ADVERTISEMENT
The Sun Nigeria
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
The Sun Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Columns

Since OPC now guards police…

26th October 2020
in Columns
1
Presidential election: Choosing between Atiku and Buhari
0
SHARES
496
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Nothing typifies the state of the nation more than the current helplessness of the Nigerian police. Here is an institution paid to protect us but, ironically, it has turned out to be in more need of protection. Some police formations in Lagos, for instance, have procured the services of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) to protect them and guard police stations. Has this not shown that no force can stop an idea whose time has come? 

It is scary! Across the country, the spate of insecurity has reached an alarming level. What started as peaceful protests against police brutality, especially against the dreaded but defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), has snowballed into anarchy. In Lagos, for instance, hoodlums destroyed many public and personal properties. Some of them include the High Court at Igbosere, some police stations, Television Continental (TVC) and The Nation newspaper believed to be owned by a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu. They also broke into many private shops in some parts of Lagos and elsewhere and looted them. They not only vandalised the palace of the Oba of Lagos, they also took away his staff of office.

Are you a Man 40 yrs and above? Do not miss the Vital Information, it goes off in 2 days! CLICH HERE to READ .

In Anambra State, attackers razed some police stations and killed some policemen, including the Divisional Police officer (DPO) of Orsumenyi Division, in Nnewi South Local Government Area, Mr. Akpan, and the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of the same station. Sadly, they also burnt the statue of the first President of Nigeria, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, in Onitsha. They said Zik was the cause of their trouble because he championed One Nigeria. In Imo, Abia, Ogun, Kwara, Kano and many other places, anarchy reigned.

What triggered this brigandage was the unprovoked attack on the #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate area of Lagos on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The protesters had been mostly peaceful and organised. Their only weapons were the Nigerian flag and National Anthem. On that fateful day, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had imposed a 24-hour curfew. Then, about 7pm, the floodlights and display boards at the tollgate were switched off. Before the protesters could fathom what was going on, the guns boomed. And some of them fell. The number of casualties is still not very clear.

There has been national and international outrage over the incident. But President Muhammadu Buhari appeared unperturbed. He did not deem it fit to address Nigerians until Thursday night. Even then, he failed to calm frayed nerves, to inspire hope, and to commiserate with the families of the victims of the Lekki shooting. He felt the protesters were emboldened more because the government acceded to some of their requests. The protesters, he thought, saw government’s gesture as a sign of weakness.

For me, the tragedy of Nigeria is not in the killings but in the fact that there seems to be no hope for the immediate redemption of this country. Yes, the killings and looting are too bad. But they would have probably been doused if our President had come up to say, “Fellow citizens, I’m sorry. What happened will not happen again. I will set machinery in motion to cut the bloated salaries of public office-holders. I will begin by cutting my own salary by half. All security votes stand abolished. We will set up a committee to look into the recommendations of the national conference of 2014 with a view to adopting what will further bring peace and unity to this country…”

It is this leadership failure that has emboldened some ethnic champions to come out and make nonsensical statements. Miyetti Allah said the protest was to bring down Buhari’s government. It accused Tinubu of masterminding and bankrolling the protests. This is rubbish. A certain lunatic who calls himself Adeyinka’s grandson started circulating video spewing hate speech against the entire Igbo race. In fact, he gave them 48 hours from Friday, October 23, to leave Yorubaland or face the music. It is laughable.

100% Natural Herbs to Finally End Premature Ejaculation, Weak Erection and Small Manhood. >>>Click Here for Details<<< .
Premature Ejaculation & "Small Joystick" Resolved in 7Days... Click Here For Details .

All these are attempts to divert attention from the real reasons behind the protests. They want to set one group against the other, Christians against Muslims, Yoruba against Hausa, Igbo against Fulani and so on. They forget that everybody suffers the effect of bad governance. Insecurity knows no ethnic group. High cost of essential commodities is not witnessed in one region alone. Even the North where the President comes from suffers the pangs of poverty more than any other region.    

