Rescue as Leitmotif, Not Relitigation

The article urgently calls for the Nigerian government and security agencies to secure the release of children held captive by terrorist kidnappers. It highlights the forgotten plight of the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu, the sole remaining Dapchi girl, who remain unaccounted for. The piece underscores the immediate crisis with recent kidnappings of 39 children and 7 teachers from three schools in Oyo State, where one teacher was gruesomely murdered, and another incident involving about 40 children abducted in Borno State.

Describing the situation as "heartbreaking and heart wrenching," the author emphasizes the extreme hardship these young children endure in captivity. The dissemination of brutal treatment videos and execution of negotiators by terrorists is seen as a tactic to spread fear, foster distrust, and potentially recruit followers through a "join them if you can't beat them" mentality.

The article invokes Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, stating the government's primary duty is the security and welfare of its people. It criticizes politicians and government officials, suggesting that if the energy devoted to political maneuvering were redirected to citizen security, more lives could have been saved.

Furthermore, the piece uses a political analogy, comparing the All Progressives Congress (APC) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) to "Siamese twins" and "birds of the same feather," suggesting a close, almost inseparable relationship despite potential public quarrels. This analogy is drawn from observations of their electoral counting processes, implying a coordinated effort or similarity in their operations.