The haunting picture of over 70 citizens hacked by Fulani herdsmen to death in coffins for mass burial in Benue State. The infuriating statement from the presidency listing the incidents and deaths visited on Nigerian citizens before 2015, as a means of exonerating Buhari's government from the gory massacres of the Fulani herdsmen.
What manner of country is this? Under Buhari, the army moved on the Shiites, on IPOB and burnt public funds on Operation Python and Operation Crocodile among others. But in two years plus, not one of the killer militia arm of the Miyetti Allah has been arrested for the several massacres of hundreds of innocent citizens across Nigeria.
Once again, the Buhari government justifies its meanness by referencing Jonathan. Buhari thinks he must protect the Fulani at all costs even the criminals. He believes the Fulani take life only when provoked and therefore their slaughter of citizens is justified.
He is playing a dangerous, high stakes game that assumes falsely that only Fulani are brave warriors with capacity to win all wars. Buhari wants another war in Nigeria, one he would execute successfully on behalf of his Fulani clansmen, before he himself exits the earth. But he has too many wrong assumptions. So far, his plan appears to be going smoothly.
Rage against the Fulani is growing as the bloodletting becomes a flood and the body count mounting. It is the same in government appointment where all key security and revenue agencies are manned by his men.
Nigeria has become an ethnic garrison under Buhari, one in which insecurity and mass murders now seem state sponsored. Buhari should look long and hard at those coffins in Benue State. For in those coffins lies the verdict on his life. In those coffins lies some of the questions he would answer before God Almighty.
In those coffins lies his resolve to dissolve Nigeria into a fratricidal war, the disastrous end, no one can predict. But be assured, no people have the monopoly of callousness. I pray Nigerians will get together, appeal to God together, that this scourge, this burden, this malaise, this curse is removed from us.
May we not be provoked into vengeance by criminals with no respect for our laws. May we not be plunged into tribal mayhem by one who pretends not to see or hear because his brethren must be protected at all costs.
Let not the dogs of war be let loose, not because we are afraid, not because we are squeamish, no because we are cowards but because we are men of valour, of courage who will not hide, as cowards, in the dark of night to murder the unarmed.
We seek legal and civilized means to deal with friction and do not regale in taking human life with wanton abandon. We are not idiots. We reason, we think, we are confident. When we rise after all the provocations be sure that the ensign of the Lord shall lead us. Tell Buhari to sit up or ship out. That is the final word.