By Bonaventure Ogar
The resurgence of the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has raised some weighty concerns in some questers. While it may not be out of place to take a cursory look at the activities of the IMN and its violent tendencies, it is sufficing to state that there may be more to the sudden resurgence of the IMN than what you and I might know.
As a start, I would say boldly that there are indeed political undertones to the activities of the IMN in Nigeria and with the renewed boldness to confront security agencies that led to the death of two or so law enforcement officers.
I recall that I have stated in numerous forums that not until we stop playing politics with human lives, Nigeria would continue to sit on the brink. This is more worrisome when it is realized that those set of politicians that preach one Nigeria during the day, and at night fund the nefarious activities of militant groups to destabilize the country.
And when the destabilization plot is gathering momentum, they take to the pages of newspapers to issue statements calling the government inept and clueless. They also whip up unnecessary sentiments all in an attempt to turn the people against the government of the day. These have been their stock in trade and no longer a secret to some of us, but a big secret to the majority of the members of the unsuspecting general public.
It must be stated in clear terms that the activities of the IMN are being funded by an all righteous individual that has refused to come to terms with the outcome of the recently concluded general elections. For that individual, Nigeria is his birth right, and he cannot seem to come to terms with the result and as such, all must be done covertly to make the country ungovernable.
But there is a snag for him. And that is the fact that he is still living in delusion, thinking his funding of the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) went unnoticed. The IPOB issue was one of the lows of this same individual when he indeed thought he could use the IPOB agitation for his political advantage and so he pushed forward the restructuring narrative.
To some it might be a pleasant coincidence, but in truth, it was a well thought out strategy which eventually didn’t see the light of the day because Nigerians indeed decided to take their destinies in their hands by refusing to be pushed around and deceived by the same set of politicians that have been part and parcel of the rot in the system since the advent of democratic dispensation in Nigeria in 1999.
The sad thing about the whole script is that the victims are usually ordinary citizens on the street. Those that struggle to make ends meet. Those that line up at the motor parks to board buses. Those that go about their daily lives with a firm hope that one day, their dreams and aspirations would be translated into tangible realities. Yes, these are the victims of the selfishness and wickedness of some highly placed. Those whose children dot the nook and cranny of Europe, America, and the United Arab Emirate. Those who after setting a dangerous destabilization agenda would be pictured in the United Arab Emirate with cronies celebrating the success of an evil plot.
Indeed, a sad episode in the annals of Nigeria. To think that all of a sudden, the IMN would come out so daring and armed with dangerous weapons and well-mobilized leaves all to the imagination. This is also akin to the creation of what I call the “killer herdsmen gang” soon after the results of the general elections were announced. For some of us that are students of history, we were able to put one and two together and come to the conclusion that would stand the test of time.
That of the killer herdsmen was so glaringly a creation of the disgruntled politicians club ostensibly headed by this same politician whose marabout had told him in times past that he would win elections in the country. And we are still waiting for that to happen. Just maybe how that could happen is through unorthodox means such as sponsoring violent protests across the country. Funding and arming militant groups to cause untold hardship to the ordinary and unarmed citizens of our great nation.
And to also cause international and national embarrassment to the efforts of the government of the day. This is called politics, I think. Yes, but at the expense of human lives? At the expense of the destruction of properties? At the expense of disrupting economic activities?
All of these are questions the prominent politician must answer in the solitude of the four walls of his room. He needs to dig deep into his soul and search for answers to the above questions and to ask himself if his actions are indeed patriotic or unpatriotic.
I could go on non-stop on highlighting the grand plot against Nigeria by the prominent politician. And I would be able to justify every line or paragraph because the signs are apparent. Having said that. It behoves on well-meaning Nigerians see that big man politicians as the unseen finger in the spate of violence in the country. And it is my prayer that in due time, he shall be made to account for his misdeeds against that country that made him who he claims he is. Time shall tell.
Ogar is a forensic psychologist and contributed this piece from Akwa.
