Nigeria’s illness: Why Buhari must rise to the occasion now

By Temitope Amerijoye

Embarking on a journey few days ago, I and my friend decided that boarding a public vehicle would be better. It was a decision with laborious argumentation before we could actually arrive at just that. I held tenaciously to my view that we just needed to embark on our journey in a public vehicle. To my friend, holding the steering was safer, as he could easily crush any obstructing element.

But I quickly reminded him of two incidents: How a brother of mine was kidnapped along Akunga Akoko road in Ondo State on his way to Abuja in-between two police checkpoints, having to, wily nilly cough out N5 million. A relative, who was on the journey with him, also paid N5 million.

The harrowing experience he shared with us could make one cry. You would not believe it. In the course of negotiation with the Fulani kidnappers, a woman assigned to negotiate on behalf of the other victim, crying profusely, began to beg the kidnappers. And the response of the abductors, when the woman said she used the name of God to beg them, was “do you think if we know God, we would be kidnapping?”

On another occasion, they funnily said to us, as we usually put the phone on speaker, that, “don’t bother yourself going to any pastor or herbalist ooo. You would just be exploited for nothing. We know you Yoruba; na so you go dey kill rams, you go dey go to one mountain or the other for prayers, thinking we would release your people. If you do not bring the money, we would kill your brothers.” You need to hear the narrations from these victims. How the kidnappers were showing them the corpses of the victims who were defiant in complying with their orders, i.e. paying the ransom. That brother had said “I could never wish my enemy to be a victim of the devilment of these Fulani kidnappers.”

I reminded my friend of another scenario of the despicable act of these Fulani; of a friend who was not too lucky. He got killed in an attempt to escape. My friend was gripped by fear, but he never hesitated to tell me that I should not forget that those kidnappers called Fulani herdsmen kidnapped some people in a public vehicle in recent time and went further jokingly telling me that I had a succulent body and protruding belly that would make me to be mistaken for a rich man. We both became stultified. I know that in his mind, he was thinking I was right. But of course, I was reconsidering my suggestion as far as my cognitive power could carry me too. Obviously, I agreed with my friend that it is only the mercy and grace of God that could secure people’s life in this country, though we never rescinded boarding a public vehicle to Ibadan.

Momentarily, we were silent, but he later asked; “why are things this bad in this country?”

Stuttering and scratching my head uncomfortably, I responded that “it was a culminating failure of our leaders. Most of these incidents have not been receiving the decisive attention required.” I could recall that around 2007 and 2009, Fulani had been robbing and kidnapping people along Abuja roads, most often, in Osokosoko routes. I could remember I almost became a victim. During the wedding of my uncle, Professor Babalola Borishade’s daughter, the sociopolitical organisation which I headed, Change Club, wanted to attend the occasion and also use the opportunity to have some discussions with the erudite professor.

The responsibility to arrange hotel reservations for my people became mine. I had planned to arrange things a day prior to the wedding. I initially wanted to set on the road, but later changed my mind. I, however, heeded the advice of my people that some people needed to go ahead of us. So, I asked my friend, Dr. Dare Ayeni, now a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, and a brother, Kazeem Akingbade, from Ijan-Ekiti to go ahead to do the reservations. Unfortunately, the mechanic servicing the vehicle which I assigned to convey them did not finish on time. Observing it was late and feeling something terrible could happen, I discouraged them from going.

But Dr Ayeni insisted that there would not be any problem. I reluctantly succumbed, sensing he had an agenda anyway to be in Abuja that night. As I got to know, he would be picking a lady at Iworoko-Ekiti. I requested my family should not follow them and they gladly agreed. They left me at 3:45 p.m. but I was not too comfortable when I called later and he told me around 7:00 p.m. that they were just reaching Ikole-Ekiti, I tried to discourage them again, suggesting they could sleep in Ikole, but they insisted. I got to know that it was that particular girl they had to pick that got them delayed and they had to leave Ado around 6:00 p.m.

