By Kola Animashaun

This is not the Nigeria and the North we inherited and for us it cannot be the North we desire to bequeath to our children. The present North was not bequeathed to us and neither our children are responsible for it. — Yakubu Gowon.
As   at the  end  of  last  week   we  were  informed   that  Boko Haram  attacks  have  killed  at   least 935 people since  they  launched  their  terror  on  the  people  of  Nigeria ,  according  Human Right  Watch.

Mr Hague, the British Foreign Secretary said: “The nature of these attacks has sickened people around the world and I send my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of those killed and to those injured.

“There is no place in today’s world for such barbaric acts and I condemn in the strongest possible terms those who carried them out. He also urged British nationals in Nigeria to comply with all curfews.

“These events underline the importance of the international community standing together in the face of terrorism in all its forms.”

In the first three weeks of January 2012 alone, more than 253 people have been killed in 21 separate attacks. Recently, 185 police and residents were killed in coordinated attacks targeting mainly police stations in Kano — the country’s second largest city — on January 20, Boko Haram’s deadliest single operation.

Human  Rights groups  have  urged   that  Nigerian  Government  to   work  towards  putting  a  stop  to  this  campaign   of terror. It ensure  that  those  responsible  be  brought  to  justice   for  their  heinous  crimes.  These terrorists, according   to Corrine Dufka, Human Rights worker: “Boko Haram’s attacks show a complete and utter disregard for human life”. We   have become accustomed   to violent deaths and we have made it into a spectator sport.

Young  people  are watching  as  well  adults,  this  will  have an  impact  on  a  lot  of  Nigerians.  We  have  all  become walking  post traumatic victims  and  most  do not  even  know it.

The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague said he was “shocked and appalled” by the violence.  Therefore in the wake of the attacks, the British Foreign Office updated its travel advice for Nigeria, warning people not to travel to Kano.
So they are appalled to hear the National Security Adviser, Gen. Azazi Owoeye, say that Nigeria is too big to be policed.

It  was  shocking  to  say  the  least as  we thought  that  they  should  have some  contingency  plans   for  emergencies.
The FG has refused to consider state police because according to them, it is prone to abuse, but the same Government does not seem to see the implication of contracting the policing of our maritime sector to an ex-militant.

Authorities enforced a 24-hour curfew in the city, with many people remaining at home as soldiers and police patrol the streets and set up roadblocks.

Friday’s attacks hit police stations, immigration offices and the local headquarters of the SSS in Kano.

People have become  shell shocked, traumatised   and  our  Government   does  not  seem  to  gauge   the  mood  of  the  people that  they  feel helpless , terrified, insecure  and  there  are  no  assurances  or  plan   put  in place  to  weed  these  people out.   What  people  hear  is  hollow  words  and  no action  and  no  intelligence .

After all, President Goodluck Jonathan said Boko Haram would “face the full wrath of the law”. Yet his government has repeatedly been unable to stop attacks by the group.

Nigeria  is  not   working; it   seems  that Nigeria is doing  nothing  to  counter  the  evil  deeds  amongst   its  people.  The  feelings  of the  people  is  that the  government  is   to  blame as it  fails  to  protect  its  citizens .  There   is  an  underlying  fragmentation   of  its  people and  it   does not  seem  to  concern  the  powers  that  be.

The  president said  that this  type  of terror  is new  and  they are  working  to   solve  the  problem but  when will  that be?
So while we wait for another attack the authorities enforced a 24-hour curfew in the city, with many people remaining home as soldiers and police patrolled the streets and set up roadblocks.

The   country is descending to   free   for all.   So  how  long  do  people have   to wait   for  things  to get  better as  they  have  enough  on their  plate  already –  inadequate  power, lack of  access  to  public  education – you  pay  through  your  nose  for  health care .

Transportation, right now, is a sore point with the subsidy removal. It has  had  a  knock  on  effect   on  so many  parts  of  our  daily activity.

Boko Haram of “Sokoto” escaped from Police custody gives no confidence to the Police, which was demonstrated during the strike.

Human lives account for nothing and the population are exposed to these macabre spectacle.
It  is  a very  tense and  unhealthy environment  that  the young  do  not  have  a future ,  the  old  are  tired , the  poor ,hopeless and  helpless.

People  are  fearful  of  the  future and are  unsure when   their  lives  will  improve . Some   people  are  feeling  unsafe  and uprooting their  families and  going  back   to  their  villages  or  towns of origin.  Ironic that we now have refugees within our borders.

People are beginning to see themselves in terms of tribes and not Nigerians. There is a general mistrust. People are talking of the country   to be governed   on   cultural and religious boundaries.