A dangerous dimension

That story is, to say the least, a vile attempt to cause chaos in the country. Even by the parochial standard of the newspaper famous for its celebrity bling, this is another low for its type of journalism. It seems to be part of an orchestrated and dangerous attempt to demonise the North and cause […]

That story is, to say the least, a vile attempt to cause chaos in the country. Even by the parochial standard of the newspaper famous for its celebrity bling, this is another low for its type of journalism. It seems to be part of an orchestrated and dangerous attempt to demonise the North and cause more division in the country.
Otherwise, how can a responsible national publication allow its pages to be used to cast aspersions on an entire region and accuse officers of Northern origin in the army of sedition by printing such malicious material that is an obvious lie, claiming to back it up with spurious ‘facts’ from “unnamed sources”. That is the height of irresponsibility and unprofessional conduct.
The paper moved on to convey the impression that Northerners are simply fifth columnists in the fight against insurgency. For a people that have borne the brunt of the onslaught of Boko Haram, losing limbs, lives, property, this kind of irresponsible smear campaign can only be spewed by individuals full of deep-seethed hate for the North and the truth.
It’s on record that the Commander of the 234 battalion in Mubi, a Lt Col, and Battalion Adjutant, a captain, both of whom fled Mubi on the day of the attack by Boko Haram. Their names are in the public domain; neither of them is a Northerner or Muslim.
What the Northern groups have been consistent in calling is commitment from the Commander in Chief, who has sworn to defend Nigeria and Nigerians.  The call is for equipping the troops and providing the logistics and material support for them to perform. He has failed. The Cameroonian troops successfully defending their people across the border do not have billions of naira appropriated to the Defence establishment in Nigeria.
What these jobbers hope to achieve is sow discord among the military’s rank and file and, as usual paint the North as black and deflect blame from an inept administration. If truth is to be told the president has performed woefully and is willing to sacrifice lives, truth and honour to cling on to power.  Despite the goodwill, powers and resources at his disposal, failed to protect, unite and lead Nigeria to prosperity, he failed. The owners, editors and journalists of some media houses, to their eternal shame, seem to be willing salesmen of the anti-Nigeria project.  If they are serious about the profession and integrity, they should right be probing what happened. We are waiting.
These media interlopers should be rest assured that they will not succeed in their cheap and puerile mercantilist efforts on behalf of a wicked principal. No amount of lies and blackmail will deter Nigerians from coming together to ensure that we achieve a common purpose.

Abubakar Bapetel, Lamido Sanda Road, Yola