The recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack is really shocking. The fact that the ‘terrorists’ could now detonate explosives before killing and kidnapping innocent people is damning and quite alarming, it says a lot about our security system.
It also sends a clear message to all and sundry that no one is safe, we are all in this mess together; the common people and the ‘elite’ alike. No system of transportation is safe in the country, one could now be attacked when traveling by road, rail or even by air.
The unfortunate train attack is not the first of its kind and will seemingly not be the last unless the needful is done. The only difference is that this time around, unlike other attacks, the ‘terrorists’ appear well armed, more audacious with the hunger to kill, which shows their daunting strength.
Terrorists have been attacking villages and killing people especially in the northern part of the country, where such attacks have become the order of the day. They have established themselves as an authority with quite a number of villages are under their control. Some of their brutal attacks and heinous crimes are actually underreported by the media.
According to the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST) in a report published from January to February, at least 1, 761 people lost their lives across the country in incidents related to insecurity and protracted armed violence.
Under our noses, our beloved country, once a nation of peace and tranquillity, is gradually turning into the likes of Somalia, Libya, and Afghanistan or worse; the Nigeria of today has become a slaughterhouse and its citizens turned walking corpses.
Even worse, majority of those killed are people trying to eke out a living for themselves and their families. People are killed in their homes, in offices, at markets, on roads and virtually everyplace. It’s practically killings everywhere at every turn under every circumstance.
It suffice to conclude at the moment that there’s seemingly the creation of ‘a state within another’. At one hand, there’s the almighty sovereign Nigeria, that continually fail to protect its citizens, and on another the hypothetical terror nation ruled by such terrorists as Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers and the likes.
The government is evidently failing woefully in its basic responsibility, that is securing the lives of citizens, as they swore to do before taking over from the previous administration.
Therefore, all hands must now be on deck to nip in the bud this issue that is threatening our very existence, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religious or political affiliation.
To begin with, the government should be bold enough to fish out and address the ultimate cause of all these crises such that answer the question as to the genesis of the terror groups, their sponsors, financial channels, sources of arms and weaponry, contacts in the community, etc.
In addition, such factors that tend to inflame the situation as poverty, social injustice, illiteracy, etc, should also be proactively addressed by devising measures that will assuage people’s suffering and displeasure.
Furthermore, the security forces should be well equipped with state-of-the-art weapons in order to take the war to the terrorists’ camp. They should also engage the public as people when trained can be utilised for such tasks as intelligence gathering, informants tracing, reporting suspicious activities, etcetera.
In conclusion, the people should also cooperate and work hand in hand with security forces and other relevant government agencies in every way legally possible in order to curtail the worsening insecurity ravaging the country once and for all.
Our lives must matter in as much as we will continue to call Nigeria our homeland. We should not allow ‘terrorists’ to take over our home and continue to rule our lives in perpetual fear. If those in authority cannot secure our lives, they should honourably step aside and let competent individuals take over the helm of affairs in the country. Enough is enough!
Najeeb Maigatari,Dutse, Jigawa statemaigatari313@gmail
