By Kenny Ola
Terrorism, in Nigeria, has moved beyond an ordinary linguistic term to become a term that lies comfortably on the tongues of countless Nigerians. It is the very linguistic term that gains sudden usage and popularity, not only out of curiosity to learn or polish individual vocabulary, but also out of its quiet manifestation in every corner of Nigeria. Nigeria currently experiences not just the linguistic realisation of the term but its real-life confrontation. Movements in Nigeria have recently been regulated, and violence now gains widespread freedom.
The Yoruba saying that wrongdoing can only be executed in the night, and not in the day, has become obsolete. Brutality quietly thrives in the day and hunts at night. The very peace that comes with a good sleep has been scourged by anxiety and restlessness. The sovereign power that lives within the state has currently faced a serious dilemma of whether to remain in the state or move towards the terrorists, whose brutal killings and abductions have remained consistent in the country.
This situation is not just alarming; it sends an uncomfortable truth that violence does not respect geography, and brutality seeks no permission to manifest. Brutal killings and abductions are not new realities in Nigeria. They have become happenings that constantly plague some parts of Nigeria. Destruction that waves from a distance does more than harm. It speaks of a message, of caution and of active control which, if neglected, might reduce a whole country to mere ashes.
Consequently, the circulation of these inhumane acts results in public outcries by many Nigerians learning, too late, that devastation does not discriminate, and abduction hits differently when silence presides over communal vigilance. Residents recently live in fear and terror, constantly doubting the efficacy of the existing security measures. What this reflects is not just growing suspicion. It is the vulnerability of people who lack adequate trust in Nigeria’s security architecture.
Headlines have lost the feature of suspense because every title carries the grave consequences of terrorism. Every face is ashen with the question of who the next victim is, a question that clearly reveals the overwhelming force of terrorism and the total submission of Nigerian residents to the fierce heat of the force. What now remains is a country psychologically harmed by the creeping terror of banditry and patiently awaiting the next shot from the terrorists.
What makes this contagious violence even more upsetting is the religious and ethnic perspective tied to the disturbing threats. While headlines filled with foreboding depict a harsh reality, Nigerians, through comment sections, point an accusing finger at a particular religious or ethnic group. What this shows is not just bigotry.
It is national resentment disguised as public yearning. When internal issues keep restraining collective responsibility, external attacks become individual responsibility. And individual responsibility engenders vulnerability, a quiet criminal strategy employed by terrorists to victimise a divided nation.
The incessant abduction of innocent schoolchildren has raised troubling concerns, but the bloody killing of a mathematics teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, has moved many faces to tears. Such public empathy reveals something much deeper than the tearful farewell. It reflects a nation that fails to provide a stronger security presence for its teachers, despite its poor remuneration. It depicts a country that leaves its selfless workers exposed to criminal attacks.
Amid this devastation is the ongoing declaration of interest in political offices. Elections are essential because they produce effective governance. However, what is effective in governance that cannot protect the lives and property of its electorate? Corruption is not confined only to the embezzlement of public funds. It is also evident in the willful neglect of the populace, whose protection has been reduced to what is read in party manifestos. When lives are at stake, and votes remain the main goals of chief security officers of the states, democracy becomes not the government of all but the interest of a few.
These dreadful moments demand the use of the head, not emotion. Protection of lives and property is one of the many features of democracy, but security is not the sole responsibility of the government. A people that leaves their sole protection in the hands of government will live in constant fear, not because the government is not functional, but because local intelligence belongs to the people, not the government.
Nigerians must understand that no religious belief or ethnic group permits ungodly killings. Banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and abduction are not characteristic of any social, ethnic or religious groups. They are threats to human lives, religious faith and ethnic groups. Thus, leaving these threats to linger and pointing an accusing finger will not just deepen the frustration; they will further strengthen criminality. To successfully tackle insecurity, religious and ethnic differences must first be dispelled.
While local intelligence is paramount for the safety of the populace, its effectiveness is not complete without strong institutional backing. The government must move beyond mere proclamation of authority on podiums to practical realisation of it. Authority is not just power; it is responsibility. And when the responsibility is being threatened by armed groups, authority begins to be on the wane.
A threat that sits comfortably on the headlines of every newspaper is not merely breathing catastrophes; it is sending a message that authority is not restricted to the state alone, and it can be hijacked if deliberate moves are not taken.
Kenny Ola writes via [email protected]
