Re: Pulling the root of crises in Nasarawa State

Communal conflicts in Nasarawa state have really reached a point that all well-meaning individuals across the country must come out and condemn them. It is for this reason that the Daily Trust Editorial of last Thursday (August 28, 2014) titled as above becomes relevant because of the focus to find a permanent solution before it […]

Communal conflicts in Nasarawa state have really reached a point that all well-meaning individuals across the country must come out and condemn them. It is for this reason that the Daily Trust Editorial of last Thursday (August 28, 2014) titled as above becomes relevant because of the focus to find a permanent solution before it they get out of hand.
However, nobody in his right sense could rule out the influence of politics in what is happening in Nasarawa regarding these incessant crises. The failure of the federal government to take punitive measures against the ‘Ombatse’ cult group following the brutal murder of scores of security operatives on lawful duties to Alakyo on 7th May, 2013 has succinctly revealed the political tinge in all the communal crises and conflicts in Nasarawa State. President Goodluck Jonathan at a North-Central zone rally of PDP in Minna sometime ago came out publically and cleared all doubts that one may have regarding  the politicization of Nasarawa crises when he was quoted as saying that the crises in Nasarawa State could end only when his ruling PDP ‘reclaimed’ the state.
This no doubt was an admission that the ruling party at the centre has a hand or is in the know of all the crises that may erupt in Nasarawa State. That the ruling party at the centre has a hand or is in the know of all crises being experiencing in Nasarawa doesn’t sound strange, given its desperation to remain in power; what may sound strange however is the resort to  instigate violence as means of achieving political objectives, or doing nothing to mitigate it.
Failure by the federal government to do something against the Ombatse cult, which the state government has since outlawed, is what made the group to become more daring in its activities in the state in recent times. And like the Editorial noted, unless something is done to all those that spearheaded inter-ethnic division, these communal crises will continue to recur. Now is the time for the federal government to show concern to the people of Nasarawa state. Hiding under partisan party considerations while people are dying will not do any good to anybody.

Rayyanu Bala<[email protected]>;