“I want to witness to everyone that they took pity on me due to my old age. I was told to go out but I want to assure everyone that I left huge number of people behind and they are in situation that requires help for them to be released fast. I hope that government will meet the head of this group to release them as soon as possible”
Last week, I published an article on the siege of terrorism over Kaduna State and the need for urgent intervention of the government, both at the Federal and State level. This was published following the attack, killings, and abduction of commuters of a Kaduna-bound train, from the capital city of Nigeria, Abuja. The second week in the month of April 2022, makes it 2 weeks since this dastardly act was committed by these men of the underworld and till this moment, we are yet to hear anything meaningful or any significant step by the government in respect of the activities of these hoodlums or the rescue of the persons abducted. On Sunday, the terrorists released a video of the persons that had been abducted and they made statements pleading with the government to come to their aid. The only person so far released, is the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, who made the above statement, while being walled by his captors on an earlier video released to the public. The truthfulness of the grounds for his release (which is very much doubted) as captured in the statement above, might not be ascertained for now, but the challenge of innocent persons still in custody remains a disturbing factor and the passive attitude of the government to the crisis is still more distressing than ever.
Since the continuous attack on Kaduna State, Zamfara State, and others within the north-central region, I have endlessly waited for the launch of a massive and deliberate Army operation like we have had in other parts of the country to silence and or decapitate the activities of these hoodlums but we are still expecting. I have waited patiently since all these invasions in the last few years for an operation, the likes of “Operation Crocodile Smile” as was launched and executed in several parts of the country, including when the ENDSARS protest was spreading across States of the Federation, “Operation Lafiya Dole”, as was launched in the North-east, “Operation Python dance” as was launched in South-East/South-South Nigeria and “Operation Desert Sanity in the North East. The best we have had so far, is the Police taking charge of the road connecting Kaduna to Abuja, helicopters hovering along the road (I don’t know for how long that is sustainable), without any report of dealing with the actual problem which is still subsisting and still threatening. Just one week after the attack on the train, a military base at Pole Wire in Birnin-Gwari, in the same Kaduna State, was attacked by these terrorists, who tragically killed no fewer than 17 soldiers and three civilians during a fierce gun battle, which also saw over 20 soldiers badly wounded in the battle. Locals said the incident happened when the terrorists, in large numbers, came to the area on motorbikes, wielding dangerous weapons including Rocket Propelled Guns (RPGs). It is still surprising, to say the least that after everything is said and done, these men of the underworld are still having a field day around town with little or no meaningful resistance.
I am forced to ask, when will the crocodile smile on us as it did in other parts of the Country? When are we going to have “Lafiya dole”, which is literally interpreted as “compulsory peace” or “forceful peace”. When will the python dance in the North-central part of Nigeria? Plateau State was again hit heavily over the weekend by these senseless and pointless killings. We respectfully urge the government, both at the Federal and State level, to stop paying lip service to the security situation in North-Central Nigeria and make the fight against insurgency, banditry, and terrorism a balanced combat. The same hand of steel used to break agitations around the country should also be deployed in breaking the bands of terrorism on Kaduna State and its environs. North-Central Nigeria must be liberated from the jaws of bandits, terrorists, and hoodlums. I have waited endlessly to hear government give these people an ultimatum as has been done in other parts of the country to either lay down their weapons or surrender the same to the government. We never or hardly see any, we never or hardly hear of any. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
The terror group while parading the only released abductee, was quoted to have stated thus “we don’t want your money, if we want money, we wouldn’t have carried out the attack. You know what we want”
This statement says a lot and seems weightier than ordinary. There are obviously underlying factors that are not known to the public. This seems to be the fight of two elephants with the innocent grasses bearing the brunt. I must say at this point that the government does not necessarily have to give them what they want but can definitely give them what they deserve. Nigeria is a sovereign State and cannot allow rebellion to determine its line of leadership.
The alleged claim that the only released kidnap victim was allowed to go in the spirit of the Ramadan and because of his age, is self-gratifying and roundly dishonest. We leave them to their God and to their conscience (if they have any). In the true spirit of Ramadan, Nigeria should be at peace and every captive should have been released.
I conclude by saying if the government, both at the Federal and State level is serious about fighting this battle that has engulfed North-Central Nigeria in recent times, it should not take one week for the government to fish out and deal ruthlessly with the terrorists from their “known” hideouts. It took America just a few days to locate the hideout of these terrorists and they saved their citizen unhurt. We have stayed too long on this troubled spot.
Akintayo Balogun Esq., LL.B (Hons), BL, LL.M, is a legal practitioner in private practice based in Abuja, FCT. A prolific writer, public affairs analyst, and commentator on national issues.
