[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmXHJgVCAvAQP1S4G3UEMrkQeTRvLh29X9A6TEemKv9Jvs/img_0199.jpg]
[IMAGE: https://i.ecency.com/DQmbVW7z4fiZeh1Gn342Xz1XN2MuFAKXuDijdjc4Fuw9MsP/img_0058.jpg]
“If a member of one’s household is like an insect eating the kola nut from within, and you do not expose or deal with it early, its destruction will eventually deny you peace and sleep at night.”
That is the typical problem we are facing in our nation today. The pandemonium we witnessed in Oyo State, where bandits kidnapped and reportedly killed a teacher while holding students captive, happened over a month ago, yet it seems that little has been done to address the situation.
Today at work, the level of panic among students was alarming. Parents trooped into the school in large numbers to withdraw their children. It was both sad and heartbreaking to witness. You could see the anger on the faces of many parents as some even threw stones at the school gate out of frustration and fear.
Not long ago, we started hearing reports about bandit activities in Lagos State. The unfortunate part is that even people who may not be involved are sometimes quickly labeled as bandits. Today, some Fulani herders were apprehended with money and machetes, further fueling tension and suspicion.
Where exactly are we heading as a country? It seems nowhere is truly safe anymore, and every issue eventually becomes politicized. It is painful to think that those entrusted with protecting citizens often appear unconcerned about the growing insecurity.
I often ask myself whether these are signs of the end times. Everywhere you turn, there are reports of wars, killings, kidnappings, and violence. It is disturbing and deeply saddening to think about.
Sometimes one begins to wonder whether life is still worth living under these circumstances. Many people have made money their god, valuing profit above human life. Imagine a trailer loaded with guns being intercepted in Lagos. How did we get to this point?
Someone is purchasing those weapons and supplying them to criminals. It is difficult to imagine that bandits operating in the bush are independently financing such sophisticated operations. Clearly, something is not right, and there are deeper issues behind what we see.
For now, all we can do is remain security conscious. But for how long will we continue to fold our hands and watch the senseless killing and destruction of innocent lives, including children who have done nothing wrong?
Perhaps if we had truly been our brothers’ keepers, things might not have deteriorated to this level. Then again, we may never know.