Few hours later, I received a call from them. They had been ambushed by Fulani herdsmen and the only lady in the vehicle was kidnapped. I felt so agitated and terrified to hear the bad news. I was reflecting on the incident and praying to God that the lady be rescued from her captors, else insinuations could be made about the incident. After eight hours of search by the police in the bush, the Fulani herdsmen were arrested, but the lady was not so lucky. She was mercilessly raped by the captors. On the second day, I embarked on my journey to Abuja and needed to first attend to this ugly incident.

Getting to the police station, I requested to see the evil men. I saw the Fulani herdsmen; they were just smiling and never bothered about the implications of their actions. The pair of jeans wore by the lady was forcefully torn with knife. Anger welled up in me. The anger made my vision blur and a nagging headache obstructed my sensibility. I just felt that something should happen and make them drop dead.

Then, a young police lady just beckoned at me and whispered; “honourable, you need to inform anybody you know in higher authorities about this incident. These people are our regular customers. You would not believe it, they would soon be released, if you do not seek the involvement of higher authority.” That statement bewildered me. However, it that was how the case was treated.

I began to feel that Fulani herdsmen enjoy some special treatment in this country and under President Buhari. They are getting excessive special treatment that is dangerous to the existence of this nation. Kidnapping by Fulani herdsmen now thrive unrestrainedly. There are killings here and there, majorly by Book Haram members and the Fulani herdsmen. Armed robbery is not relenting either.

In Epe-Ekiti, Fulani herdsmen followed and monitored a man to a burial party. They ate and drank at the party and even watched their target spraying money on the dance floor. After some time, the man left for his house with his family and friends. Having been fagged out, he went to sleep. The Fulani men were in his compound. They put off the generating set. The man never bothered to come out, but one of his friends, a native of the community, thought they needed the electricity. He decided to open the door and as he was about to put the generating set back on, the Fulani men attacked him, kidnapping him, after shooting sporadically. It was unfortunate for the man, as he was not their target. They got to their camp before they realised this. They politely apologised to the man but said they never joked with their ransom. The man relayed to his brother the number of corpses he saw in the camp of the kidnappers, adding that the Fulani men were telling them those people defiantly did not complying with their terms and they were killed. Imagine how many Nigerians would have been so killed.

It is quite sad the nation is turning to human abattoir on an industrial scale; a killing field of Hobbesian proportions. The assassination of my lovely Comrade Christopher Olubunmi Ojo, a commissioner in Federal Character Commission, was one havoc too many. It was very nightmarish and heart-wrenching.

Tackling international dimension of kidnapping in Nigeria

Ritual murders are increasing on a daily basis, competing with other crimes. The case of dangerous ammunition in the wrong hands is alarming. Road accidents are also ballooning human fatality statistics. Our country is marooned in mediocrity and utter futility of purpose and existence and our leaders need to be held responsible. A host of our unemployed citizens are facing grim problem of existence, while an equally great number of them toil with little returns. It is always a sad reality that the Nigerian working class citizens suffer one deprivation or the other in the midst of overwhelmingly abundant resources. The wide gulf between the haves and have-nots is atrociously expanding on a daily basis. And this is unacceptable. Nigeria’s situations might have been bad before, but it is getting worse now.

President Buhari should not allow the people around him to confuse him with intellectual jingoism, in their pursuit of puerile interests and hold him hostage in applying complacency to Nigeria’s situation. The variegated opinions offered by concerned Nigerians should be taken seriously. It is expected that the president should stop unnecessary blame game and incendiary fencing, but take decisive steps in bringing everybody on board to address Nigeria’s bedeviled challenges. I know the sentimental supporters of the president may, with the deranged sneer, say ‘what is he saying?’ They would make excuses that Buhari did not create the problems. But any impartial observer would want to agree with me that he was elected to proffer solutions to Nigeria’s problems, not to continue dishing us excuses and treating the Fulani herdsmen issues with kid gloves.

Our leaders having ensconced in power game, enjoying the goodies of power should please reason that democracy without duties and responsibilities is anarchy. The state owes the people basic responsibilities as the people owe the state responsibility. Our over-paid governors, legislators, senators, ministers and privileged government officials nationwide should do the needful. Our leaders and President Buhari should be told in the echo of Will Roger’s opinion that “even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.”

It shall be well with Nigeria and Nigerians.