CONFRONTING VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

BY VICTORSON AGBENSON

Sometime last year Nigeria was removed from the list of nations’ with human rights abuses relating to politically motivated killings, which meant that the nations’ international rating had improved. But in the same year, an act by a misguided young man in an attempted bombing of a US airliner on Christmas day precipitated our being placed on the terrorist watch list early this year. No doubt the challenge of this and other forms of violence are still CONFRONTING us. ABOUT Three weeks ago there was an outbreak of sectarian crisis in Bauchi. NOW it has moved to Jos again in a COMMUNAL AND religious conflicts that have claimed several lives and properties. The World Health Organization, W.H.O HAD always drawn the worlds’ attention to the rising cases and the effects of violence around the world. W.H.O regards violence as one of the newest threats to the continuous existence of humans.

According to its report, one point six million people die every year as a result of violence in every corner of the world including Nigeria. This means that over four thousand people die every day globally. Of these, self directed and interpersonal violence accounted for more than eighty percent of deaths. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, In Nigeria, over ten thousand people have been killed in various cases of violence since the return to democratic government in 1999. Some of the violence had pitched Muslims against Christians across different tribal and cultural divides. A report once pointed out that conflict in Nigeria had often been about access to scarce resources. But come to think of it, are resources really scarce in Nigeria? The problem is rather more about the equitable distribution of the vast resources of this nation. Government at all levels must do something TO REDUCE THIS HIGH level of violence. IT IS NOT out of place to say THAT our non-challant attitude to these flagrant abuses of human life MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO U.S ADDING OUR DEAR NATION on the terrorist watch list. The competition between those who see themselves as the true indigenes of an area and those considered as ‘SETTLERS’ is another source of frequent fight.
To rise above this, we must learn to live and let live in the spirit of brotherliness and a realization that we are all tenants in this world. Sooner or later we would move on. It is important to realize that for every person who dies, many more are injured and suffer from a range of physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems. From the large scale Boko Haram religious crisis that claimed over seven hundred lives in the Northern part of the country last year through the protracted but now subdued Niger Delta Militancy to the assassination of some journalists and other noble people in the country with no trace of the culprits, it is all violence wearing one dress or the other. We can no longer continue to think that nobody is seeing us as it IS now clear that we are dancing naked in a globalized world. Let us reflect on the sanctity of life. What has happened to the time tested virtue of forgiveness. Whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, GOD’S verdict on vengeance has not changed; human vengeance lacks foresight and vengeance belongs to God. According to the Indian statesman and sage Mahatma Ghandi “an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind”.

The other day a writer narrated how he saw a driver in a major city in broad day light confidently smoking Indian hemp and driving through the ancient city with reckless abandon and the smoke pouring out of his vehicle. These are signs of lawlessness and any society that condones such things is heading for destruction. Moreover, experts say there is a correlation between violent crimes and hard drugs. To take human life, takes a level of mental abnormality which these hard drugs induce. The challenge is therefore for parents to bring up their children in a culture of love and regard for human lives. Religious leaders must rise up to the challenge of teaching their followers the truth and shunning extremism. POLITICIANS AND OTHER FALSE LEADERS WHO ARM YOUTHS TO KILL AND MAIM MUST BE BROUGHT TO BOOK. IF THIS IS NOT DONE IT WOULD SEND SIGNALS OF COMPLICITY AND CONSPIRACY WITH AUTHORITIES.

IT IS COMMENDABLE THAT VICE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN IN HIS NATIONAL BROADCAST ON THE JOS CRISIS STATED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S STRONG COMMITMENT TO BRING THE CULPRITS TO BOOK. WE ALL MUST resolve TODAY to save our society from violence.

Source: Recorded live from FRCN Comentary