Let us celebrate our soldiers

Many soldiers reportedly lost their lives to insurgents after attacks on the soldiers’ base in Metele, North eastern Borno State, the epicentre of a revolt by Boko Haram and its Islamic state splinter group.

“The insurgents took us unawares,” said an officer who requested anonymity. “The base was burned with arms and we lost about 100 soldiers. It is a huge loss.” Many troops are missing, other sources said.  Four security sources said around 100 died in Metele and the death toll was not final. The fifth said 96 died in the northeast recently, mostly in Metele.

The Senate, which is controlled by the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday, suspended its session in honour of what it said were 44 dead soldiers after the Metele attack.

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Just four years ago, I wrote a tribute to a fine gentleman, officer and soldier-Colonel Kabiru Salisu. Again I am shaking us a bit to see if we can find out where we lost our human milk of kindness. It was Kabiru, today it is Lt. Col. Sakaba and other gallant soldiers.

Before I go far, let me say that in all the battles and warfronts, the Nigerian armed forces, the police, the Department of State Security and other security personnel have been compromised. There are moles, double agents, etc, so, a hard task is made even harder.

Sakaba and his colleagues were killed; their deaths continue to defy logic in the information machinery of truth versus propaganda as dished out by the Nigerian government and the army itself.

Families grieve; the nation cares less, choosing to focus on the feisty irrationalities of many distractions. We might say these soldiers signed for it, but they are the hearts of the Nigerian army being cut off in their prime.

It is rather sad that in the midst of all these killings, Nigerians are battling one another along religious and ethnic lines. Yet we must continue to celebrate these gallant soldiers.

Charles Dickson, pcdbooks@outlook.com