By Erasmus Ikhide
THE recent donation of N1 billion and 1,800 bags of rice by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, to victims of the Plateau State terrorist attacks,
is expected for her husband’s Presidential reelection bid. After all, separating sovereign powers from deliberate slaughter is age long cheese game tyrants adopted to keep nations in perpetual servitude. We shall discuss it, shortly.
While the gesture is undoubtedly a show of empathy and solidarity, it raises questions about the effectiveness of such measures in addressing the root causes of the crisis. An agency of the Nigerian government, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest report said the country has recorded more than 600,000 deaths from insecurity between May 2023 and April 2024.
The report, released two months ago with users having a difficult time accessing the website because of a hack, said no fewer than 614,937 people were killed nationwide as the banditry-ravaged northwest saw the highest figure with 206,030.
It was followed by the northeast with 188,992, while the least was recorded in the southwest at 15,693, according to the report.
“The report is accurate, and it is from NBS. While I cannot speak specifically on the reasons for the high number, I can confirm that the data is accurate,” NBS spokesperson Sunday Ichedi confirmed to Anadolu on Thursday.
The NBS added that 2,235,954 Nigerians were kidnapped and a total of (N2,231,772,563,507 ($1,438,040,707.01) was paid in ransom.
Nigeria is facing multiple security challenges in different regions. While the country is battling a Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast, banditry and kidnapping are high in the northwest. These staggering numbers highlight the severity of the security situation in the country. In this context— the First Lady’s donation can be seen as a Band-Aid solution — addressing the symptoms rather than the underlying ailments.
The timing of the donation is also noteworthy, coming just before reports emerged of fresh attacks in Plateau State. This raises concerns about the sustainability of such measures and the need for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the security crisis in Nigeria.
One question that begs an answer is whether it wouldn’t be more effective to equip the military with modern intelligence gathering devices, firearms while also ensuring the timely payment of allowances to officers on the battlefield. The complaints by soldiers about the military brass “eating their allowances” suggest a deeper issue within the military’s logistics and supply chain.
Furthermore, the claim that the First Lady is spending her personal funds without political undertones is coumterfactual, given her husband’s Presidential ambitions. The question remains: is this donation a genuine attempt to support the victims or a publicity stunt?
The Nigerian government’s silence on corruption within the military is also deafening. The lack of accountability and transparency in the military’s operations has contributed to the security crisis, and it’s imperative that the government takes concrete steps to address this issue.
But we’re less like to have headway on the horrifying massacre witness daily as we progress towards 2027 general elections for a reason because the concept of how tyrants or authoritarian leaders creating problems for their citizens and then pretend to solve them is seemingly at place. This old tricks of “problem-reaction-solution” or “false flag” tactics has been the recipe for a nation’s destruction.
A tyrannical leader or government deliberately create or exacerbate a problem, such as a security crisis, economic downturn, or social unrest. The leader then presents themselves as the solution to the problem they’ve created, offering draconian measures or policies that further erode citizens’ rights and freedoms in form of presenting monetary donations and a few bags of rice.
By controlling the narrative and response to the problem, the leader can consolidate their power, suppress dissent, and maintain a grip on the population. This tactic can be used to justify a range of policies, from surveillance and censorship to militarization and repression. It’s a classic strategy used by authoritarian regimes to maintain control and manipulate public opinion, in a manner deployed by Lenin and Stalin.
While the First Lady’s donation is a welcome gesture — it’s essential to recognize that it’s only a temporary solution — adopted by brutal and ruthless dictators in political history. The Nigerian government needs to take a more holistic approach to addressing the security crisis, including equipping the military, addressing corruption, and promoting sustainable development. Only then can we hope to see a lasting solution to the crisis of pervasive terrorism across Nigeria.
Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: ikhideluckyerasmus@gmail.com
