Without warning, the agents of evil manifested themselves again in the ancient townof Ile-Ife, Osun State and Zaki Biam, Benue State leaving in their trail death anddestruction. These two most recent incidents bring to worrisome levels the rate atwhich Nigerians thirst for each others blood raising, in the process, seriousquestions about our humanity or even lack of it. It has become so disturbing thatPresident Muhammadu Buhari himself cannot but imagine if we have lost our valuefor human life. In the last few years, no day passes without reports of killings innumbers that benumb the senses. The methods the perpetrators of these dastardlyacts adopt are too gruesome in their bestiality. In their incomprehensiblewickedness, they find fun in decapitating their fellow countrymen, women andchildren, celebrating the act in a most macabre way that elicits the question, are we so bloodthirsty'These wanton killings took a dangerous dimension with the return to democracy aspoliticians set up their private vanguards, as they call them, armed to the teeth toensure a mutually assured self- destruction all in an effort to win political power.After the elections, no effort was made to disarm the militias and recover the armsfrom them. With cheap political money drying up, the thugs were left to their owndevices. That was the genesis of what the world know as Boko Haram, a politicalgangsterish arrangement that spun out of control and became a nightmare to thenation and the international community at large.But as the military is working hard to put those merchants of death under control, adifferent set of killers described as gunmen or herdsmen emerged on the scenedetermined to outdo their competitors in the murderous game. They invade, kill anddevastate whole communities for reasons that are yet to be unravelled. Add thecommunal clashes to the mix, one gets a picture of an undeclared war frightening inits dimension and intensity. As this bizarre scenario plays on, the citizensunderstanding of the term sanctity of human life is daily challenged by the sheeranimalistic propensities of otherwise kindred fellows.The nation had not quite gotten over the wastage in terms of human life in theclash between the army and a particular religious sect in Kaduna when SouthernKaduna experienced its own bloodbath. The peoples of Agatu in Benue State,Nsukka in Enugu State and now Zaki Biam also in Benue State and Ile-Ife in OsunState are still reeling in horror as they ponder over the extent of brigandage anddestruction.In all these incidences, the death toll range in their tens and hundreds and yetthere is no war going on, at least not yet declared. Security agencies describe thosebehind these horrifying developments as criminals out to cause mischief. Curiously,not one of those supposed criminals has been arrested let alone charged for actsagainst the state.We feel compelled to point out that in all the States, Governors, constitutionally,are allocated humongous sums, in billions of naira, as security votes. There arepolice State commands, Directorates of State Services, military formations as wellas other paramilitary outfits. Yet the mayhem that is so pervasive in and around thecountry persists as if the security agencies are all in the doldrums weakened by theirown self-inflicted incapacitation.Before now, the allegation by these same security agencies was that most of thekillers are non Nigerians who are taking undue advantage of the nations porousborders to carry out their supposedly criminal activities. If, indeed, Nigeria is underattack by extra-terrestrial forces, someone ought to be in a position to do somethingabout it and halt the mindless carnage.We note that there is an ongoing argument by well-meaning Nigerians that securityagencies are not doing enough to check this situation that is fast becoming anational embarrassment. The international community including the United Nationsis alarmed at the rate of bloodletting and is concerned, wondering what is going on.The President had just summoned the service chiefs to explain why the servicesappear helpless in the face of threats to national security. We are hoping that themeeting will provide answers to the problem that has the capacity of destabilisingthe nations internal cohesion. It is that serious; and that is why we urge thegovernment to take precipitate action to manage effectively the observable slide inthe nations tenuous security linkages.
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