To start with, the bombings of people who gathered for Maulud on December 3, 2023 by the Nigerian Army drone in Tudun Biri, Igabi local government area of Kaduna state is very disheartening. Was it an intelligence or commanding and or technical failure? Why is it a recurring incident under professional armed forces like ours? Should we continue to accept repeated incident of this nature as a mistake?
This must not be swept under the carpet as the previous ones. There should and or must be a thorough and transparent investigation to unravel the real causes of this avoidable disaster in order to prevent a repeat. There must be payment of diyya (blood money) to the families of the deceased by the government.
Appropriate diyya should be given. By the weekly report of last Friday 17th Jumadal Ula 1445H (1st December, 2023) blood money is N229,876,000 per head (source: Islamic timing and research org.)
However, it seems like we have not learnt any lesson from Boko Haram insurgency. Conspiracy theories made it last longer than necessary. We are at it again! There are now so many conspiracy theories being dished out left, right and centre by many people especially politicians on the unfortunate incident at Tudun Biri. It is sad to note that we often politicise security issues or whip ethnic or regional and or religious sentiments on it.
Conspiracy theories both nationally and internationally are responsible for the escalation of Boko Haram insurgency beyond imagination. From the onset, some non-western educated people supported the sect because they erroneously believed that western educated people (yan boko) were agents of corruption, inequality, injustice, and embezzlement which are all taught in western schools.
Some people in Borno state were clapping, dancing and rejoicing anytime Boko Haram hit security agencies. The sect members were initially being hailed and shielded by their parents, brothers and sisters until it backfired.
In the same vein, during the height of Boko Haram insurgency despite the fact that most of the Boko Haram leaders and members are Kanuri some northerners alleged that it was created by the then President Goodluck Jonathan in order to depopulate the North.
On the other hand, it was alleged that some southerners advised President Jonathan not to take the fight against Boko Haram serious because it was created by the North in order to embarrass him and make his government ungovernable. After all, whose people were being killed by the sect? It was further alleged that it was a conspiracy theory that made President Jonathan to doubt the infamous abduction of Chibok school girls in 2014 until 17 days after.
Killing of Nigerians by the armed forces in the name of mistakes is increasingly becoming inexcusable. From the previous government to now it has happened in at least eight different states of the federation. They include Borno, Yobe, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, Nasarawa and Kaduna states. Let us continue to hold our political leaders to account on their primary responsibility of protection of our lives and property without prejudice to their ethnic group or region and or religion. They must be alive to their responsibilities!
For us to get it right, we must shun ethnic, regional and religious politics in order to understand the root causes of our crises. It is high time we got back to our senses. Politicians will always use our sad moments as their political capital. A lot of politicians are playing politics with our sad moments in order to score some political points.
Most of the crises being faced by the North from farmer-herder clashes, cattle-rustling, armed banditry and kidnappings, etc, are largely from within. It is important we understand it from this perspective and find a lasting solution than dishing out conspiracy theories.
As we acknowledge and salute the sacrifices being made by our gallant armed forces in protecting us, we must urge them to remain professional in their services to the nation.
May the Almighty Allah forgive the shortcomings of those who died in Tudun Biri. May God bless Nigeria!
Nurudeen Dauda,
Kaduna, Kaduna state