Badeh’s murder: Southern/Middle Belt Leaders express worries

THE Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) said it is seriously pained by the murder of a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), which occurred on Tuesday evening as he was returning from his farm, expressing worries that the country was now in a sorry situation where human life was worth nothing under a leadership that was bereft of capacity to secure lives and property, among others.

The retired military officer was said to have been killed on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway on his way back from his farm by gunmen.

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SMBLF said this on Wednesday in a joint statement titled: “Badeh’s Murder: Nigeria On The Edge of Precipice,” and signed by Mr Yinka Odumakin for South-South-West, Prof Chigozie Ogbu.

(South- East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-South) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle- Belt), warning that the ugly incident was a sad commentary on the degeneration of security situation in Nigeria that a former Chief of Defence Staff could be killed like a fowl on the street and no word from the government.

According to it, the silence from the government is “a classic replay of the failure of leadership that stalks” the country currently, saying, however, that it would be a wild expectation to expect a government that was mute for six days after over 100 soldiers were killed to be responsive to the death of a former Defence Chief.

“The primary responsibility every responsible government is to secure lives and property and when failure attracts mute indifference on the part of the government the killers are encouraged to continue their acts as the fear of consequences has been removed.

“We are worried that we are now in this sorry situation where human life is worth not a thing in our country as we languish under a leadership that is bereft of capacity to secure lives and property, empty of compassion and empathy and drained of human feelings. We never had it this terrible in the history of our country,” SMBLF said.

“Nigeria is dangerously careening to the edge of the precipice with the killings going on all over the place and it would take concerted efforts by Nigerians with active support from the global community to pull Nigeria from the brink. The signs of state failure are all over us with calamitous consequences except a leadership that is equipped with capacity and the will to do good for the polity is put in place shortly,” it warned.

SMBLF, while praying God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest in perfect peace, condoled his family over the grievous loss.

“Our condolences go to the family of the deceased and it is our prayer that God Almighty will console them over this grievous loss. May his soul rest in perfect peace! SMBLF prayed.