Nigerians must be vigilant this time. Our common enemy is poverty. It is bad governance, nepotism, corruption, insecurity, insincerity and greed of politicians. The solution does not lie in burning and vandalising our commonwealth or patrimony, nor does it lie in desecrating our sacred institutions and turning guns against one another.

I hear our former heads of state had a meeting last Friday. What was the outcome of their discussion? What did they advise the incumbent President to do? Will he adhere to their advice? We have been having meetings. We have been talking. We have had constitutional and national conferences, where we wasted billions of naira. What have we achieved?

Buhari should save this country before it is too late. The anger is just too much. Many youths are unemployed. University students who should be in school are at home. They have almost lost one year due to strike and COVID-19. They have exhausted their patience. And that probably explains the effectiveness of the #EndSARS protests. Many idle students joined the action. So far, there is no hope that their schools will soon reopen. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the government are still locked in supremacy battle. Students and their parents are the bigger losers. They are at home wondering what the future holds.

In sum, fear and anxiety have enveloped the land. If the palace of the Oba of Lagos could be viciously attacked, if police stations could be sacked and burnt effortlessly, then nowhere is safe anymore. The disbanded SARS personnel may not go to sleep now. I won’t be surprised if there is an upsurge in criminal activities. It may be to justify that their dissolution was not in the interest of Nigeria. Some guns stolen from the police are now in the hands of criminals. It will be a tragedy to have a Somalia, Syria, Iraq, or Afghanistan in our hands. These are failed states where militias rule, where the government has little or no power, where might is right.

My prayer is that the hands of the clock should just fast-forward to 2023. That is the year we will have a new leader. That year looks too far now. But what do we do? The coming days and months are heavily pregnant. We keep our fingers crossed.

Rapheal

Rapheal

Related Posts

Buhari’s presidency at Nigeria’s expense (1)
Columns

Because there are no consequences

17th May 2022
Turbulence foretold
Columns

Stretching Nigeria’s fault lines

17th May 2022
Searching for smoking guns against Atiku
Columns

2023 poll: Don’t cry for Jonathan

17th May 2022
Next Post

Re: #Restructure Nigeria now?

ASSBIFFI harps on decent work post-COVID-19

My father not nation’s problem –Zahra Buhari

My father not nation’s problem –Zahra Buhari

Comments 1

  1. Ezekiel Okeke says:
    2 years ago

    We this territory natives who owns the land and are more than 99% population of this natives territory, have defeated fulani thugs nickname military and police which know nothing about Revolutionary Warfare, defeated fulani caliphate with its emirates, defeated the criminals nickname FG which is fulani caliphate with its emirates.

    The fraud nickname Nigeria has fallen and gone forever- it is Yugoslavia of Africa. The six geopolitical zones are sovereign states.

    Prof. Akintoye led YWC should without delay constitute interim government of Oduduwa Republic with Oduduwa police, military for security and defence of Oduduwa Republic.

    Anyim Pius Anyim who’s interim president Biafra Republic, should without delay constitute interim government with Biafra police, military for security and defence of Biafra Republic.

    Peter Odili who’s interim president of Niger Delta Republic, should without delay constitute interim government with Niger Delta police, military for security and defence of Niger Delta Republic.

    Northeast natives led by Boko Haram group, should without delay constitute interim government of North East Republic with North East police, military for security and defence of North East Republic.

    Hausa people led by El-zakzaky should without delay constitute interim government of North West Republic with North West police, military for security and defence of North West Republic.

    Middle Belt natives led by Danjuma should without delay constitute interim government of Middle Belt Republic with Middle Belt police, military for security and defence of Middle Belt Republic.

