Borno massacre: No, this is not who we are

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Uba Group

BY SEGUN SHOWUNMI

I wonder how those in charge sleep at night? How do they swallow their food? Thinking about the farmers, I have been so sad and destruct. I have asked one million questions to find peace within my soul as to how this became the lot of our citizens in our beloved Nigeria.

Could it be said that the international world order has failed for at least the people of my country? How and what must we do to put an end to this? Lord have mercy on this nation. It is hard waking up daily to news of mindless killings of our people. I do not believe that given the unfortunate situation we have found ourselves, that world leaders cannot do more to say enough is enough firmly.

If the leaders of the world could go into Iraq, Libya, and so many other locations with combined special forces under an international mandate from the United Nations; indeed if #NigerianLivesMatter, what are they waiting for?

It is not enough for international news outlets’ headlines to scream about the insurgency in Nigeria. Our shared humanity and the doctrine of state responsibility within the United Nations protocols ought to tell them that Nigeria on its own, cannot deal with this menace.

I must confess that it has crossed my mind a few times if this is not some covert external conspiracy against Africa’s most populous country. It is hard to accept that Nigerians are the ones killing themselves on this scale. No, this is not who we are; there is no reasonable justification for this.

Whatever be the case, a globalised world cannot look on, while this barbarity is taking place in full world view. Humanity has more than enough resources to deal with this once and for all. Honestly, it is heart-wrenching to take in this type of news daily.

Farmers slaughtered on their farms in such large numbers? In such gory fashion? Cry me an ocean of tears. May peace envelop the hearts of the relatives of the victims and may the world be inspired to hurry up and come to the rescue of Nigeria; this nation must not sink.

As for those in charge of the country today, I have no words for you all, except to say when reform is overdue, there is no bigger assignment than to make those reforms happen. We cannot continue like this.

Segun Showunmi is spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election.