Re: Plateau killings: The tragedy of a nation

Thank you, Dr. Eugene Enahoro for your timely article about the national deaths. How emotional and moving it could have been had you criticized all those who have failed the victims. You’re right that the government has failed but refued to underline that the Nigerian government is a three level affairs.  We have the grassroots […]

Thank you, Dr. Eugene Enahoro for your timely article about the national deaths. How emotional and moving it could have been had you criticized all those who have failed the victims. You’re right that the government has failed but refued to underline that the Nigerian government is a three level affairs. 

We have the grassroots (traditional rulers and the local government), the state and then the federal government. All of them were caught unaware because the enemies were busy with their carnage when the Governor as rightly said was attending the APC convention. Nobody but the murderers and their cronies expect violence on the plateau. 

The development was as unfortunate as the killings which occurred between Ebonyi and Cross River. But the southern conflicts and murders are not of any interest to my southern bigots. I as a victim of Boko Haram see any killing even of a Nigerian cow as unfortunate except if it is slaughtered for meat. It pains me whenever a Nigerian mother miscarries not to talk of mass murder. 

When such unfortunate incident happens our media instead of playing down the news overblow it to sell their papers. It’s very unpatriotic and it aids the violence. The unfortunate travelers going to the Northeast usually are victims whenever there was conflict between the Biroms and the Fulanis, because to the Jos tribes the Federal route is their place for revenge whether justified or not. People from the Northeast who ply the highway are of different ethnic groups, but we pay the price.

The financiers are neither Muslims nor Christians as both faiths denounce violence let alone murder. Violence can easily start but no one knows where it will end and when or who it will consume. Those who are aiding violence in one way or another should better go to Rwanda, South Sudan and Central Africa Republic or even to my Borno state and learn from the leadership as well as the followers. 

Security is too precious to be left to the law enforcement agencies as the military always come in when it is too late. We have only one Nigeria and only Nigerian elites can save us from ourselves, but right now it’s the elites who are busy setting us up against each other just to protect themselves and their loots.

Dr. Saidu Samaila, Abuja