“In a murderous society, murderous leaderships negotiate with murderous terrorists, bandits and criminals without any iota of remorse or empathy even when the murderous murderers are publicly murdering its citizens in a cold blooded sentence.” — DSM.
Put simply, if you are not a terrorist, bandit or a criminal in a murderous society, you are assumed to be abnormal and a number one enemy to the murderous leaderships.
First and foremost, it is imperative to preface this discussion with a significant caveat, which centers entirely on the profound religious implications associated with the United States of America’s designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country Of Particular Concern’ (CPC) and the subsequent stringent measures imposed.
First and foremost, it is imperative to preface this discussion with a significant caveat by acknowledging the profound religious implications stemming from the United States of America’s designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country Of Particular Concern’ (CPC).
As a caveat, let me state here, and with all sense of disillusionment, the basic truth is that Nigeria has passed the stage of tribal and religious scepticism, and right now, Nigeria and Nigerians are at a full fledged festival of war against themselves.
The tragic loss of every Nigerian life should undoubtedly constitute a matter of grave and urgent concern for any government that purports to be reasonable and responsible. The precious blood of any Nigerian citizen should never be shed or suppressed simply due to an individual’s religious beliefs or their ethnic and tribal affiliation. The sanctity of human life must be upheld as an inviolable principle, transcending all other considerations.
When contemplating whether I welcomed the USA’s CPC notification, I can unequivocally state that I wholeheartedly embraced and accepted this designation. The most critical and compelling reason for this acceptance stems from the perceived complicity and apparent inaction of our nation’s leaders within the government. Their failure to adequately address the escalating violence and persecution of both Christians and Muslims has created an environment where such external intervention becomes not only justifiable but necessary, although not on the extreme scale of war or invasion, but diplomatically. The target should not be on Dangote Refinery, as this refinery is shaping a new Africa, and I perceived that the western world and America are not happy. Where attack becomes necessary, it should be solely targeted to insurgents clusters, and not civilians or multinational companies.
A substantial amount of information has been disseminated, and comprehensive lists of individuals implicated in these atrocities have been meticulously compiled and submitted to our various governmental bodies. Despite these efforts, our leaders appear to have devolved into merchants, callously trading with the lives of Nigerian citizens. Every vestige of humanity seems to have been systematically eroded and destroyed within their ranks, to such an alarming extent that even the rudimentary ways of reasoning observed in animals appear more comprehensible and rational than the decision-making processes of many of our leaders.
On August 2, 2022, Kawu Baraje was alleged to have said that they brought in Fulani militias from Mali, Sierra Leone, Senegal and others just to win the 2015 election, yet, no interrogation or investigation to ascertain the veracity of such a statement.
This stark comparison underscores the profound moral and intellectual bankruptcy that has permeated the highest echelons of power.
Instead of the President promptly outlining, with immediate effect, his strategic and comprehensive plans to effectively put an end to the grave allegations of Christian genocide and to address the myriad other pervasive insecurities plaguing the nation, the Nigerian government chose a different, deeply problematic path. They opted to dispatch a lengthy and defensive denial epistle to America. ironically, America must have the documents that contained the compendium of all the atrocities and human rights violations occurring within Nigeria’s borders.
This raises a critical question: why deny the undeniable truth, especially when the President himself, in his X. com official page of 29th January, 2014, vociferously criticized the then-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) for being perceived as weak and incapable of halting the widespread killings of Christians?
This apparent contradiction highlights a profound hypocrisy and a disturbing lack of accountability.
Our leaders ought to engage in a serious and introspective process of self-reflection, meticulously appraising the dire situations that directly warranted the issuance of the CPC designation. Following this critical assessment, they should then reflect upon and devise concrete, actionable strategies for effectively tackling the well-known and extensively documented human carnage that continues unabated in Nigeria. Instead, regrettably, they have resorted to tactics of blackmail and launched utterly useless and counterproductive attacks on President Trump and his administration.
It has become an increasingly prevalent and disturbing decimal point in Nigeria’s current political landscape that anyone who dares to point out the existence of heinous, murderous, thieving, and inept leadership within the country is immediately subjected to vitriolic attacks. Unfortunately, these attacks are often nothing more than empty rhetoric, devoid of substance, and are frequently filled with anger and propaganda, meticulously orchestrated by the government’s paid agents and sycophants. This pattern of behavior serves to stifle dissent and suppress any genuine efforts to hold those in power accountable.
This entire scenario presents a very serious and deeply troubling situation, one that clearly and unequivocally points to the undeniable fact that an evil and corrupt leadership will invariably be terrified and deeply unsettled when the unvarnished truth is placed on the scale of balance, threatening to expose their misdeeds and undermine their illegitimate authority. The fear of truth is a hallmark of tyranny and a clear indicator of a government that prioritizes self-preservation over the well-being of its citizens.
Let us begin by examining the deeply troubling incident of the kidnapping of the Chibok girls, a group predominantly composed of Christian individuals, in the context of terrorism. This event serves as a stark illustration of the severe challenges faced by certain communities. Currently, one of the most dire situations involves the widespread displacement of numerous Christian communities across various states, including Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kwara, and Kogi, to name just a few of the affected regions. These displacements are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader pattern of insecurity.
Furthermore, there have been periodic and often brutal attacks in other parts of the Southern region of Nigeria, areas that are predominantly inhabited by Christians, resulting in thousands of casualties and widespread suffering. It was likely these persistent and devastating attacks that prompted General Theophilus Danjuma to publicly advocate for self-defense mechanisms within all Nigerian communities, recognizing the urgent need for people to protect themselves in the face of inadequate state protection.
