THE PRESIDENT BUHARI-LED ADMINISTRATION HAS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED NOT TO HAVE THE CAPABILITY/CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE INSECURITY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY
March 24, 2021 | News
I have repeatedly noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has never been sincere as regard ending the insecurity situation in the country. It is glaring from all angles that the President Buhari-led administration is weak, and doesn't have the capacity to end the insecurity situation in Nigeria.
THE PRESIDENT BUHARI-LED ADMINISTRATION HAS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED NOT TO HAVE THE CAPABILITY/CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE INSECURITY SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY
I have repeatedly noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has never been sincere as regard ending the insecurity situation in the country. It is glaring from all angles that the President Buhari-led administration is weak, and doesn't have the capacity to end the insecurity situation in Nigeria. In fact, President Buhari and his administration do not have the capability to improve on the economy. And this is getting more evident daily.
When I saw the recent reports that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt as suspected herdsmen ambushed him on his farm in Tyomu community, less than 20 kilometers from Benue State capital, Makurdi, I could not help but wonder and conclude that indeed, no one is safe anymore in the whole country. Ortom, while briefing reporters of his unfortunate experience, disclosed that he had to run over 1.5 kilometers to escape the ambush. We can just imagine the extent the insecurity situation in the country has degenerated to. What is more worrisome in all of this is the fact that a group known as Fulani National Movement (FUNAM), which some believe is closely affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria West Africa – ISIS, has boldly come out and claimed responsibility for the attack on Ortom. And the excuse they gave was that Ortom is against Fulani agenda in Nigeria.
A statement by one Umar Amir Shehu, said Ortom stood against open grazing and Fulani interest in the country. The statement entitled: “Why we attacked Ortom” reads: “Our attention has been drawn to media reports today speculating about who attacked the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. Yes. Yes, We did. The Fulani Nationality Movement, (FUNAM) carried out the attack. We have genuine reasons. We acted on behalf of Millions of Fulani people in 15 countries.
“It’s a case of vengeance against an infidel who has used his time and money, deployed in destroying the Fulani values and inheritance. Our courageous fighters carried out this historic attack to send a great message to Ortum and his collaborators: Where ever you are, once you are against Fulani long term interest, we shall get you down. This is a clear warning. We hope those who take us for granted will get the indisputable message. Our intention is unequivocal: TO KILL HIM. That mission will one day be fulfilled and very soon too. Eleven of FUNAM operatives were involved in the attack. Ortom escaped today because of a slight technical communication error. Next time, he will not be lucky. We can assure him and his supporters.”
Though, the Benue State Governor had linked the assassination attempt to Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), but the question is, how can the person of a seating State Governor be attacked, and the assailants would muster the boldness to come out publicly to claim responsibility, in a country that has one of the most respected and highly trained Security Operatives in the Nigerian Armed Forces? What could have given the said group, the audacity to publicly claim responsivity of the said assassination attempt on the life of a State Governor, without fear of being caught and made to face the full weight of the law? It is simply because over the years, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has chosen instead to pamper these insurgents and criminals, may be because they are of his Fulani stock, rather than crush them headlong without mercy. That is the honest but sad truth of the insecurity situation in the country.
Let us recall that it was only recently, that a brother of one of the former governors of Benue State was mowed down in cold blood. And with the latest attempt on the life of Governor Ortom, all that we seen as response from the relevant Security Authorities and the Presidency, was an order for a supposed “full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.” I mean, with the said Fulani group coming forward to claim responsibility, what other form of investigation of the circumstances surrounding the attack are they looking for? Why haven’t they aggressively gone after these guys to expose their identities, and bring them to book?
Many of us had expected the Nigerian Army, the Air Force, and all the other Security agents under the control of the Federal Government to see the said incident for what it is, and move in quickly and comb all the forests where those said to be responsible for attack, are hiding, and apprehended them to face the full wrath of the law. But for this not to have been done up till this moment, is serious error of judgment and calls for great worry. All that we got from President Buhari was a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who ordered Security agencies to carry out what he called “open and transparent investigation into the attack on Ortom.”
