Nigeria is unarguably under a ferocious attack by some enemies, mercenaries and kidnappers in and outside government. They have circled the country, captured her, punching and kicking her with no mercy. They are hitting the country with all kinds of dangerous weapons, it is only heaven that can save this great country from not crushing to death finally.
The country is ‘living-dead’ according to James Hadley Chase.
Presently in Okuama, somewhere in Ughelli, Delta State, South-South of Nigeria, Nigerian soldiers are on reprisal attack, burning and killing over the killings of their comrades in arm. About 17 soldiers of the Nigeria Army led by Lt. Colonel AH Ali and other officers were wiped off from the land of the living.
The dastardly killing and dismember of bodies of Nigeria soldiers by some Niger-Delta militants at Okuama remain condemned and wicked. The killed soldiers, from available media reports were on ‘peace keeping mission’ in Okuama. Okuama and Okoroba communities are at loggerheads over ownership of land for some time now.
Many have argued against the military invasion of that community in the name of ‘peace keeping mission’ as it is not the primary responsibility of the army. The Nigeria Police should have been contacted for such. So, there are several questions the military authorities need to answer. Why the soldiers embarked on such mission is still unexplainable. Was that movement of the soldiers into Okuama actually for peace keeping or, there was another interest? Who authorized the movement of soldiers to Okuama? Why did the soldiers go to the community without adequate intelligence report? We need a full report of an investigation panel to unravel what truly happened in Okuama.
Some weeks ago, the Senate of the Federal Republic was enmeshed in a scandal of budget padding. They are still battling to wriggle out of the mess. Senator Abdul Ningi representing Bauchi Central, accused his colleagues of padding the 2024 budget with about N3.7tn. Rather than the Senate and its president to thoroughly investigate the allegations leveled against them, they quickly suspended Sen. Ningi. As it is, with the support of President Tinubu to the lawmakers during his Ramadan breaking of fast with the leadership of the Senate when he told the world, the people don’t understand the science of budget. This defence from Mr. President have closed the case. The N3.7tn allegedly included in the 2024 budget by the senators for no specific capturing have ended in private pockets.
The Nigeria’s ministry of finance organized a conference for the 36 finance commissioners not anywhere in Nigeria but in faraway London. This is just another way of hitting hard on the country’s scarce resources. That conference in London by our officials was baseless, non-profitable and completely unpatriotic. Why did they have to go to London for such conference when there are quality places in Nigeria? I cannot wrap my head around it. Our leaders take Nigerians for granted, they don’t care whether we are breathing. What is this craze about foreign trips by government officials? Is it another fast way of making financial gains? The masses are usually advised to tighten their belts but, our leaders loosen theirs to accommodate unwanted food. They failed the country here. They never cared about the suffering and dying economy, the hunger millions are going through in the land.
There is no place that is safe in the country. Not the home, street, recreation ground, work place, market, just nowhere. The bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, unknown gunmen dictate our social and economic life. All manner of crimes take place here with no check from government or security agencies. Killings, kidnappings go on freely. About two weeks ago, some 137 school children and their teachers were kidnapped in Kaduna. There are still several abducted persons still in captivity because of unpaid ransoms from their family members. Some are feared dead. That’s just the way we roll in Nigeria. It is a country that moves with no one or authority in control.
The skyrocketing increment of food and other essential commodities is destructive to human health. It unbalances the country’s economy. Sets the country backward. There should be some element of control from the government by fixing some of the infrastructures that aids socio-economic activities. It is a proven fact that the high cost of food items have stabilized hunger among citizens thereby, making hunger man’s permanent companion. That is bad and dangerous for the growth and development of the country. And, it appears, there is no end in sight. It is just promises from the Federal Government with no practical action. That is how bad it has become.
The states in Nigeria are financially bleeding. The pensions approved by some State House of Assemblies for payment of huge sums of money, build and maintain houses in their states and Abuja, purchase of brand new vehicles and pay private staffs of these past governors and deputies depletes the treasury. This is partly the reason why there is difficulty for developmental projects to be carried out in the states. The Abia state Governor, Alex Otti signed a bill recently repealing such malicious and detrimental spending in his state. It is basically to save funds for developmental projects.
There are too many early deaths in Nigeria today. Since the beginning of 2024, for instance, more men and women of ages 30 – 65 years have died more than the 80 years and above. In a community, when the elderly bury more of their younger ones, the elders and leaders of the community rise to search for reason and solution. There are several social and economic pressures weighing down the able bodied men and women in Nigeria. It is affecting their state of health. The Nigerian government must rise and organize the country. Reduce the economic burden the people are experiencing.
