8th March, 2011
For the umpteenth time, the nation was again thrown into mourning last Thursday when the agents of death threw what was suspected to be a grenade into a crowded rally of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Minna, Niger State, killing 10 persons. Before this, more than 10 persons drinking pepper soup and enjoying themselves at the mammy market within Mogadishu Military Cantonment in Abuja were killed on New Year’s eve when a bomb explosion rocked the area. Apart from these, there have been bomb blasts in the restive city of Jos, Delta and Port Harcourt claiming many lives and destroying properties worth millions of naira.
The frequency of these explosions is becoming worrisome and it is time those in authority did something to stem the tide. The wanton killing of innocent persons by bloodthirsty agents of darkness is becoming alarming and unacceptable.
It appears that those who kill without qualms now target crowded places to inflict injury on the greatest number of persons. Throwing grenades into a crowded political rally to achieve whatever political aim is repugnant and should be checked by the authorities.
Those who indulge in this despicable act should be told that those who kill by the sword shall certainly die by the sword and those who will kill others in order to get promotion will have death as the sentinel at their new post.
Politicians who will kill in order to attain political positions should be told in clear terms that true power only comes from God. It is God that puts one in a position. It is God that elevates and brings down people. True power needs no striving. It is given free of charge. Power without service to the people is vanity. As the April election approaches, our politicians should be told that getting elected should not be a do-or-die thing. Election into public offices should not be at all costs. Our politicians should imbibe the spirit of tolerance, perseverance, honesty and transparency.
It is our considered opinion that the federal government should get to the root of these bombings and bring the culprits to book. Nigerians are tired of tough words from President Goodluck Jonathan, promising to bring the culprits to book after every bombing but none has been made a scape goat so far. It is time the nation’s intelligence network was activated to sniff out those responsible for these dastardly acts. Until the government makes a scape goat of some of them, we will continue to witness bomb explosions in different parts of the country.
Our prayer is that the government will act fast and stem the rising tide of bomb blasts before our country turns into another Somalia where anarchy reigns. It is time to stop the bloodletting.