To be honest with you, there is nothing else that I expect President Buhari to do because his body language and actions since he came into power, have suggested that this Government does not seem to want to defeat these terrorists and criminal elements in the name of Fulani herdsmen/Bandits/Militia or whatever. It does not look like they want to defeat them. And there are so many facts to justify this notion.
I felt sad recently, when I saw a video online of a former brave Army Intelligence Officer, Col. Hassan Stan-Lobo (Rtd), who expressed his anger and disappointment to what is happening in the country, and the Government’s indifferent response to everything. In his words: We cannot, and I repeat, we cannot negotiate with these guys. We’ve got what it takes to crush them off. You only begin to negotiate when you’ve not done your homework. When you’ve not put in all what you need to put in place. So, when they have taken over your kids and your citizens, and hold them ransom, there’s nothing you can do. Any attempt at rescue operation, there’ll be high collateral damage. You’ll lose nearly half or over three-quarter of them. And you’re then compelled to start negotiating.
“As a country with a strong defense force, having actually equipped our inventory, you should go out there and crush the enemy. THAT IS WHAT I EXPECT FROM NIGERIA. WE DID THIS IN LIBERIA, WE DID THIS IN SIERRA LEONE…. WE DID IT IN OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA…WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH US. IS THIS THE SAME NIGERIA? OUR SOVEREIGNTY IS THREATENED, BANDITS HAVE TAKEN OVER THIS COUNTRY. AND WE ARE WATCHING! FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, WE MUST SAVE THIS COUNTRY. THIS IS THE ONLY LAND WE HAVE. CAN SOMEONE TELL THE PRESIDENT, THAT NIGERIA IS SINKING? WE ARE SINKING! EVERYDAY WE ARE SINKING!”
Until we start seeing things done differently by this President Buhari-led administration as regards bringing to an end the Boko Haram terrorists’ activities and killer-Fulani Herdsmen/Bandits/Militias in the country, especially as suggested above, I seriously do not have anything else to say to them on the way forward because it seems they obviously have other unclear intentions and ulterior motives for not wanting to crush these criminals once and for all. But regardless, these bandits and terrorists must be crushed, or we will wake up one day and realize the country has been overrun and taken over by these criminals. Enough of the pampering.
Zik Gbemre.
March 24, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
I have repeatedly noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has never been sincere as regard ending the insecurity situation in the country. It is glaring from all angles that the President Buhari-led administration is weak, and doesn't have the capacity to end the insecurity situation in Nigeria. In fact, President Buhari and his administration do not have the capability to improve on the economy. And this is getting more evident daily.
When I saw the recent reports that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt as suspected herdsmen ambushed him on his farm in Tyomu community, less than 20 kilometers from Benue State capital, Makurdi, I could not help but wonder and conclude that indeed, no one is safe anymore in the whole country. Ortom, while briefing reporters of his unfortunate experience, disclosed that he had to run over 1.5 kilometers to escape the ambush. We can just imagine the extent the insecurity situation in the country has degenerated to. What is more worrisome in all of this is the fact that a group known as Fulani National Movement (FUNAM), which some believe is closely affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria West Africa – ISIS, has boldly come out and claimed responsibility for the attack on Ortom. And the excuse they gave was that Ortom is against Fulani agenda in Nigeria.
A statement by one Umar Amir Shehu, said Ortom stood against open grazing and Fulani interest in the country. The statement entitled: “Why we attacked Ortom” reads: “Our attention has been drawn to media reports today speculating about who attacked the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom. Yes. Yes, We did. The Fulani Nationality Movement, (FUNAM) carried out the attack. We have genuine reasons. We acted on behalf of Millions of Fulani people in 15 countries.
“It’s a case of vengeance against an infidel who has used his time and money, deployed in destroying the Fulani values and inheritance. Our courageous fighters carried out this historic attack to send a great message to Ortum and his collaborators: Where ever you are, once you are against Fulani long term interest, we shall get you down. This is a clear warning. We hope those who take us for granted will get the indisputable message. Our intention is unequivocal: TO KILL HIM. That mission will one day be fulfilled and very soon too. Eleven of FUNAM operatives were involved in the attack. Ortom escaped today because of a slight technical communication error. Next time, he will not be lucky. We can assure him and his supporters.”
