STATE OF THE NATION - PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS FAILED NIGERIANS AND SHOULD ACT FAST BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
May 3, 2021 | News
When I recently heard a mobile phone voice recording of a conversation, which has gone viral online, between the leader of supposed kidnap gang and a family member (brother) of one Mrs. Sajo Okeowo from Owo, Ondo State, who was kidnapped with another relative on their way to Minna, Niger State, recently, and they have been with the kidnappers since then,
-By Zik Gbemre
STATE OF THE NATION - PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS FAILED NIGERIANS AND SHOULD ACT FAST BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
No one is safe any more on Nigerian roads and in their homes and communities…
It is not enough for President Buhari to seek the assistance of the US to address the insecurity problem in the country and Africa…
What are the efforts made in the recent past, and still being made to really suggest that this present administration is serious about addressing the insecurity challenges in the country?
Buhari and some other politicians have failed, and should be ashamed of themselves...they should divide Nigeria into 6 States(Regions) and create State of emergency - R. Clarke (SAN)
The situation in Nigeria today is worse than what it was in late 1983 when he (Buhari) and his band of coupists sacked the democratically-elected government of Shagari on Dec 31, 1983…
When I recently heard a mobile phone voice recording of a conversation, which has gone viral online, between the leader of supposed kidnap gang and a family member (brother) of one Mrs. Sajo Okeowo from Owo, Ondo State, who was kidnapped with another relative on their way to Minna, Niger State, recently, and they have been with the kidnappers since then, my heart broke, to see how this country has degenerated to this level – where no one is safe anymore.
From the said recording, the kidnappers were demanding for N10m (N5m each) before their captives will be released. But the said brother pleaded with the kidnapper’s leader, telling him he could only raise N1.9m, and he has been running around to raise more money but to no avail. The said kidnapper then reduced his demand to N8m, and insisted that the money should be brought to them on Monday the following week before 12pm, or else they would kill their victims. And from the conversation, the leader of the kidnap gang said he is also a Muslim like the victim’s brother after the latter told him that he is observing the Ramadan fast, and that he should consider their plight. But the kidnap gang leader said that his religion should be separated from his business of kidnapping innocent Nigerians to demand ransom. This is just one example of many cases (both reported and unreported) of kidnap across the country. And one begins to wonder why can’t Security Operatives for instance, able to track these criminals and fish them out from their hiding places? Especially the ones that use mobile phones to demand for ransoms.
The truth is that, to say that the insecurity situation across the country has completely gotten out of hand and should no longer be treated with kid gloves by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, is to put it mildly. President Buhari urgently needs to stop these killings and kidnappings to save the country from a total lockdown of the economy because nothing seems to be working for his administration anymore, as a result of the insecurity situation.
I am aware that President Muhammadu Buhari has recently asked the US to support Africa’s efforts in tackling growing insecurity in the region, but I believe the Nigerian populace needs to see Mr. President to do more by being deliberate, precise, honest, and aggressive in ending the growing level of insecurity in the country, which has completely gotten out of control.
Though President Buhari, during his first virtual meeting with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently, requested that Washington should consider relocating the headquarters of the U.S. Africa Command to the continent from Stuttgart, Germany, to help countries in the region tackle transnational threats, and to better support the fight against rising insecurity, also noted, according to an emailed statement, that “The security challenges in Nigeria remain of great concern to us…” But it has been made worse by “existing complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central, and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad region.” But the question is, what are the efforts being made currently to really suggest that this present administration is seriously and sincerely trying to address the insecurity challenges in the country?
It is not enough for President Buhari to now be asking the US for support to address this problem. The question is, what has he done, and what is he doing presently as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to stop these senseless killings, kidnaps, arson, destruction of people’s homes/farms, and displacement of people from their ancestral lands? What efforts have been made by this Government to suggest to Nigerians that they are serious and willing to end the insecurity situation in the country posed by the Boko Haram sect, Killer Fulani herdsmen and so-called Bandits?
Truth be told, Nigerians are yet to see the aggressive bombardment and putting an end to these criminal elements, who are apparently of the same Fulani tribe as President Buhari. The tune and momentum of the fight against insurgency and these violent crimes across the country can best be set by the President, and Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Muhammadu Buhari. Sadly, the President’s body language and disposition over this insecurity concerns since he came into power, has not been encouraging to suggest that he, and his Security Chiefs, are really serious about ending this problem. All they do, President Buhari and his Executive Cabinet, is to give one excuse or the other for not doing their primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.
While adding his voice about the state of the nation in a Channels Television chat program, Robert Clarke (SAN), categorically stated that President Buhari and some other politicians have failed, and should be ashamed of themselves. He then posited that they should divide Nigeria into 6 States(Regions) and create State of emergency. In his words: "With due respect to anybody who wants to contradict me, Nigeria of 1982 was better than Nigeria of 2021. Go and do any research. Nigerian Airways used to have almost 18 flights, Nigerian Shipping we had about 3 ships, we also had Ajaokuta Steel... Today, all that good thing that were done then by the Shehu Shagari administration and some previous military government, are all gone. The least remaining thing for them to do is for them to start selling Third Mainland Bridge.
