By Ikeddy ISIGUZO
BOLA Ahmed Tinubu regales in his absurdities, wears them like badges of honour, and dares others to understand his devoted departure from logic to inclinations for inexactitudes that mask insensibilities and insensitivities.
The land is drenched in blood, fears, and at the zenith of deadening uncertainties that flow from a President, Commander-in-Chief, who from day one in office has been more interested in the importance of his office than “the security and welfare” of the people, unless they are about his immediate family and his acolytes.
From the beginning, President Tinubu’s major interest has been a second term. That is all he has been working on since 29 May 2023. Any issue that does not contribute to his re-election is deemed marginal.
Tinubu has been a failure in absolute terms. He cannot deny it. He is so afraid to lose the election that he has sleepless nights over facing the same people he has ignored.
He has resorted to hushed reactions to issues. Scared to annoy anyone, ready to accept any suggestions that would secure a semblance of peace as he heads gingerly to 2027.
Ours is a President in hiding. Jos was the proof. He has a shortage of words to address the issues which he has been afraid to deal with in any meaningful way since 2023.
Pointing to infrastructure, whatever infrastructure that is, and tax reforms as major achievements of an administration that cannot secure the lives of Nigerians is insulting and absurd.
Is Tinubu building a Nigeria for the dead? Terrorists and bandits routinely kill Nigerians without consequences. The killings are daily news headlines from different parts of Nigeria.
Tinubu’s best responses from his series of security briefings are, “we will ensure this does not happen again,” “this is one killing too many,” “the perpetrators of the killings will not go unpunished,” and “I have ordered our security agencies to go after them”.
All empty words that have emboldened the killers to more brutality because they know there would be no consequences for killing Nigerians, sometimes setting communities ablaze while they sleep and shooting those who dare to escape.
The killers are acquiring territories and have additional interests in direct attacks on our military bases. The casualty figures of troops and security agents are rising. Equipment is burnt if the terrorist cannot take it away.
Who cares? Not the Commander-in-Chief who believes that the solution to the insecurity in Plateau State is 5,000 drones. The mindset is contracts over command and control, intelligence management, and decisive stand on how to treat terrorists who have turned parts of Nigeria into war theatres.
In the last couple of months, the conversations have been more on the number of troops that we are losing, including senior officers.
Normal conversations. There is no anger not even embarrassment at such losses. They are announced as if they do not mean a thing. Sometimes the reluctance to announce them tell another story.
How can terrorists destroy our military facilities, kill our troops, including officers, kill and abduct our people, and the Commander-in-Chief is not angry enough to order a major offensive that would profoundly damage the ability of terrorists to attack us?
Nigerians are not interested in the Commander-in-Chief’s hollow words. He should act to rescue Nigeria from the tragic, crippling consequences of insecurity that are making the country unliveable.
Tinubu’s remarkable lack of care seeps into how he addresses the people, overlooks their needs and the mental abuses that riddle the utterances of his officials who expect us to be deferent to terrorists.
Is this not rather confounding?
The Nigeria Army, through Operation HADIN KAI, has a different account of the terrorist attack on the 29 Task Force Brigade Headquarters in Benisheikh, Borno State. Only four personnel: two officers and two soldiers, were killed, according to Lt-Col Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, about 22 hours after the Commander-in-Chief commented on the battle.
“OPHK categorically refutes the claim that 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, lost their lives during the incident.
“The military remains the only credible source of verified information on its operations and will continue to provide timely and accurate updates through official channels.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to rely on such sources and refrain from spreading unverified information.”
Could this be another confirmation of the distance of the Commander-in-Chief from verified information from the battlefield? Tinubu had named Brig-Gen Oseni Omoh Braimah as the killed Brigade Commander and hailed the bravery of the soldiers who died fighting the terrorists in Benisheikh.
Let it not be that the Commander-in-Chief and his troops are indicting each other through these contradictions.
More confusing is the national policy of treating terrorists as “brothers”, as National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, says, and “prodigal sons” who deserve the “repentance window” to be left open for them, according to Lt-Gen Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence, CDS.
How do our troops manage these orders that compromise their own safety? While the assumption is that both men speak for Tinubu, time is overdue for the Commander-in-Chief to tell our troops, and Nigerians, in general, if terrorists are “our brothers”, “our prodigal sons”, or our enemies.
The matter demands urgent attention as the President’s answer will determine how we treat terrorists.
Finally…
THE State House, more known as the Villa, has an AI chatbot that as you read a press statement dares you thus, “Hi, I am State House AI, ask me anything”. When you ask “anything”, it retorts, “This chatbot is currently unavailable. If you are the owner, please check your account”. The answer typifies a government that is currently unavailable.
PROUD factional leader of Africa Democratic Congress, ADC, Nafiu Bala Gombe, has admitted he has sponsorship to keep fighting ADC. He lives in one of Abuja’s most expensive hotels, has a retinue of security personnel. How long will the sponsorship last?
THE darkness and sadness all over Nigeria demand immediate attention. They are too imminent to ignore.
ISIGUZO is a major commentator on minor issues
