Cross River State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Ukpong Chuwang Daniel highlights the dangers of the worsening insecurity and the urgency of evolving better strategies for restoring peace and rekindling public confidence in governance.
The killings and kidnappings in Nigeria are fast becoming commonplace. The leadership of the country should not go partying, but demostrate concern for masses who are taken hostage or murdered in cold blood.
We need to stop such inhumanity by showing all concerned that we have conscience and will not let them turn us into people who condone what our values do not permit.
Following the massacre of over 200 persons in Zamfara State on 7th January 2022, it is necessary to call for a 24-hour national mourning to mark the seventh day of the dastard event, which falls on Friday, January 14, 2022.
However, in order not to disturb jumah of our Islamic brothers and sisters, I urge Nigerians to observe it on Monday, January 17th, 2022, instead.
Well-meaning Nigerians should mourn those massacred and pray for the nation for a turn-around in fortune.
That such could happen to the 200 persons in Zamfara State means it can happen to anyone in Nigeria.
Since it is a standard condition that a crying or bereaved man or woman should not drive, cook, pick up a rifle to protect his/her boss, nor access an account to pay a customer who wants to make a withdrawal, it is auspicious that while we are mourning our brothers and sisters killed in cold blood and buried in Zamfara State recently, we should have thoughts for the fallen.
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Such, or even lesser, damage to lives always warrants national mourning and holidays in many other countries.
However, in Nigeria, our leadership only keeps on promising to “bring the perpetrators to book”, whereas such perpetrators actually never get arrested nor punished. Because we do not want killings and kidnappings to continue in Nigeria, and should it happen, for our leadership to go on attending weddings and other ceremonies which we know should have been suspended had such attacks happened to sitting Senators or House of Representatives members, we should stay at home without any official engagements for 24 hours and if nothing is done to bring lots of known “bandits” to justice, we will go on longer staying at home.
The lackadaisical attitude of the government to security issue is borne out of the fact that the people in government already enjoy security privileges over the masses, thereby creating the impression that some lives are more precious than others.
It is obvious that if we, as individual citizens, refuse to stand up by giving requisite reactions to colossal losses such as this, the leadership of this nation will make us lose connection with our humanity. The news of people being killed no longer moves people in some quarters as it is fast becoming the new normal in our news and sights on our streets. No, we must not let our leaders turn us into who we are not. The slogan should be “No more killings!”, and “No more partying or any ceremonial gatherings afterwards, in the event of some such happenings, by the leadership of our land as though nothing happened”.
This call for national mourning is most especially directed at those serving as aides to the political class. We know you depend on money from them to accomplish lots; yes, but we are saying to you, do not be afraid. That you are with them today does not mean you are safe from perpetrators of such evil. You and your relatives could also be killed and the very people you are serving, seeing how human lives have become nothing to them, will do nothing about you or yours getting killed.
I urge people to stay at home or if residing where they work, then, they should not work on Monday, 17th January, 2022. We need new leadership with value for human lives and not this opaque generation that lacks strength and fresh minds on how to tackle insecurity and other issues crippling our dear nation.
I expect all citizens of this great nations, especially those with conscience and value for human lives, will heed this clarion call.
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