Nigeria Should Defend Its Defenders -By Ike Willie-Nwobu

Danger lurks in every part of Nigeria and to serve the country is to die. For Nigerian soldiers, this death from service is mostly literal. For political office holders, death is often of conscience, with corruption serving as the chief culprit.

There is no love lost between Nigerians and members of their Armed forces. Indeed, for many Nigerians, the dominant image they associate with the armed forces is one of high-handedness and oppression. This is surely a relic from Nigeria’s history of brutal military dictatorships and invasions.

Nigerians also suspect the professionalism of their soldiers. For many, poorly paid and poorly trained soldiers typically wield the sledgehammer just too fast in pursuit of a fly.

In November 1999, and October 2001, Olusegun Obasanjo, a former military military President who became president on the country’s return to democracy in 1999, unleashed the military in Odi, Bayelsa State,  and Zaki Biam in Benue State. The atrocities committed in the two communities by Nigerian soldiers has defined the perception many have of the military as an institution that does not loath the use of disproportionate force.

But in life, there are those rare occasions when might is right and force is fair. One such occasions has brewed in Okuama Community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. On 7^th March 2024, four officers and twelve soldiers were killed from the 181 Amphibious Battalion when they responded to a distress call between two warring communities of Okuama and Okoloba. The soldiers who were said to have been ambushed apparently had no chance against crude and callous criminals who no doubt knew every crevice in every creek in the area.

The death of the soldiers also reopened old wounds In a country wounded all over. In April 2021, eleven soldiers were similarly killed during a peace keeping mission to Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State.

Attacking a people, though grievous, may be forgiven. But to attack their defenders is grave and unforgivable.

For the communities whose youth were involved, the calculation should be simple: give up the killers and be rinsed of guilt as much as they can in the circumstances. The killers, regardless of who they must be given up. In a country about to be overrun by criminals, to so callously cut down some of those making a courageous last stand in the name of the country cannot and must not be forgiven. History and memory will not forgive Nigeria if it refuses to do nothing.

Again, it must be asked, since when have Nigeria’s young people, who are the fabled future of the country, become cold-blooded killers of their brothers and sisters who have chosen to defend them? Since when have Nigeria’s young, bloodied and battered by the difficulties in the country, become killers. There is only crime, and there can be no excuse for such a crime.

The  Bomadi region  which has now been indelibly smeared by human blood, sits immovably in the heart of the Niger Delta region. These killings would have the unfortunate effect of reinforcing the tropes about the Niger Delta youth as indolent, irresponsible, vicious and violent.

At a time when criminals have mocked Nigeria by decapitating and dismembering its soldiers in the line of duty, no force would be disproportionate in fishing out the killers. No hand will be too heavy.

Social media has been awash with alarm that the army is burning down houses in the affected communities. But it is no time for alarm. Those who fetch firewood, infested ants must gird themselves for the visit of lizards. The burning houses may belong to the criminals as much as they belong to their relations. In any case, burning them sends a clear message to those threatening to burn down the country.

Nigeria must react to the iniquitous crime. It must show force, even disproportionate force, to deter future criminals. But this force must not be reserved for Delta State alone. After a lull in their activities, presumably to test the will of the new government, kidnappers have resumed their ruinous routines in Kaduna State. In the last week alone, close to four hundred persons have been kidnapped in different locations in the state. Beyond the lure of leprous lucre, the kidnappers must have the Chief of Defence Staff in their sights. The elaborately staged and chillingly audacious kidnappings appear carefully orchestrated to humiliate him in his home state.

It Is extremely worrisome that pockets of insecurity are breaking all over the country and ruining people’s desperate hopes that they were finally safe.

The criminals in Delta State who dared to murder and mutilate Nigeria’s intrepid defenders and responders have called for a response. Unless the country responds, it may soon find itself in a situation where it will call for help and no one will answer.

Ike Willie-Nwobu,

Ikewilly9@gmail.com