By Mujahid M. Ndanusa
Nigeria will never be a serious nation, I doubt much if it would happen to be in the nearest future. Nigeria is a country that inaugurates people who defy the jurisdiction of a law with which they swore to protect the lives and properties of all citizens without regard to persons.
The most hated citizen of all time is Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, he was victimized years back and yet under a severe maltreatment by people at the centre. He is the only living Nigerian whose fundamental rights are subject to violation.
One can discern the level of maltreatment meted on Sheikh Zakzaky, he was kidnapped from his peaceful residence, prior his 3 biological sons were shot mercilessly before his eyes, himself and wife were sporadically sprayed with live ammunitions by soldiers whose sole responsibility is to defend the territorial border of Nigeria against any form of external aggression.
The Sheikh was unconsciously whisked away from his house, sustaining serious injuries from AK and AA bullets. The process of the Gyallesu attack was not meant to free a single life; it was a clampdown in other word all-out war. But all-out war, with who? With civilians holding no stick talk less of a manual shoot and hide gun? Or with people whose only self – defence tool is catapult and stone?
I am sure Zaria massacre will allow us to conflate Nigerian army and terrorism, they perfectly correspond. Such an atrocity and inhumane massacre is only to be found in extremist dictionary and life style.
From all indication, majority of Nigerians have lost hope in Nigerian army, people consider them to be either assassination machines or an instrument of ethnic or religious cleansing. The Nigerian army have stopped to play the role of a professional military institution, rather a political wing or personal apparatus of individuals.
If the army deviated from professionalism and military ethics, we never expect such a deviation from a key security body like the DSS. Assuming all security organs will operates unprofessionally, then DSS would be the last to follow suit.
But the present hierarchy of DSS must be compromised, deviated or has a deviant Director. Possibly a deviant director, who failed to obey a court order, who fails to explain to the family members or general public the reasons for the lingering detention of Sheikh Zakzaky.
The DSS director, Lawal Daura is fully aware of the deteriorating health status of Sheikh Zakzaky, he knew of the total malfunction of one of his eyes, which occurred as a result of military stray bullet.
Lawal Daura is the villain who ordered for a change of location of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife, he did so to subject the Sheikh to more frustrations and deny him of any freedom. He was the person who assigned a doctor to Sheikh Zakzaky, and the medical doctor sincerely reports to them that his client is at the risk of a total blindness, due to lack of proper medical tools.
Despite Daura’s knowledge of the deteriorating health status of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, he decided to turn deep, dumb and blind, as if all is well. If Lawal Daura could mercilessly shunned the doctor’s red alert, and have no concern over the eyes of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, it is a moral obligation upon us as Nigerians to show a support and empathy to the oppressed. Something urgent must be in place to save the deteriorating eye of El-Zakzaky. I repeat once again, it is urgent!
Nda121@yahoo.com