"These people have failed us. So, they do not have any mouth to talk again. A solution must be found out. There is a problem. Divide Nigeria into 6 State (regions), create state of emergency. All Mr. President has to do is stay and remain as the Head of the Army, when every other duty to reform the country to a new civilian form of Government is ready to be done. Let me assure you, there is nothing the DSS can do here more than looking at people who are criticizing the Government. People who do not want Governors and Ministers to stay again. These are the people they are looking forward to manhandle. Or these rascals. They call them rascals, but they are useful rascals to many of them... But the government has not performed. So, they need to create a state of emergency, tell the DSS to stay aside. Let each State have their police and be in control of their resources because this National Assembly will never change the Constitution. They are benefitting from it. We all see officials throwing birthdays for their mothers and grandmothers in Dubai. Doing 80th birthday and so on... This is a rotten society, and we must stop it. I pray that God will open the eyes of every Nigerian to take a surgical approach in handling this issue..."
It is daily becoming simply clear that President Buhari is not in charge of this country. Aside the Nigerian citizenry that are victims of these criminals, our Nigerian soldiers, Police officers and other Security operatives are also being slaughtered by terrorists/bandits, kidnappers, hoodlums, and they all pretend as if nothing is happening. As far as I can tell, there is anarchy already in the country. The saddest part is that even the ‘almighty’ National Assembly have become rubber-stamp legislators who have continued to bark and bark, but have not demonstrated the courage and willingness to bite, especially with their legislative powers to call the Executive President to Order. Or better still, have him removed from office for gross incompetence. Nigeria was indeed at relative peace when Buhari came into power. From the moment this administration came into power and up till now, the relative peace, unity, progress, safety assurance – experienced by Nigerians, especially those in the Southern parts of the country, were completely rubbished, as practically everything moved from bad to worse.
As noted by an online reporter recently: “The situation in Nigeria today is worse than what it was in late 1983 when he (Buhari) and his band of coupists sacked the democratically-elected government of Shagari on Dec 31, 1983, and it is also worse than when he was overthrown on Aug 27, 1985, by Ibrahim Babaginda and his coupist. He is lucky that gone are the days of coups, and Nigerians will rather vote him out of office if he fails to address the dire security, social, political, and economic problems before the next election or have him impeached by the National Assembly for incapacity.”
Zik Gbemre.
May 3, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
-By Zik Gbemre
STATE OF THE NATION - PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS FAILED NIGERIANS AND SHOULD ACT FAST BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
No one is safe any more on Nigerian roads and in their homes and communities…
It is not enough for President Buhari to seek the assistance of the US to address the insecurity problem in the country and Africa…
What are the efforts made in the recent past, and still being made to really suggest that this present administration is serious about addressing the insecurity challenges in the country?
Buhari and some other politicians have failed, and should be ashamed of themselves...they should divide Nigeria into 6 States(Regions) and create State of emergency - R. Clarke (SAN)
The situation in Nigeria today is worse than what it was in late 1983 when he (Buhari) and his band of coupists sacked the democratically-elected government of Shagari on Dec 31, 1983…
When I recently heard a mobile phone voice recording of a conversation, which has gone viral online, between the leader of supposed kidnap gang and a family member (brother) of one Mrs. Sajo Okeowo from Owo, Ondo State, who was kidnapped with another relative on their way to Minna, Niger State, recently, and they have been with the kidnappers since then, my heart broke, to see how this country has degenerated to this level – where no one is safe anymore.
From the said recording, the kidnappers were demanding for N10m (N5m each) before their captives will be released. But the said brother pleaded with the kidnapper’s leader, telling him he could only raise N1.9m, and he has been running around to raise more money but to no avail. The said kidnapper then reduced his demand to N8m, and insisted that the money should be brought to them on Monday the following week before 12pm, or else they would kill their victims. And from the conversation, the leader of the kidnap gang said he is also a Muslim like the victim’s brother after the latter told him that he is observing the Ramadan fast, and that he should consider their plight. But the kidnap gang leader said that his religion should be separated from his business of kidnapping innocent Nigerians to demand ransom. This is just one example of many cases (both reported and unreported) of kidnap across the country. And one begins to wonder why can’t Security Operatives for instance, able to track these criminals and fish them out from their hiding places? Especially the ones that use mobile phones to demand for ransoms.
The truth is that, to say that the insecurity situation across the country has completely gotten out of hand and should no longer be treated with kid gloves by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, is to put it mildly. President Buhari urgently needs to stop these killings and kidnappings to save the country from a total lockdown of the economy because nothing seems to be working for his administration anymore, as a result of the insecurity situation.
