By Erasmus Ikhide
I have deliberately excused myself from the tumultuous issues of terrorism and “Guns-A-Blazing” vowed from President Donald Trump and the charge against Nigerian Government to curb insurgency and their minders as quickly as possible or face the US’s unimaginable military attacks. Earlier, Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” where Christians are facing extensive genocidal killings and unremitting pogrom over the last two decades in the hands of Islamic terrorists.
I’m literally drawn to the barricade as a result of the former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s sharp reaction to the United States President Donald Trump righteous indignation to rescue Nigeria from itself, accusing him of attempting to destabilize Nigeria’s fragile unity. According to Abdulsalami, Trump’s recent comments about possible U.S. intervention and the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria are “irresponsible and dangerous”, warning that such remarks could fuel division and unrest.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation that fought hard to remain united. Any attempt by a foreign leader to instigate separation or conflict among our people is unacceptable,”. He further cautioned Nigerians against allowing foreign powers to use internal issues as a tool to divide the country, adding that the international community should respect Nigeria’s sovereignty.
It’s obvious that the former Head of State lacks emotional intelligence, having profited from the fraud that the Nigerian State has been from the very beginning. If anything, Abdulsalami’s statement is purely driven by fear of losing out his numerous oil wells in the Niger Delta and that of his northern political elite if the country is divided. Instead of lending his voice to the stoppage of carnage and mass massacre going on in the north, he’s defending a failed system without addressing the root causes of injustice and killings across the country.
For years — Nigerians and the global community have been expecting the likes of Abdulsalami Abubakar and his northern political and religious terrorism embracing enclave to speak vehemently against Fulani terrorists who have killed over 70,000 Christians — destroyed over a million residents and chased nearly two million citizens away from their villages in Plateau and Benue States.
Abdulsalami Abubakar wasn’t in the outer space when terrorists sacked twelve villages in Katsina State on June 1, 2019 while Buhari was still a seating President, leading to 25,000 displacement from the state who fled to neighbouring Niger Republic. At that time, people like Abdulsalami Abubakar’s voices were needed to console the bereaved families of the terrorists’ victims and a follow up call and outright condemnation of terrorists who have made the country hell on earth for Nigerians. Could it be that Abdulsalami was contented savoring the smell of the victims’ blood religiously!
The then First Lady, Aisha Buhari didn’t hide her concerns that the security agencies and the northern political elite have tacitly endorsed the slaughtering of hapless citizens by different terrorist groups in the country at the time. While distributing relief materials to “over 25,000″ victims of attacks in Katsina State, the then president’s wife also charged well-meaning Nigerians to speak against things that are going wrong in the country.
“The security agents should either assist to take action or allow the situation continue until bandits finish killing our people. We are not supposed to be here giving rice, milk and others items to victims of an incident during Ramadan period. We should not keep quiet while things are happening, thinking that if something happens, today it will not happen tomorrow”.
“What happened today will happen tomorrow, it will also happen next tomorrow if we are silent. It is compulsory to speak the truth, it is not proper for us to give highest number of votes during the general election and allow bandits continue killing people and keep quiet. We must speak on whatever is going wrong in the country.”
“These people need assistance, but they want the government to address the situation to enable them continue with their normal life. Almost on daily basis, we hear sound of Nigerian Air Force fighter jets, yet, bandits are killing people, we don’t know what is happening”, she said.
There are a few questions for Abdulsalami Abubakar since Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s admonition fell on his deaf ears. When foreign Fulani terrorists invaded Nigeria, maiming, killing, raping women, opening up pregnant women bellies, smashing children’s heads on the walls and slitting people’s throats and beheading others in the name of Allah, where was Abdulsalami Abubakar? When the All Progressives Congress leadership openly confused on the national television that they invited Fulani terrorists to rig 2015 general elections was Abdulsalami Abubakar’s dead?
I haven’t read any statement from Abdulsalami Abubakar now that terrorist groups like Miyetti Allah and Muslim Shi’ite members who have taken over the streets of Kano — singing dead songs to America and dragging photos of President Donald Trump on the ground. Abdulsalami Abubakar’s major concern has been the forcible and falsification of Nigeria hollow and bastardized unity, political power and the oil resource from southern Nigeria that the parasitic northern has disingenuously fed on over the last six decades without corresponding and reflective development.
Abdulsalami Abubakar is more interested in safeguarding and clinging on to his oil wells in the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria. As Nigeria Head of State, he was well aware of the danger the Almajiri practice and illiteracy posed for the country and the northern region, but he encouraged it so as to keep exploiting the natural resources of southern Nigeria while keeping his people behind in absolute darkness and servitude.
Now the chicken has come home to roost. Abdulsalami Abubakar and the northern political elite who sold the wind are gradually reaping the whirlwind. Nigerians — courtesy of the US President Donald Trump— are now envisaging the decoupling of the failed country where the northern region can keep enjoying their banditry, terrorism, cruelty, barbarity humans slaughter under their Sharia Legal System, while the rest of us who chose peace over violence, religion with humanity can remain peaceful together.
Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: ikhideluckyerasmus@gmail.com