It is important to clarify that this observation does not imply an absence of Muslim casualties; indeed, there have been Muslim victims in these conflicts. However, a critical point of concern is that the primary proponents and perpetrators of these heinous acts are consistently identified as Muslims Extremists, who are frequently reported to recite Islamic verses before engaging in their atrocious crimes.
To exacerbate this grim reality, there is a deeply troubling perception that governments in the Northern regions of Nigeria are not only failing to adequately address these terrorist activities but are, in some instances, perceived as embracing these terrorist groups. This perception is further fueled by reports of these governments entering into agreements or “paths” with these groups, seemingly without any genuine remorse or consideration for the victims who have suffered immensely.
A truly serious and responsible government should, by this juncture, have compiled and presented concrete evidence detailing the statistics of those murdered, categorized by religious affiliation, a reality it has ostensibly acknowledged as tragic. However, to date, the Nigerian government has conspicuously failed to provide the United States of America or the broader global audience with accurate demographic data concerning the religious victims of violence within Nigeria. This lack of transparency raises significant questions regarding the government’s commitment to addressing the root causes of these conflicts.
Furthermore, Amnesty International, a reputable human rights organization, has directly implicated state security agencies in a series of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and acts of torture, particularly in the context of the “SE saga.” Yet, despite these serious allegations and the detailed reports, no culprit within the security apparatus has been apprehended or brought to justice. Instead, we frequently observe security agencies actively pursuing and targeting ordinary citizens who courageously speak out against injustices, seemingly making them the focus of arrests. This behavior appears to be an attempt to justify their biased and functionally absurd actions, thereby diverting attention from their own failures and complicity.
The fundamental challenge confronting our government, particularly the current administration, lies in the initial and critical step of acknowledging the existence of profound moral decline issues. It is imperative that the government first admits to the reality and severity of many multifaceted problems, especially in its inability to tackle murderous insecurity and the cancerous corruption issues. Nigeria must unequivocally acknowledge its inherent shortfalls and systemic weaknesses, as it is fundamentally impossible to solve any problem that one refuses to accept or recognize as existing.
The reliance on propaganda, the use of blackmail tactics, and the initiation of politically motivated prosecutions do not, and cannot, resolve any of these deeply entrenched problems. On the contrary, such approaches merely serve to expose a regime’s profound failure to genuinely address the welfare of the society. These tactics are often employed as a thinly veiled disguise of intimidation, designed to silence dissent and deflect criticism rather than to address the core issues affecting the populace.
Therefore, today should not be a moment for attempting to justify past failures or for inadvertently creating new adversaries, such as the administration of President Trump and the USA, through the dissemination of misleading propaganda. Instead, this critical juncture should serve as a profound and sobering opportunity for introspection and collective action. It is a time to earnestly work towards unifying our country and to ensure that the fundamental issues and circumstances that have contributed to Nigeria’s current status as a “new pariah state” are thoroughly and comprehensively addressed.
We do not require the intervention of the USA, or indeed any other foreign nation, to publicly expose our internal shortcomings or to “wash our dirty linen outside.” This is especially true given that we, as Nigerians, are acutely aware of our own internal ugliness, our systemic flaws, and the deep-seated tribal and religious problems that plague our society. The responsibility for addressing these issues lies squarely with us, and it is through honest self-assessment and concerted effort that we can hope to overcome them.
As I conclude, I must unequivocally state that my concern is not predicated on the religious affiliation — whether Christian or Muslim — of those tragically killed or forcibly displaced. Rather, the undeniable reality is that widespread acts of violence, resulting in the slaughter of Nigerians, are occurring ubiquitously across the nation. The typical Nigerian citizen is currently enduring immense hardship, struggling under the oppressive weight of restrictive government policies, all while simultaneously grappling with pervasive injustice, systematic political intimidation, and an alarming succession of borrowing sprees that burden the nation’s future.
It is simply impossible for us to feign ignorance or indifference to this dire situation. Both past and present administrations have demonstrably failed the citizens of Nigeria, and it is profoundly disheartening and indeed absurd to narrow the narrative of these killings by exclusively attributing them to attacks on Christians. Such a limited perspective distorts the broader, more complex reality of the widespread insecurity and violence affecting all segments of the Nigerian populace.
We are, in essence, engaging in a profound act of self-deception when we choose to ignore or rationalize the true nature and character of our political leaders and the individuals who engage in rampant looting of public resources. To put it plainly, if one benefits from or partakes in the ill-gotten gains derived from an act of armed robbery, then that individual is, in a fundamental sense, indistinguishable from the armed robber themselves. This is the unvarnished TRUTH, a harsh reflection of the moral compromise that a significant portion of our society has unfortunately embraced.
This truth underscores a deep-seated issue within the fabric of our nation, where the lines between victim and perpetrator, and between observer and accomplice, have become dangerously blurred. The collective failure to confront this reality head-on perpetuates a cycle of corruption, violence, and misgovernance, further entrenching the suffering of the average Nigerian. It is imperative that we acknowledge this uncomfortable truth to even begin to address the systemic issues that plague our society and to work towards a future where justice, accountability, and genuine leadership prevail for all Nigerians, irrespective of their background or beliefs. The current state of affairs demands a collective awakening and a resolute commitment to change, moving beyond superficial distinctions and confronting the core problems that undermine the peace and prosperity of the nation even as I come in PEACE.
Dr. Sunny Oby Maduka (DSM), is an Author, Resource Personality, Management Consultant/ Trainer, Chartered/Certified – A u d i t o r / A c c o u n t a n t , Financial Compliance Expert, Economic/Political Analyst Strategist, Marine Expert and Motivationist)
Read more on Independent Newspapers Nigeria
