI REGIME, THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE ACTIONABLE STEPS TO END THE ENDEMIC INSECURITY, MITIGATE FURTHER ATTACKS BY KIDNAP SYNDICATES AND TERRORIST GROUPS, AND, ACCOUNT PERSONS MISSING IN THESE ATTACKS.
THIS INTENSIFIED CALLS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF THE $460 MILLION EARMARKED FOR THE PROVISION OF CCTV CAMERAS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY; IMPLEMENTATION OF MORE DECISIVE MEASURES TO PROMPTLY SECURE THE RELEASE OF ALL ABDUCTED VICTIMS; CREATION OF A REGISTER OF VICTIMS OF ABDUCTIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF MASS ATROCITIES AMONG OTHER DEMANDS.
MORE SHAMEFUL IS THE REGULAR ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESCUE AFTER HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IS PAID TO TERRORISTS AS RANSOM, THAT MADE NIGERIANS WONDER WHETHER THE SECURITY AGENCIES ARE EFFECTIVE
WHAT WAS THE ESSENCE OF LINKING IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WITH SIM CARDS OF NIGERIANS
© IHIMHEKPEN OSCAR OGIEMHONYI
BEYOND THE HARDSHIP OF THE MAJORITY OF NIGERIANS , THE YEAR 2024 IS ALSO BRUTAL, AS MANY CITIZENS ARE RUTHLESSLY KILLED BY TERRORISTS AND OTHER NON-STATE ACTORS.
UNDER FORMER PRESIDENT BUHARI’S SECOND TERM ALONE (2019 TO 2023),
AT LEAST 24,816 NIGERIANS LOST THEIR LIVES, AND AT LEAST 15,597 PERSONS WERE ABDUCTED.
IN THE 2023 CALENDAR YEAR, OVER 8,119 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN OVER 4,326 VIOLENT EVENTS THAT WERE RECORDED ACROSS NIGERIA
DATA FROM THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS (CFR) AND NATIONAL SECURITY TRACKER (NST), SHOWS THAT A TOTAL OF 1,228 PEOPLE WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED WHILE 844 HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED IN NIGERIA BETWEEN JANUARY 1 AND APRIL 30, 2023, REPRESENTING A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS.
AN AVERAGE OF 10 PERSONS WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED, AND 7 WERE KIDNAPPED DAILY IN VIOLENT ATTACKS REPORTED WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2023.
A TOTAL OF 407 PERSONS WERE KILLED IN THE NORTH-WEST, 389 IN THE NORTH-CENTRAL, 128 IN THE NORTH-EAST, 118 IN THE SOUTH-EAST, 106 IN THE SOUTH-SOUTH AND 80 IN THE SOUTH-WEST. ALL SUMMING UP TO 1,228 CASUALTIES.
ACCORDING A REPORT FROM THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS 2,423 NIGERIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED,1,872 KIDNAPPED UNDER PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU, BETWEEN MAY 29, 2023 TO JANUARY 26, 2024.
BEFORE 2024, THERE USED TO BE CASES OF BANDITRY IN NORTHERN PARTS OF NIGERIA ; BORNO, KADUNA, PLATEAU, BENUE, ZAMFARA, AND KATSINA
AS IF THE TERRORISTS WERE ON A BREAK DURING THE 2023 ELECTION, THE ATTACKS RESUMED WITH REINFORCEMENT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE POLLS. THIS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY AND THE WESTERN STATES OF NIGERIA.
THE MOST RECENT WERE THE ABDUCTION AND KILLING OF TWO MONARCHS IN EKITI STATE IN FEBRUARY 2024
THE TRADITIONAL RULERS, THE ELESUN OF ESUN EKITI, OBA DAVID BABATUNDE OGUNSAKIN AND THE OLUMOJO OF IMOJO-EKITI, OBA SAMUEL OLUSOLA, WERE KILLED BY THE GUNMEN; WHILE THE ALARA OF ARA (IKOLE), OBA SUNDAY FATOBA, ESCAPED BEING KILLED DURING THE ATTACK ALONG OKE AKO-IRELE ROAD
NO FEWER THAN 15 PERSONS HAVE BEEN REPORTEDLY KIDNAPPED IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT) SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2024.
THE VICTIMS WERE KIDNAPPED IN TWO MAJOR INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR THUS DEPICTING RISING CASES OF ABDUCTION IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL.
BARELY SIX DAYS INTO THE NEW YEAR, SEVEN PERSONS, ALL MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY, WERE ABDUCTED BY GUNMEN AROUND ZUMA 1 IN THE BWARI AREA COUNCIL OF THE TERRITORY.
DURING THE INCIDENT, ONE PERSON, SIMPLY IDENTIFIED AS ALHAJI, WAS SHOT DEAD WHILE TWO POLICEMEN SUSTAINED INJURIES DURING A GUN BATTLE WITH THE KIDNAPPERS.
OVER 200 VIOLENT ATTACKS HAVE BEEN RECORDED ACROSS ALL SIX AREA COUNCILS OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY SINCE PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU ASSUMED OFFICE ON MAY 29, 2023.
THE INCIDENTS LED TO THE DEATH OF NO FEWER THAN 87 RESIDENTS OF THE FCT, WHILE 176 WERE KIDNAPPED WITHIN THE PERIOD.
SINCE THE ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE OF THE MINISTER OF THE FCT, NYESOM WIKE, ON AUGUST 16, 2023, THERE’S BEEN A RISE IN VIOLENT ATTACKS IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL WHICH HE VOWED TO STOP AN EMERGENCY SECURITY MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
WHILE CALLING FOR THE PROSECUTE 400 SPONSORS OF TERRORISM CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED UNDER THE BUHARI REGIME, THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE ACTIONABLE STEPS TO END THE ENDEMIC INSECURITY, MITIGATE FURTHER ATTACKS BY KIDNAP SYNDICATES AND TERRORIST GROUPS, AND, ACCOUNT PERSONS MISSING IN THESE ATTACKS.
THIS INTENSIFIED CALLS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF THE $460 MILLION EARMARKED FOR THE PROVISION OF CCTV CAMERAS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY; IMPLEMENTATION OF MORE DECISIVE MEASURES TO PROMPTLY SECURE THE RELEASE OF ALL ABDUCTED VICTIMS; CREATION OF A REGISTER OF VICTIMS OF ABDUCTIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF MASS ATROCITIES AMONG OTHER DEMANDS.
MORE SHAMEFUL IS THE REGULAR ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESCUE AFTER HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IS PAID TO TERRORISTS AS RANSOM, THAT MADE NIGERIANS WONDER WHETHER THE SECURITY AGENCIES ARE EFFECTIVE
WHAT WAS THE ESSENCE OF LINKING IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WITH SIM CARDS OF NIGERIANS
© IHIMHEKPEN OSCAR OGIEMHONYI
