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Niger Delta Terrorists, President Jonathan’s True colours and the Leadership Problem in Nigeria By Mallam Baba Damraka
On 1st October 2010, during the parades in celebration of Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary, bombs went off that killed about 18 innocent lives and injured many. It also sent panic to the whole city and indeed the country at large. One of the savage and barbaric terrorist groups in the Niger Delta called MEND claimed responsibility for the action. MEND, NDVF and other faceless smaller groups have being involved in killings, kidnappings, bombings, oil bunkering and other crimes. Infact, MEND gave warning before it triggered the explosions. Most dignitaries from the international community refused to attend because of the intelligence reports they received from their security agencies. Even those who attended the parades disappeared from the subsequent meetings leaving their host alone.
The terrorist killings were both a shock and an embarrassment to the President and the nation at large. However, the reaction of President Jonathan was unbecoming of a leader because of his pettiness in coming out vehemently to deny the culpability of his tribesmen when they even corrected him to say that they carried out the crime. His attempt to defend the indefensible was reprehensible, when he tried hard to remind us that he is from the Niger Delta and he knows his people are not terrorists. Infact, if Henry Okah’s allegations in Aljazeera that a close aide of Jonathan called him to ask the MEND in Nigeria to retract its claim of responsibility is confirmed to be true then Jonathan has lost the credibility to Lead Nigeria. When he blamed foreign terrorist, he has confirmed to all that he is not in touch with reality. Every follower of events in Nigeria knows that this is a typical handiwork of the Niger Delta terrorists. It was the same pattern with the bombing in the NNPC Depot in Lagos, Warri and other places.
The whole nation sympathises with the people of the Niger Delta over the environmental catastrophe that has blighted the region. However, Innocent Nigerians should not be terrorised, killed or maimed by a group of savage and barbaric terrorists. Worse still is for some one to come to the defence of these groups just because they belonged to the same tribe. What Jonathan failed to understand is that these terrorist do not care whether an Ijaw man is the President or not, their interest is chaos, killings and rancour that will end in session of the Niger Delta. They are hungry for publicity that is why they kept on correcting Jonathan despite his attempts to shield them from public condemnation. The reality is that Jonathan wants to continue as the President of Nigeria with the opportunity that has come his way, while the Niger Delta terrorists see it as an opportunity for session that is why the Henry Okah decided to let the whole world know that their kinsman is just shifting blame to his political opponents unnecessarily.
The Government should overhaul not only the security apparatus of the country, but it should overhaul itself and the whole nation. It is not a wise move to threaten the security officials when you have just appointed them and it was certainly not wise to have even changed the top security officials of the country just before an important anniversary celebration.
The first step in the security overhaul is to restore honesty in rehabilitation of the Niger Delta Militants. Development projects meant for rehabilitation should not be left to the Governors. The Government should focus on educating, training, equipping and ensuring the welfare of security personnel especially the neglected ones like police and immigration. A good housing, medical care, schools for their children, and care in retirement will make them feel secure enough to ensure our security. In addition, security flash points like the South East where kidnappers are having a field day and the North East where Boko Haram is resurging should be handled very well to neutralise the security threats without harming innocent souls.
The whole country is frustrated by lack of reliable electricity supply with its consequences like folding up of industries, unemployment and apathy. Lack of portable water supply has led to devastating cholera epidemic, which was handled lackadaisically. Inflation leading to high cost of staple foodstuff and general poverty as well as the above conspired to make life difficult for the majority of people where ever they live in Nigeria. All this have indirect impact on national security and no one should underestimate it.
In conclusion, the grievances of the people of the Niger Delta are genuine. However, the criminality of the Niger Delta terrorists is reprehensible and should be condemned by all rational minds. The denial of the President that MEND is a terrorist organisation, and his attempts to defend them even when they corrected him to confirm their responsibility is immoral, illegal, and has shown us Jonathan in his true colours!
Yours faithfully,
Mallam Baba Damraka,
Abuja, Nigeria. |