S.O.S ALIEME

Yuletide is often used as a synonym for the Christmas season encompassing the festive period from late December to early January. By implication, it means the two great feasts or celebrations (Christmas and New Year) are centred on this period. Christmas is meant to be celebrated with pomp and pageantry but the 2025 Christmas was celebrated in Nigeria with fear because of security issues surrounding the period.

The yuletide is always marked with Christmas Eve celebration and New Year Eve which is meant to usher in the New Year.  But, alas, these celebrations could not be done due to the incessant attacks by bandits on people.  The usual dancing and drumming, visit to amusement parks, and vigils were all reduced to the barest minimum on the advice of security personnel. Is this an attempt to down play the essence of Christmas or is it an attempt to say that it is irrelevant to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ? Well, it is not surprising when our Christian leaders have being bought over by the people in power to say negative things against Donald Trump when he wanted to fight insurgency in Nigeria. Even, a prominent Catholic Bishop and State Governor seems to have been bought over when they said everything is well with Christians in Nigeria. The same Bishop who buried young Seminarians that were killed by bandits in his diocese.  What an irony!!!

Hardly do you wake up in a day without listening or hearing about ugly news that makes you to keep wondering if this is the same Nigeria our forefathers left for us to take care of.  News about positive issues like reduction in fuel price, increase in salaries and wages of workers, establishment of industries and manufacturing outlets, free health care and all the likes are no longer within the reach of Nigerians. It is like our children have grown to know and listen to news about kidnapping, banditry, Boko Haram insurgence and so many other terminologies you can think of.

The issues concerning banditry and kidnapping has been a source of worry to Nigerians. Nigeria is faced with an unprecedented wave of different but overlapping security crises, from kidnapping to extremist insurgencies, almost every corner of the country has been hit by violence and crime. The scale of the insecurity threatens the very fabric of Nigerian society. It is to be noted that with every attack, human lives are lost or permanently damaged and faith in democracy and the country is diminishing.

Despite the claims by government that bandits and kidnappers had been “technically” defeated, more news are flittering in from every corner of Nigeria that there is growing killings going on in every part of the country. Indeed, Boko Haram is expanding into new areas and taking advantage of Nigeria’s poverty and other security challenges to fuel its extremist ideologies. Boko Haram are daily launching deadly raids, in some cases hoisting its flag and imposing extremist rule on local people.

The challenge by bandits is made harder by Nigeria’s ungoverned spaces, areas that are remote and largely ignored, where groups can torment rural communities without fear of reprisal. In recent years, a splinter faction allied to the Islamic State group, called the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), has surpassed Boko Haram in size and capacity. It now ranks among Islamic States’ most active affiliates in the region. Both groups have so far resisted the government’s military operations. There have been violent disputes between nomadic animal herders and farmers in Nigeria for many years. But disagreements over the use of land and water, as well as grazing routes, have been exacerbated by climate change and the spread of the Sahara Desert, as herders move further South looking for pasture.

Thousands have been killed in clashes over limited resources. Benue State, in the centre of the country, has recorded the deadliest attacks. Recently, seven people were killed when gunmen opened fire on a camp for those fleeing the conflict. Some have also blamed herders for kidnapping people and demanding a ransom.

By every indication, it appears that Nigeria’s lucrative kidnapping industry is thriving, expanding into previously safe areas, and seemingly beyond the control of the country’s army. It poses a real threat to trade and education, as well as the country’s farming communities. The economy is moving down the drain.  It is sure that it is only God who will solve this problem in Nigeria.  Those who taught Tinubu (the master strategist) was the messiah they have been waiting for are regretting their actions, though they cannot come out to say that. Nigeria has experienced an upsurge in violence in recent months. Kidnappings and attacks have been reported across the country.  No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people. Nigeria is facing worsening violence by armed groups. People across the country are worried over the inability of the government to tackle the rising levels of insecurity.

 

We are at a war!!!  A kind of war!!! There must be a divine judgement on evil deeds now. I like to make this clarion call on all retired and serving military and police officers in all geo political zones to come together and use their experience to help this country and find practical answers for these heinous crimes tormenting the country. Time to act is now. Youths nationwide should be given training on how to defend and fight terrorists in each community urgently now. It is like the training should start now!!! The vulnerable groups like the Church should be allowed to get foreign help for protection officially supported by the government. Youths in societies, communities, Churches, Mosques, local government areas should be trained on security, self-defence and counter terrorism strategies.

This nation needs answers and clear road map out of killings by a known group often described as unknown gun men. We cannot keep crying, condemning, commiserating sometimes hypocritically. Sometimes absent minded; Sometimes forced sympathy; sometimes sympathy unauthorized but done by spokespersons to cover up their principals. Leaders of thoughts must emerge! The helpless cripple, which we all are, must borrow sense and think fast if we do not want to be a war casualty.  A victim of war. We are at war!!! To resign to fate is to be crippled fast!!!

God Bless Nigeria!!!