Northern Nigeria is bleeding with rapacious bandits attacking, killing and abducting hapless people. The recent burning of over 42 passengers in Sokoto and the murdering of another 43 poor people in Giwa communities in Kaduna state are just a tip of the iceberg on the blood letting in the region.
The trending news every passing day is the killing of arm less people by bandits. While the violent activities of Boko Haram may have subsided courtesy of the efforts by our gallant soldiers, bandits are now calling the shot or becoming more dangerous. These bandits have continued to sack communities, kill and abduct poor villagers with relative ease.
Our security personnel, who are supposed to contain the incessant attacks by these criminals, are either overstretched or no where to be found.
The victims who reside in rural communities are left to their fate. Many Nigerians who are closely monitoring the unfortunate destruction of the Northern region are forced to ask questions such as: how did the region find itself in this insecurity mess? Why are the leaders standing aloof or abandon the region while it is being overwhelmed by insecurity? Answers to these questions will provide some tips or possible solution on the way forward. The signs of the looming anarchy that will befall the North did not start today. It is catalogue of unpleasant events ranging from illiteracy, poverty and poor governance. It is not an understatement to state Northern Nigeria is blessed with abundant arable land suitable for cultivation of different crops.
However, government’s agricultural policies seem to be poor and have failed to stimulate and improve crop production in the region. In spite of the vast fertile land covering the length and breadth of the region, only a tiny fraction is being cultivated or used. With the relegation of agriculture which has a multiplier effect on job creation and poverty reduction, many productive youths have resorted to crime.
Added to this woe bedeviling the region is lack of investment in education by the northern leaders. One will shed tears on the pathetic state of education in the region. The state of education in the North is nothing to write home about with dilapidated schools, lack of qualified staff and learning materials. This deplorable state of education has further been compounded by incessant abduction of school children in many states of the region by bandits. This sad development has dampened morale and created panic to the parents and guardians. Many parents out of fear do not want to send their children to school. The increasing rate of abduction has resulted in low school enrollment.
Northern Nigeria is bleeding with rapacious bandits attacking, killing and abducting hapless people. The recent burning of over 42 passengers in Sokoto and the murdering of another 43 poor people in Giwa communities in Kaduna state are just a tip of the iceberg on the blood letting in the region.
If late Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto) were to be alive he would shed tears on the North he tried to build. During his time, the late premier of Northern Nigeria built many institutions of learning such as: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Kaduna Polytechnic. Also to his credit, he established Northern Broadcasting Commission, New Nigerian Newspapers, etc. Unfortunately, these legacies have been allowed to die.
Insecurity in Northern Nigeria should have caught or drawn the attention of its leaders to stand up and do the needful towards addressing it. Sadly, the region’s political leaders are more obsessed about how to hold power beyond the 2023.
Many northerners thought that the political elite would summon an emergency meeting to discuss how to tame banditry which has become a Frankenstein monster in the region. What about holding an education summit to discuss the rate of student abduction and how to stop it? It seems they don’t give a damn about these serious issues.
Northern leaders are preoccupied about 2023 elections. Do they think elections can be conducted in an atmosphere of anarchy? Certainly “Not”. Northern leaders should stop playing politics with human lives. What the region needs presently is security not political power.
Ibrahim Mustapha,Pambegua, Kaduna state08169056963.
