People caught between the government and bandits

The primary purpose of government is to protect life and property and to make life easier for the governed. Our government has grossly failed us in this regard. For many Nigerians, governance in Nigeria seems to be suspended.

This therefore creates a vacuum. And since nature abhors a vacuum, the bandits are now playing the role of government in some areas. But since they (the bandits) believe that the Nigerian government they “replaced” was/is ruthless; their wickedness towards their victims knows no bounds.

To cite some recent cases among the many unreported cases. Just a few days ago, a professor at Usman Danfodiyo University was killed by bandits. A lecturer at the Federal University Dutsinma in Katsina State was killed in his home while two of his children were kidnapped. A judge was kidnapped in Kaduna State, including her four children. The eldest of the children was reportedly killed even as they demanded N300 million ransom. Such is the sad fate of Nigerians. If government policies don’t kill you, bandits are waiting to kill you.

The mother of a famous musician from the North, Rarara, was also kidnapped. The ransom demanded for her release was N900 million.

If we look critically at the Nigerian government and the bandits, we can see some differences in the ways they inflict harm. While the bandits physically kidnap Nigerians, take them to the bush, physically hurt them, and kill those who cannot pay the ransom, our government—the one we elected—is kidnapping our present and future; our conscience and hope; our humanity and our essence.

If the controversial Samoa Accord — signed by Tinubu’s government — really does force the Nigerian government to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) protests, then that government has also hijacked (or is about to hijack) our morality and our religion. I hope our clergy wake up. Some have started digging. We all need to dig against this.

Again, while bandits selectively hunt their victims, the government makes no exceptions. Some still believe that banditry is a northern thing, which is not true. It is undoubtedly true that every citizen knows that the soul-sucking poverty, engineered by some policies of the current administration, is a Nigerian thing. It is over. As Tinubu’s policies target the Hausa and Fulani in the north, they do not spare the Yoruba and Igbo in the south.

While victims of bandits can pay ransom and be released if they are lucky, our government cannot receive ransom (or so I believe) for relief – even temporary. The cost of living is constantly rising because the government insists on paying a killing wage to workers who politely ask for the minimum wage. The government is not willing to alleviate our suffering or protect our lives.

Despite the fact that bandits are widely known for kidnapping people (Nigerians) like savages in primitive times; sometimes they give protection to whomever they want. Isn’t it funny that the bandit leaders and not the Nigerian government are respected for protection in some parts of the country?

A notorious bandit leader, Dogo Gide, recently promised to provide protection to farmers who wanted to farm in parts of Zamfara. The farmers expressed their joy over this. If President Tinubu or the governor of Zamfara State had offered them protection, they would have expressed skepticism. They would have asked, “Can the Nigerian government really protect us?” But here is Gide, a bandit, offering protection. And they trust him to protect them. This is unfortunate.

He appealed to villagers and farmers to return to their farms without fear of kidnapping. This offer reportedly brought temporary relief to farmers in Gide-controlled areas (or, if you prefer, Gide’s territory or dominion).

When will we, who are under Tinubu’s territory, get relief? Who should we go to? Of course, we should run to God. But every time I am confronted with statements like, “God will not come down to change things for us, we have to be agents of change even as we run to God,” I become speechless.

As we always pray in times of fear, let us do it once again. May the Almighty save all in the den of kidnappers; forgive the dead and comfort the bereaved. Ameen.

Abdulkadir Salaudeen wrote:(email protected)