Young Nigerians, ignore the General, we cannot afford another war

The former Defence Minister has asked Nigerians to “be alert and defend your country, defend your territory, defend your state…” from what he calls “ethnic cleansing” that may be so bad that it will cause “Somalia to be a child’s play”

Speaking on Saturday, March 24, 2018, at the maiden convocation of Taraba State University, Danjuma said, “[The armed forces] are no longer neutral, there is a need for Nigerians to rise up and defend the country, defend the state and defend yourselves."

“If you depend on the armed forces to stop the killings you will all die one by one. The Nigeria armed forces are not neutral.”

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His statements were met by sighs of resignation, mixed with loud applause and approval from the university’s students and staff.

It’s easy to see why; over the course of the last three years, every Nigerian has been introduced to a new foe. Whether you get your news on the TL or from the TV, “suspected Fulani herdsmen” has become part of our vocabulary.

Are the herdsmen a tribal militia or foreign terrorists?

Killings and pillaging by this group have grown from a largely Northern concern to a national issue.

One of the states most hard hit by the attacks is Taraba.

This year, persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have killed the traditional ruler of the state’s Karmen community, killed four persons in Ngutsen village, and killed another 55 persons in LauCommunity, in three separate attacks.

Theophilus Danjuma hails from Takum, one of the major towns in Taraba State. No doubt as an “elder” and former Minister of Defence, he would have been privy to these events and the extent of the casualties more than, say, Efe in Lagos who spends all his time on his mobile phone.

Efe may not know what these villages look like, but he’s probably aware that the attacks have been consistent, and that the government has been slow to respond, almost to the point of being dismissive at times.

Efe has probably heard or read somewhere, possibly on Twitter, that this sounds too much like ethnic cleansing.

Theophilus Danjuma’s statements echo the sentiments that many already have; that, with the largest population of any tribe and a history of holding senior positions of power, there is something more serious afoot.

Calling the army into question only served to “confirm” most people’s fears.

The army has been accused of being complicit in the insurgency in the North.

While tales of bravery abound, there are also reports that some of the suspected herdsmen move around with escorts and armed security personnel from the armed forces.

Then, there’s the issue of who’s talking.

There are certain names you hear growing up that you learn to respect or fear; Theophilus Danjuma is one of them.

It is why the tone of the message is even more serious given that Danjuma is the one raising these concerns.

He is seen as one of the stakeholders of Nigeria's most important period, first as an ally to military leaders and later as a member of ruling councils.

Why then is he, now, calling people of Taraba and the nation at large to arms?

The reactions on social media have mainly revolved around his nearly militant calls for people to protect themselves so they don’t die “one by one”.

There are those who believe he is being treasonous and, like Nnamdi Kanu, should be arrested.

They would do well to throw that optimistic wish out of their minds. If there is one thing we’ve learned in the past few years, it’s that Nigerian law is a respecter of persons.

On the other hand, the more sceptical section of the crowd believes it is merely another ruse of the elite to distract us from the myriad of serious issues at hand.

ALSO READ: Defence minister slams ex army chief, says comment was reckless

Whichever way they see it, the people are talking, on the streets and on social media and there’s the problem.

The more we consider its validity and the true motives, the more we grant credence to these statements and begin to consider whether we should actually protect ourselves.

What could be understood as the ramblings of a vocal member of the political class are now being interpreted as a warning that they will soon pick the official date for the start of the civil war.

That in itself is alarming because as time has revealed, the sentiment can often be more dangerous than the actual act.

Calling for people to arm themselves against a war happening is usually how war begins.

We’ve seen examples in Rwanda, in Sudan and even here at home.

And Nigeria is a peculiar case; the one time, we went to war against each other, it was completely tribal.

We should not forget Biafra so quickly

Nigeria's first two military coups, the Kaduna pogroms, Murtala Mohammed’s abrasive actions after the Kaduna Pogroms including seizing control of Lagos Airport and the East’s stockpiling of weapons in ’66 led both sides to be wary of each other.

When both sides met at Aburi in Ghana, the suspicion was the bedrock of their deliberations and consequently, their inability to trust or reconcile left each party resigned to the eventuality of a war they had already been preparing for.

That war lasted over 31 months and saw what many commentators have already called a systemic genocide of the Igbos.

The scars of that war are still fresh in our minds and for our eyes to see; millions of young Nigerians who were not born in those years still carry that sentiment.

And as we say with the rise of IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu, are ready to act on it given the right opportunity or reason.

Warning people to protect themselves only heightens anxiety and suspicion; it creates an environment where individuals and communities are wary of one another and of insurgents.

When these attacks do happen, the communities will be protected but the risk of violence and reprisal attacks is much higher.

ALSO READ: Danjuma’s herdsmen speech is reckless, unacceptable

It creates an atmosphere where other tribes are hostile to Fulani herdsmen and Fulani people in general. When both sides feel threatened and arm themselves, a tiny spark is enough to incite the bloodletting.

Theophilus Danjuma’s statements were reckless, simple.

It’s sad to say it but it is the people who were not lucky enough to attend Taraba State University’s first convocation who are most likely to suffer the immediate effects of this.

Already, there are reports that a community in Taraba has been attacked by vandals and hoodlums with photos depicting huts being razed to the ground.

Sure, you may interpret his calls for the people to protect themselves as an aged statesman trying to protect his people; but there’s really no excuse if this leads to bloodshed.