    God in heaven the owner of the world and everything in it, has liberated this territory natives from the bondage of fulani caliphate with its emirates. Only the Sword decides.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

Highlights

ZLP cautions Okowa over N150 billion bridging facility

We must not toy with 2023 polls – Saraki

Insecurity: Berom youths protest detention of three community leaders over missing cows

Road to 2023: Retired military officer, Aliyu joins Niger Gubernatorial race

Road to 2023: Tambuwal blasts FG over lingering insecurity in Nigeria

Blasphemy: Patron of Muslim, Christian youths seeks justice for Deborah Yakubu

Trending

Osun Guber: INEC allocates 40 slots to PWDs as adhoc staff
Politics

Osun Guber: INEC allocates 40 slots to PWDs as adhoc staff

17th May 2022
0

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo The Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State,...

Road to 2023: I am still in race for Niger North Senatorial seat, Senator Aliyu Sabi tells supporters

Road to 2023: I am still in race for Niger North Senatorial seat, Senator Aliyu Sabi tells supporters

17th May 2022
Road to 2023: Amaechi officially declares for presidency

Road to 2023: Taraba APC assures Amaechi of 90% votes

17th May 2022
Okowa mourns Alaafin of Oyo

ZLP cautions Okowa over N150 billion bridging facility

17th May 2022
Saraki prays Court to lift forfieture order on properties

We must not toy with 2023 polls – Saraki

17th May 2022

Follow us on social media:

Latest News

  • Osun Guber: INEC allocates 40 slots to PWDs as adhoc staff
  • Road to 2023: I am still in race for Niger North Senatorial seat, Senator Aliyu Sabi tells supporters
  • Road to 2023: Taraba APC assures Amaechi of 90% votes
  • ZLP cautions Okowa over N150 billion bridging facility
  • We must not toy with 2023 polls – Saraki
  • Insecurity: Berom youths protest detention of three community leaders over missing cows
  • Road to 2023: Retired military officer, Aliyu joins Niger Gubernatorial race
  • Road to 2023: Tambuwal blasts FG over lingering insecurity in Nigeria
  • Blasphemy: Patron of Muslim, Christian youths seeks justice for Deborah Yakubu
  • Onyeama meets Community of Democracies Secretary-General
  • APC primaries: Moses Ayom warns aspirants against unguarded comments
  • 2023: Southeast now wiser, won’t be deceived again – Sen Orji Kalu
  • BREAKING: Explosion rocks Kano
  • U.S. eases travel restrictions on Cuba
  • Spanish bill on period pain sick leave to be presented to cabinet
  • Jonathan congratulates Justice Mary Odili at 70, retirement from Supreme Court
  • 2023: Gov. Mohammed urges Nigerians to vote credible leaders
  • FIVB set to assist NVBF in developing Volleyball in Nigeria
  • AEPB to prosecute persons engaged in roadside trading, indiscriminate refuse dumping
  • Ondo govt affirms reward for outstanding athletes

Categories

  • Abuja Metro
  • Anambra Watch
  • Arts
  • Broken Tongues
  • Business
  • Business Week
  • Cartoons
  • Citizen Joe
  • Columns
  • Cover
  • Culture
  • Duro Onabule
  • Editorial
  • Education Review
  • Effect
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Features
  • Femi Adesina
  • Food & Drinks
  • Frank Talk
  • Funke Egbemode
  • Gallery
  • Global Square by Kenneth Okonkwo
  • Health
  • Insights
  • Kalu Leadership Series
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Letters
  • Lifeline
  • Lifestyle
  • Literary Review
  • Marketing Matters
  • Muiz Banire
  • National
  • News
  • Offside Musings
  • Opinion
  • oriental news
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • PressClips
  • Public Sphere
  • Ralph Egbu
  • Shola Oshunkeye
  • Sideview
  • South-west Magazine
  • Sponsored Post
  • Sporting Sun
  • Sports
  • Sun Girl
  • Tea Time
  • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
  • The Sun Awards Live
  • The Sun TV
  • Thoughts & Talks
  • Time Out
  • Today's cover
  • Tola Adeniyi
  • Travel
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Trending
  • TSWeekend
  • Turf Game
  • Uncategorized
  • Updates
  • Views from Abroad
  • Voices
  • World
  • World News
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Paper Ad Rate
  • Online Ad Rate
  • The Team
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

Posting....