Taraba & the tantrums of terrorism
So, Nigeria has now become so loose and lawless that foreign terrorists having had their fill of blood in the countries they primarily operate now come in to slaughter villagers. Recently, the good people of Manga in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State had a taste of the razor-edge of terror. However, in their […]
So, Nigeria has now become so loose and lawless that foreign terrorists having had their fill of blood in the countries they primarily operate now come in to slaughter villagers.
Recently, the good people of Manga in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State had a taste of the razor-edge of terror. However, in their own case, unlike countless communities in Nigeria`s North East, North Central and North West, the fingers of culpability are pointing not to homegrown terror but foreign terror – one so emboldened by Nigeria`s vulnerability that it decided to join the bazaar of death and destruction.
As 11 people, including a traditional ruler, lay dead in Manga, Ambazonian separatist soldiers from neighbouring Republic of Cameroon have been fingered as bearing responsibility for the lethal attack.
Although a leader of the separatist group, Ambazonian Governing Council, has denied their involvement in the attack, blaming the Cameroonian government instead, it begs belief that while citizens of the so-called Giant of Africa lie dead, blame is being passed between a separatist group and the government in a country suffocating under an ageing dictator.
It was always going to come to this. It was always going to happen; that killer vultures would also come to wreak havoc on Nigerians from outside Nigeria.
As Boko Haram terrorists and killer bandits have slaughtered their way to local and international prominence, there was always the terrifying chance that a weakened security architecture would encourage other criminals within and outside the country to participate in the killing orgy.
As has always been the case, it is the rural communities that are most vulnerable. In Nigeria, living in rural areas is very hard work: road networks are either poor or non-existent; power supply is either epileptic or unavailable; healthcare is shockingly poor, and there is lack of quality education.
Boko Haram and bandits occupy some of these rural areas where the menace they pose is clearly palpable. Something must be done urgently.
As insecurity has garnered temerity in Nigeria, gaining territories in the process, there has been a lot of public frustration about whether those tasked with securing lives and property are not breaking enough sweat to secure Nigerian tax payers.
While the security personnel on the battlefronts fight valiantly at great personal cost, it is doubtful that the government is getting its security priorities right. It appears that those tasked with the responsibility of beating back terror are round pegs in square holes.
It is not just Manga that must be kept free of the invaders. Every rural area in Nigeria must be kept beyond the reach of killers; foreign and homegrown alike.
Kene Obiezu can be reached through [email protected].