Though, the Benue State Governor had linked the assassination attempt to Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), but the question is, how can the person of a seating State Governor be attacked, and the assailants would muster the boldness to come out publicly to claim responsibility, in a country that has one of the most respected and highly trained Security Operatives in the Nigerian Armed Forces? What could have given the said group, the audacity to publicly claim responsivity of the said assassination attempt on the life of a State Governor, without fear of being caught and made to face the full weight of the law? It is simply because over the years, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has chosen instead to pamper these insurgents and criminals, may be because they are of his Fulani stock, rather than crush them headlong without mercy. That is the honest but sad truth of the insecurity situation in the country.
Let us recall that it was only recently, that a brother of one of the former governors of Benue State was mowed down in cold blood. And with the latest attempt on the life of Governor Ortom, all that we seen as response from the relevant Security Authorities and the Presidency, was an order for a supposed “full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.” I mean, with the said Fulani group coming forward to claim responsibility, what other form of investigation of the circumstances surrounding the attack are they looking for? Why haven’t they aggressively gone after these guys to expose their identities, and bring them to book?
Many of us had expected the Nigerian Army, the Air Force, and all the other Security agents under the control of the Federal Government to see the said incident for what it is, and move in quickly and comb all the forests where those said to be responsible for attack, are hiding, and apprehended them to face the full wrath of the law. But for this not to have been done up till this moment, is serious error of judgment and calls for great worry. All that we got from President Buhari was a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who ordered Security agencies to carry out what he called “open and transparent investigation into the attack on Ortom.”
To be honest with you, there is nothing else that I expect President Buhari to do because his body language and actions since he came into power, have suggested that this Government does not seem to want to defeat these terrorists and criminal elements in the name of Fulani herdsmen/Bandits/Militia or whatever. It does not look like they want to defeat them. And there are so many facts to justify this notion.
I felt sad recently, when I saw a video online of a former brave Army Intelligence Officer, Col. Hassan Stan-Lobo (Rtd), who expressed his anger and disappointment to what is happening in the country, and the Government’s indifferent response to everything. In his words: We cannot, and I repeat, we cannot negotiate with these guys. We’ve got what it takes to crush them off. You only begin to negotiate when you’ve not done your homework. When you’ve not put in all what you need to put in place. So, when they have taken over your kids and your citizens, and hold them ransom, there’s nothing you can do. Any attempt at rescue operation, there’ll be high collateral damage. You’ll lose nearly half or over three-quarter of them. And you’re then compelled to start negotiating.
“As a country with a strong defense force, having actually equipped our inventory, you should go out there and crush the enemy. THAT IS WHAT I EXPECT FROM NIGERIA. WE DID THIS IN LIBERIA, WE DID THIS IN SIERRA LEONE…. WE DID IT IN OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA…WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH US. IS THIS THE SAME NIGERIA? OUR SOVEREIGNTY IS THREATENED, BANDITS HAVE TAKEN OVER THIS COUNTRY. AND WE ARE WATCHING! FOR CHRIST’S SAKE, WE MUST SAVE THIS COUNTRY. THIS IS THE ONLY LAND WE HAVE. CAN SOMEONE TELL THE PRESIDENT, THAT NIGERIA IS SINKING? WE ARE SINKING! EVERYDAY WE ARE SINKING!”
Until we start seeing things done differently by this President Buhari-led administration as regards bringing to an end the Boko Haram terrorists’ activities and killer-Fulani Herdsmen/Bandits/Militias in the country, especially as suggested above, I seriously do not have anything else to say to them on the way forward because it seems they obviously have other unclear intentions and ulterior motives for not wanting to crush these criminals once and for all. But regardless, these bandits and terrorists must be crushed, or we will wake up one day and realize the country has been overrun and taken over by these criminals. Enough of the pampering.
Zik Gbemre.
March 24, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes