For
almost a decade now, insecurity – particularly insurgency – has remained a
great challenge in the Nigeria’s polity. This is the reason the change agenda
of the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari is ostensibly
anchored on three different sectors, security inclusive.
In spite of the thus far dogged effort
of this government toward ending the ravaging effect of the world’s third
dreaded terrorist sect, Boko Haram, it seems to the sight of the onlookers that
a lot still needs to be done in the aspect of not just insurgency but security
challenges at large.
It’s not anymore news that two weeks
ago, precisely on Monday 19th February 2018, a certain set of the
Boko Haram members who were clad in military uniform, invaded the Government
Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC) situated in Dapchi village, Busari
LGA, Yobe State around six O’clock in the evening and abducted 110 of the
schoolgirls. It’s noteworthy that some of the students cum staff, who narrowly
escaped from the boarding school before the mayhem, sustained various degrees
of injuries.
Dapchi is about 100km North of Damaturu,
the state’s capital territory, and until the incident, remained one major town
that was yet to be attacked by the terrorists since the commencement of
insurgency in the troubled region. This implies that a seemingly virgin
locality was eventually located by the sect.
A convoy of fighters in pickup trucks labeled
‘Allahu Akbar’ reportedly descended on the area within the said time, targeting
only the school. According to the report, when the troop stormed the village,
they began shooting sporadically and setting off explosives. By so doing,
residents were perhaps warned to steer clear of the targeted arena.
The attack on the school came four
years after the Boko Haram’s audacious abduction of about 276 schoolgirls in
Chibok town, Borno State – the state believed to be the headquarters of the
sect. It was gathered that 57 of the abducted teenagers managed to escape over
the next few months after the ordeal. The unpredictable event, which occurred
in the midnight of 14th April 2014, has hitherto remained a
nightmare to all concerned – particularly parents of the abductees.
Though the Federal Government (FG)
under the watch of President Buhari had through its organized effort enabled
some of the kidnapped Chibok girls to regain their freedom, the fact that most
of them are still held captive in the hands of the captors is enough reason to
panic over the fate that recently befell the 110 Dapchi girls.
It’s imperative to take into cognizance
that since 2009 till date, the Boko Haram group has left at least 20,000
Nigerians dead and equally rendered over 2.6 million homeless. The given
statistics have overtime kept the teeming Nigerian citizens – both home and in
the Diaspora – in disarray that many had been forced to sleep with one eye
open.
It is more saddening that the Dapchi
omen took place barely a few weeks after the Nigerian Army bragged publicly
that the Boko Haram had been ‘completely defeated’. One might then wonder
whether the sect was provoked by the army’s avowal. Of course, taking a
critical study of the circumstance, every rational mind wouldn’t hesitate to
insinuate that the abduction wasn’t unconnected with the boast.
The
United Nations (UN) has swiftly condemned the disaster. Having reiterated the
bloc’s solidarity and support to the Nigerian Government, the UN’s Secretary
General Mr. Antonio Guterres who tendered the reaction via his Spokesperson Mr.
Stephane Dujarric, described the operation as ‘another horrific incident’. I
can’t concur less with the description.
Although
the Presidency has in strong terms expressed shock as well as frowned over the
abduction, the fact that Mr. President is yet to visit the scene of the
incident does not portray a good image for the country’s seat of power. This
could be linked to that of the Chibok that took the then president, Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan two weeks to extend a phone call to the Borno State
government as was disclosed by the state’s governor, Kashim Shettima, let alone
visiting the affected arena.
Our
leaders must learn how to show a practical and drastic concern over unfortunate
happenings within the jurisdiction they govern especially the ones directly
connected with the people’s lives and/or property.
In a different development; it is
uncalled for that while the citizenry – the opposition in particular – ought to
be more concerned about how to tender advice or tactics towards rescuing the
captives, they are rather busy trying to create a suitable adjective that could
be used to qualify the incident just for the sole purpose of discrediting the
current administration.
As the Dapchi omen refreshes memories
of that of the Chibok, it’s needless to notify us that what transpired in
either saga unleashed a colossal injury on us all, hence the need for any
patriotic Nigerian to treat it as such instead of playing politics with it.
Thus, we must desist from looking for a
way to actualize our cheap political motives in a situation that requires our
collective sympathy and contribution. Think about it!
Comrade Fred Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri
__________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056Twitter: @mediambassador
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