Policemen stand near damaged vehicles in Sabon Gari, Kano May 19, 2014. A suicide car bomber killed five people on a street of popular bars and restaurants in the northern Nigerian city of Kano on Sunday evening, in an area mostly inhabited by southern Christians, police said. REUTERS/Stringer (NIGERIA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST)
By Uche Mbah
It was a gory week with spates of suicide bombings, herdsmen attacks and kidnapping for ransom rising to an unprecedented peak spelling of a rise in security collapse and pointing towards government helplessness in tackling security.
The Inspector General of police, however, told a bewildered nation that there has been improved security in the country. Even the Military has said that they are on top of the situation, noting that they have been bombing the remaining hideouts of Boko Haram. Amnesty International has said the bombings have the trappings of Boko Haram.
No fewer than thirty persons died in multiple suicide bombings Sunday, on a local market, in Mandari community, Konduga, Borno State, less than 20 kilometres from the state capital, Maiduguri. This is besides the official figure of forty people wounded.
In Jalingo, many are feared killed as herdsmen strikes, sEtting houses on fire and causing pandemonium, forcing the Taraba state government to impose curfew on the capital city. This was after the Inspector General of Police insisted they have reduced crime particularly in Taraba.
According to him, “a total of 424 kidnappers were arrested between 10th May 2019, and 14th, June 2019. The highest number of 101 kidnap suspects were arrested in Kaduna State, with 79 arrests. 54 suspects were apprehended in Nasarawa State and 32 in Taraba State…176 suspected cultists were arrested across the country while 77 stolen vehicles were recovered by Operation Puff Adder operatives nationwide between 10th May 2019 and 14th June 2019, with the highest number of 29 in FCT.”
But reports indicate that the Ibadan Oyo road has become a haven for kidnappers for ransom, forcing Gani Adams, The Aare Onakakanfo-the traditional name for the Yoruba generalissimo- to resort to threats to the herdsmen, accusing Presidnet Buhari of conspiratorial silence.
But it is the eerie silence of the south west leaders that is worrisome, according to a cross section of people interviewed in Lagos.
Even in Kaduna, crisis are being contained as at press time.
Besides saying his heart is with the dead and their family, President Buhari appears not to have not achieved much with the recent marathon meetings with security chiefs. The United nations sent condolence messages.
