20th April, 2011
The post-election violence in Northern Nigeria which have claimed dozens of lives must serve as a wake-up call to our security agencies that have been caught napping again.
Over the past few days, some bigoted northerners have been slaughtering or setting ablaze southerners or supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan and their properties on the allegation that they were used to rig the presidential election for him.
At least 50 corpses have been recovered and thousands more have fled their homes in many cities.
In Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi and other northern cities, residents returned to their homes on Tuesday to find out that their church buildings, houses and vehicles were burnt to ashes by the angry mobs.
The family house of the Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Kaduna was burnt to the ground. Houses belonging to southerners or with President Jonathan’s posters were also set ablaze in many northern cities.
Many innocent people, including corps members, have been killed and many more are in disarray, caught in the crossfire and unable to move. Once again; security agencies have failed to pre-empt the violence and nip it in the bud.
As at this morning there were reports that the rioters have moved to the hinterland where there was no police or army presence and have continued their attacks and killings on Southerners.
Though President Jonathan has appealed for unity and calm, while the government imposed curfews and deployed the military to maintain calm, there were reports that attacks were spreading and becoming deadlier. All these leave much to be desired.
With a potentially volatile election coming up on Tuesday 26 April, the violence may even escalate. This must not be allowed to happen. We call on President Jonathan who is the Commander-In-Chief of our armed forces to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order now, during and after next week election.
What is happening now must not be allowed to continue or be repeated. A combined team of soldiers and mobile policemen must be deployed to those volatile areas and curfew must be declared as long as they are needed.
Nigerians must not become refugees in their own land. We do not have anywhere else to go and we must maintain peace in Nigeria. A breakdown of law and order will destroy the country and may even lead to civil war with Christians or Southerners retaliating. All this is scary and must be avoided.