I am aware that President Muhammadu Buhari has recently asked the US to support Africa’s efforts in tackling growing insecurity in the region, but I believe the Nigerian populace needs to see Mr. President to do more by being deliberate, precise, honest, and aggressive in ending the growing level of insecurity in the country, which has completely gotten out of control.
Though President Buhari, during his first virtual meeting with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently, requested that Washington should consider relocating the headquarters of the U.S. Africa Command to the continent from Stuttgart, Germany, to help countries in the region tackle transnational threats, and to better support the fight against rising insecurity, also noted, according to an emailed statement, that “The security challenges in Nigeria remain of great concern to us…” But it has been made worse by “existing complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central, and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad region.” But the question is, what are the efforts being made currently to really suggest that this present administration is seriously and sincerely trying to address the insecurity challenges in the country?
It is not enough for President Buhari to now be asking the US for support to address this problem. The question is, what has he done, and what is he doing presently as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to stop these senseless killings, kidnaps, arson, destruction of people’s homes/farms, and displacement of people from their ancestral lands? What efforts have been made by this Government to suggest to Nigerians that they are serious and willing to end the insecurity situation in the country posed by the Boko Haram sect, Killer Fulani herdsmen and so-called Bandits?
Truth be told, Nigerians are yet to see the aggressive bombardment and putting an end to these criminal elements, who are apparently of the same Fulani tribe as President Buhari. The tune and momentum of the fight against insurgency and these violent crimes across the country can best be set by the President, and Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Muhammadu Buhari. Sadly, the President’s body language and disposition over this insecurity concerns since he came into power, has not been encouraging to suggest that he, and his Security Chiefs, are really serious about ending this problem. All they do, President Buhari and his Executive Cabinet, is to give one excuse or the other for not doing their primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.
While adding his voice about the state of the nation in a Channels Television chat program, Robert Clarke (SAN), categorically stated that President Buhari and some other politicians have failed, and should be ashamed of themselves. He then posited that they should divide Nigeria into 6 States(Regions) and create State of emergency. In his words: "With due respect to anybody who wants to contradict me, Nigeria of 1982 was better than Nigeria of 2021. Go and do any research. Nigerian Airways used to have almost 18 flights, Nigerian Shipping we had about 3 ships, we also had Ajaokuta Steel... Today, all that good thing that were done then by the Shehu Shagari administration and some previous military government, are all gone. The least remaining thing for them to do is for them to start selling Third Mainland Bridge.
"These people have failed us. So, they do not have any mouth to talk again. A solution must be found out. There is a problem. Divide Nigeria into 6 State (regions), create state of emergency. All Mr. President has to do is stay and remain as the Head of the Army, when every other duty to reform the country to a new civilian form of Government is ready to be done. Let me assure you, there is nothing the DSS can do here more than looking at people who are criticizing the Government. People who do not want Governors and Ministers to stay again. These are the people they are looking forward to manhandle. Or these rascals. They call them rascals, but they are useful rascals to many of them... But the government has not performed. So, they need to create a state of emergency, tell the DSS to stay aside. Let each State have their police and be in control of their resources because this National Assembly will never change the Constitution. They are benefitting from it. We all see officials throwing birthdays for their mothers and grandmothers in Dubai. Doing 80th birthday and so on... This is a rotten society, and we must stop it. I pray that God will open the eyes of every Nigerian to take a surgical approach in handling this issue..."
It is daily becoming simply clear that President Buhari is not in charge of this country. Aside the Nigerian citizenry that are victims of these criminals, our Nigerian soldiers, Police officers and other Security operatives are also being slaughtered by terrorists/bandits, kidnappers, hoodlums, and they all pretend as if nothing is happening. As far as I can tell, there is anarchy already in the country. The saddest part is that even the ‘almighty’ National Assembly have become rubber-stamp legislators who have continued to bark and bark, but have not demonstrated the courage and willingness to bite, especially with their legislative powers to call the Executive President to Order. Or better still, have him removed from office for gross incompetence. Nigeria was indeed at relative peace when Buhari came into power. From the moment this administration came into power and up till now, the relative peace, unity, progress, safety assurance – experienced by Nigerians, especially those in the Southern parts of the country, were completely rubbished, as practically everything moved from bad to worse.
As noted by an online reporter recently: “The situation in Nigeria today is worse than what it was in late 1983 when he (Buhari) and his band of coupists sacked the democratically-elected government of Shagari on Dec 31, 1983, and it is also worse than when he was overthrown on Aug 27, 1985, by Ibrahim Babaginda and his coupist. He is lucky that gone are the days of coups, and Nigerians will rather vote him out of office if he fails to address the dire security, social, political, and economic problems before the next election or have him impeached by the National Assembly for incapacity.”
Zik Gbemre.
May 3, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes