Encomium
The Nyanya, Abuja bomb blast of Monday, April 13, 2014, which killed about 100 people, leaving scores injured has been considered the worst of Boko Haram attacks in recent times. A lot of Nigerians, home and abroad had condemned the heinous and barbaric act in its totality, calling for federal government’s urgent action on it. When ENCOMIUM Weekly sought the reactions of some Nigerians on the shocking incident, they all poured out their heart, insisting that the perpetrators must be fished out and prosecuted.
‘Government is not doing enough’
– PASTOR OLUFEMI ODEJOBI
It is senseless and condemnable. Those behind it should be prosecuted. Whatever their grievances, they shouldn’t have wasted innocent human lives. No religion encourages killing of people for whatever reason. The government should handle this case with all seriousness. Not at all, enough of playing politics with human lives. Government is not doing enough, that’s why the insurgency persists.
‘The most gruesome, avoidable, senseless killings in the history of Nigeria’
– MR. SAHEED OLUKOGA
It is wicked and uncalled for, whatever the motive. This is one of the most gruesome, avoidable, senseless killings in the history of Nigeria. I condemn it in its totality. The Nigerian government must stand up to it’s responsibility of protecting the citizens.
‘They are only making noise on the pages of newspapers’
– TITUS FALODUN
It is rather unfortunate that Nigerians could so crudely lose their lives on their way to work in such a tragic manner. They are only making noise on the pages of newspapers. The military should focus more on combating the terrorists rather than image making.
‘The terrorists are getting bolder and more daring’
– BOLATITO OYEWALE
It’s terrible. The terrorists are getting bolder and more daring. I think they will get even bolder as the elections draw closer. I am not a prophet but I see Boko Haram doing more. The government is trying but apparently, they are not doing enough. We need them to be a little more decisive. They also should not completely rule out negotiating even if it’s secretly.
‘The gravity of this horror is too much’
– OMOLARA SOLARIN
I felt so terrified. The gravity of this horror is too much. They are not. Serious strategies should be adopted to combat it.
‘There’s no way any insurgency should overpower a government’
– OLANREWAJU BABALOLA
It is an indication that we don’t have a working government. Every government’s first responsibility to her citizens is security. Government is not doing enough. There’s no way any insurgency should overpower a government as Nigeria’s.
‘The most merciless terror attack so far’
– ABEL OWOADE
The Nyanya bomb blast was the most merciless terror attack so far, and it should be condemned in its totality by all. Also, the perpetrators should be prosecuted on time. Government and all security agents should swing into action and ensure they get those behind the attack. We all know it’s Boko Haram but they are not spirits, they are all human beings. They should be dealt with but technically in order not to waste further lives of innocent Nigerians. In the aspect of security of lives and property, I thank the government but it’s not adequate. If we can’t handle it alone, there is nothing wrong in seeking assistance from foreign countries. What’s happening is nothing but a mini war, and it should be addressed before it degenerates into another civil war. We can’t continue like this. Every sensible Nigerian knows that these barbaric people called Boko Haram have a hidden agenda, and they are not doing it alone. They have sponsors. All those behind them should be fished out in order to weaken the group. We should all be prayerful as well. May God help us.
‘Full scale war should be declared on the insurgents’
– CLEMENT ANYA
The Abuja bomb blast is the height of wickedness. Whoever thought about this evil has inflicted a curse on his generation. I think the federal government has lost the war against insurgency. Full scale war should be declared on the insurgents.
‘Do we have a government in Nigeria?’
– GREGORY OKEH
May the soul of the departed rest in peace. The Nyanya, Abuja deadly bomb blast is the worst tragedy to befall this nation. Do we have a government in Nigeria? Please, next question. If indeed we have anything called government, they should declare a state of emergency in all the states of the north. A radical approach should also be put in place to tackle the Boko Haram scourge.
‘They are just playing politics with people’s lives’
– SARAH NEGEDU
The bombing depicts man’s inhumanity to man. Societal values are gradually overwhelming the nation where human lives are being politicized, as against facing the scourge head on. I think the government is not taking the issue of security serious. Especially the Boko Haram insurgents. When you look at the issue of terrorism in advanced countries, it’s not something they take lightly. For Christ sake, suicide bombing like the recent Nyaya Park bombing is avoidable if only our government will be serious. Check the developed countries. After every bomb attack, it’s so easy to trace the perpetrators by the registration number of the vehicle used by the suicide bombers, they will be able to know all those who have used the car from when it was manufactured to the time of the bombing. Sometimes I wonder if the government really wants this thing to end. I think they are just playing politics with people’s lives. Some of the terrorists are in custody. In fact, high profile terrorists are in our security agencies. I can’t believe after interrogating them the government has not been able to know who their sponsors are. I feel they know them already but somehow the president is scared to indict the people probably because of their status.
‘I am shocked and disappointed’
– BOSE ADENIYI
I am shocked and disappointed that some Nigerians will do this to their fellow human beings. No, I don’t think government is doing enough, if they were, there would be adequate and effective security in parks and public places and what happened would have been prevented.
