By KEHINDE OKUNOMO
There is urgent need for deep soul-searching with regards to the senseless and avoidable killings of the Benue indigenes and other Nigerians being perpetrated by the implacable Fulani Herdsmen. These are unrepentant terrorists and should be classified and treated as such.
It is self-evident that the rapidity with which the massacre is being carried out, the whole community will be annihilated in the nearest future, which invariably confirms Nigeria’s descent to a dysfunctional state. I, as a Nigerian, watched helplessly over the years these despicable atrocities against these defenseless people and have come to a reasonable conclusion that the only solution is for the Benue indigenes to protect themselves against these marauders by employing whatever means possible.
It is so disheartening and frustrating that when you anticipated a solution to the crisis, you experienced an additional carnage of humongous proportion almost daily. The question that continuously troubles your mind is: “Can this ever stop?” Why is the government seemingly powerless against this barbaric Fulani herdsmen, or is the government complicit? Why must human beings be slaughtered like chickens and rendered as refugees or internally displaced persons in their country? It is an irrefutable testament to the colossal or monumental failure of the government.
Government has failed miserably in its responsibility towards these people due to its inability to guarantee their security as enshrined in the Constitution. Are the Fulani herdsmen above the law? That is ostensibly the implication as the government is incapacitated or has demonstrated a pure lack of political will to liberate these people from their unrelenting aggressors. I wish to state then without prevarication that the country as presently configured is a lawless society.
It is against this backdrop that I make this passionate appeal to the Christian Association of Nigeria to commence immediately the establishment of National Christian Army to be saddled with the primary responsibility of guaranteeing the security of lives and properties of Christians nationwide, most especially those under immediate threat of extermination or any form of persecution.
Furthermore, they will be mandated to forestall any form of perceived or real threat against Christians anywhere in Nigeria so that the unwarranted killings of Deborah Samuel, Kemi Olusesin and Gideon Akaluka, among others, will never be repeated and if peradventure it happens such will be met with corresponding retribution of unimaginable proportion.
For this assignment, Christian young men all over Nigeria should be galvanised, mobilised, and conscripted if we must be free from total annihilation. This task should not be considered unconstitutional and no approval should be sought from anywhere as Hisbah and Sharia Police operate freely in the North and sometimes flagrantly violating the fundamental human rights of the Christians by engaging in wanton destruction of their properties despite the hypocritical assurances that Sharia is specifically meant for Muslims as if they live in isolation.
The establishment of the National Christian Army is not peculiar to Nigeria. The Lebanese Christians had to take security matters into their hands. They formed a Neighborhood Watch Initiative referred to as “Soldiers of God” made of primarily young working class men patrolling the streets at night to keep the community safe. The self-securitisation is necessary as the Federal Government security architecture has collapsed irretrievably. Funding shall be sourced from well-meaning Nigerians, non-governmental organisations, Churches all over Nigeria and beyond who are passionate about the survival of Christianity in Nigeria.
As at the time of writing this article, there was another disturbing report of the atrocities of these disgruntled elements against Ondo State people. These attacks occur always in a similar surprising pattern by descending heavily and unexpectedly on their victims at night, sometimes numbering more than a hundred and armed with sophisticated weapons; ransacked a whole community, maiming, killing men, women, and children in the process. These have become a recurring decimal demonstrating the respective state governments’ inability to curb the menace.
The solution is not only in establishing state police but rather the militarisation and mobilisation of the masses. The main objective of these terrorists is to intimidate, terrify, instill palpable fear in their victims while at the same time expropriating their lands. Such situations as these require open confrontation and superior fire power. Affected communities should cease overdependence on the Federal Government as its actions so far belie its commitment to safeguarding the lives and properties of the Christians.
It must be placed on record that this crisis predates the present government, that notwithstanding it creates an ominous impression of the government’s indifference to the genocide against its people.
Why will a group of people indulge in wanton destruction of other people’s lives and properties relentlessly and with brazen impunity since none of them has been apprehended or prosecuted?
Where are the law enforcement agencies? Is this a form of vendetta? If there are genuine grievances or acts of injustice done in the past or present against them, that should not be considered sufficient justification to take laws into their hands; leading to decimation of these communities, as there exist courts for amicable resolution of such matters. With these unrelenting acts of aggression, these herdsmen have arrogated to themselves the power of the executive, thereby cementing their status as the untouchables and a separate government within a government which is stereotypical of them. Therefore, the earlier this “Christian Army” is established, the better for us to prevent an impending holocaust as recently confirmed by the son of a former governor against the Southern Kaduna Christians.
Dr Okunomo is Chairman, Christian Right Watch of Nigeria
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