Nigeria: Boko Haram regains top spot with Kano Bombings
What happened?
The nationwide protest against the removal of fuel subsidy shocked the Nigerian government and probably the rest of the world. For once, the people came together putting aside religion and ethnicity to have a face-off with the government. Well, the Nigerian people did not get the government to revert the pump price of petrol from N141 per liter to the former N65 per liter, but instead the people had to settle for N97 per liter – a half baked victory if you ask me.
Things got worse on this issue of fuel subsidy removal, when it was later uncovered that provision had been made to keep subsidizing fuel for the first three months of the year 2012, i.e. it was mean to be removed April 1, 2012 and not January 1, 2012. Who do we hold accountable for this, and what went wrong in the line of communication? Sure looks like nobody cares now that Nigerian are back to business as usual – grumbling but adapting to the N97 per liter pump price.
The Return of Boko Haram
Perhaps out of anger that they were knocked out of top spot as regards issues of the nation, or perhaps because things did not go as planned when it came to achieving anarchy and chaos during the last protest, Boko Haram decided to go full force with a new and most deadly attack so far – The Kano Bombings. The nation is now back to crying, after multiple bomb blasts was experience in the largest northern city of the country. It is estimated that more than 20 bombs went off in a coordinated manner, with the police headquarters, two police stations, and the immigration office affected.
Gunshots followed after a number of bombing, and speculations were that all of these were carried out by teenagers ranging from 15 – 18 years, part of who took a police station under siege. It took no time for the Boko Haram sect to claim responsibility, with no demands. Death tolls have risen above 100 (even though the office of the president insists that only 7 have died), and part of the victims was a press man of the prestigious Channels network, who had just recently gotten an award of merit sometime last year.
What Next?
Another bombing was experienced in the home state of the president – Bayelsa. Although security reports show that this was not of the Boko Haram sect but a protest against the upcoming state elections, one cannot but be saddened about the state of security in the country. The Federal government just recently dispersed troops of soldiers with new vans and amour to Lagos state against a group of peaceful protesters, when other states such as Kano, Bayelsa, and the Niger Delta region is experiencing attacks including bombs and kidnappings – yet no soldiers or security agent at sight.
Boko Haram is back and one can imagine that all of government’s attention will be focused on the issue(or not), leaving other issues that brought the president into office such as provision of power, jobs, and infrastructure for the Nigerian populace, to take back seat. After all, the welfare and safety of the people is the topmost responsibility of the government. How long it would take to deal with the issue of Boko Haram (or security as a whole) is what we hope stays within the time frame left for the government in power – one with less than 6% approval ratings.
Photo: http://dailytimes.com.ng/sites/default/files/imagecache/400xY/fuel.png
Nubi Kayode, FD blogger from Nigeria