‘Government agencies need to work together’
– NIYI ADEYEMI
It is a sad case, may God help us in Nigeria. Government is constrained due to lack of security gadgets and most important, the non-existence of data to trace suspects even after a crime had been committed. Though bombs still go off in developed nations like US, perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing, for instance, which coincidentally marked its first anniversary, were unmasked just within days because they have the technology and data of each citizen. Government agencies need to work together, have data base of citizens so that, at least perpetrators of such dastardly acts could be caught even before they carry out the deed.
‘His 2015 political ambition is all he cares about’
– ENIOLA BELLO
It is so disheartening that the citizenry die every day and there is still nothing the Nigerian government is doing about it. I am very unhappy about it. No Nigerian will tell you that the government is doing enough. We see on television every day what President Jonathan does immediately after any blast. His 2015 political ambition is all he cares about.
‘FG to involve the United Nations’
– DOTUN MOSES
I feel very sad because it is not normal that citizens are dying unexpectedly. I am more concerned because I wouldn’t know how I would feel, if it happens to any of my family members. The government is not doing anything about it, believing all is coming from the opposition party (APC). I urge the FG to involve the United Nations to curb this tragic occurrences.
‘It’s a slap on our government’
– BOLA ADESOKAN
Sincerely, it’s a slap on our government. It shows the president has lost grip on the security of the nation. The perpetrators are not human but devil incarnates. It’s devilish and I condemn the act totally. Government is not doing enough. Its pretences and corruption has affected the effectiveness of our security agencies. He who pays the piper dictates the tune.
‘They will gear up once their children become victims’
– LUCKY ADENEKAN
It’s hell on earth. It’s a recall of Sodom and Gomorrah where evil reigned. Government is not serious about the issue of Boko Haram. They will gear up once their children become victims.
‘This type of war is new and alien to our security agencies’
– KAYODE SALAKO
It is a reality that there is a full blown guerrilla war in the northern part of Nigeria. There is no other definition one can give to this situation other than that. War is war. And one of the basic products of war is mass killings- killings and killings of innocent people as we now see it in the northern part of the country. And this type of war is one of the most difficult to fight and win by security agencies, because the persons they are fighting with are not visible to face the army head on. They are people who disguise and live within the normal people. Can you see anybody in the market and say this is a Boko Haram person? So, it is a very difficult war to fight and win by the Nigerian security agencies. Because the Boko Haram people do not have a distinct identity or a society of their own. They live with us here, so it is easy for them to perpetrate their evil acts. What they are doing is the worst that can happen to any multi-ethnicity and multi-religious society like Nigeria. Boko Haram activities are already making Nigerians to be suspicious of one another. There is hatred of one tribe to the other. Prejudice is now building in our relationships. Some tribes are even tired of being part of Nigeria. The Igbo now sees an Hausa or Yoruba as suspect for so many reasons. That spirit of oneness is now waning in our relationships. That is what Boko Haram or all the senseless killings have done to our mutual co-habitation in Nigeria! Every reasonable and real human being in Nigeria must rise to condemn this terror by the Boko Haram sect on the Nigerian state. Realistically, the Nigerian nation is at war that is very difficult to win, except the Boko Haram people themselves decide to end it. But what they are asking for is not what Nigeria as a nation can afford unless they want the northern part of Nigeria to go its separate way. I pity the Nigerian security and the intelligence agencies, because this is a very difficult national assignment to unravel. Or else they want to begin to suspect Boko Haram people in town and they kill everybody in that town. I want to say that the security agencies are trying their best in view of their mental, professional, infrastructural and man-power capacities. The best they can be is what they have been. The much they can do is what they are doing, but I want to let people know that in a guerrilla warfare, the dissidents, most times have upper hand because they don’t always come with straight and distinct identity to the war. So, it is not a question of whether the government is doing enough or not. It is the situation of the man-power, mental and professional capacities of the security agencies. This type of war is new and alien to our security agencies. We can all see that they are trying to fight back the insurgents but the fact remains that the insurgents themselves are more determined, organised, motivated and equipped to dare the efforts of the Nigerian security agents! It is obvious Boko Haram have sponsors and more determined people to continue to wreck havoc. And don’t forget that the northerners are like Arabians in orientation. They are not afraid of death. So, they are ready to continue to fight until they feel they achieve their aims. The security agents are trying their best, but this type of war is very difficult to win. A war where the army fight its own citizens and it is not a full blown civil war. It is unfortunate! Now, to the solution: I am going to be very realistic here. Before we start talking about solution, we have to first ask what the Boko Haram are fighting for. Is this course about Islamisation of the North or Nigeria? Is it about the fact that they want power to return to the north so that it can be their own turn as well? Or is it about the under-development of their region? This is very important. But as far as I am concerned, if I understand what Boko Haram want, they want their region to be governed by Islamic laws (Sharia) and tradition, so they no longer want the domination of the Western culture. They believe with Sharia culture, their leaders would be more accountable to them and live only for the development of their society.
