Nigeria : The Price Of Impunity

Nigeria is a land of impunity where you can commit offense and get away with it. This is what we witness everyday across the land.

According to online definition, Impunity is defined as ''exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action.'' 

The level of impunity in the country is incomparable to many countries. The issue of impunity takes place in every nook and crannies of our country and on daily basis.

So many mass killings have happened deliberately and through negligence without anybody getting punish for it. Many have turned disable because of this problem. Many have become widower/widow because of this terrible act. Some are orphans as a result of this. 

The act of impunity have cause many violent death in this country. The government has failed in his primary duty of life and properties protection.

Who is paying the price of impunity? The hapless and helpless citizens. 

We have witnessed this barbaric and gruesome acts both in private and public sectors including places of worship. The number of cases reported or publicized by the media and 'responsible' agency is nothing compare to the actual incidence happening around the country. 

The issue of 2014 Nigeria Immigration recruitment scandal is very fresh in our memory where millions of job seekers were mobilized to different exams centre across the country without having adequate safety measures in place after stealing over N675m from them as registration fees. Over sixteen people were reported to have died from this exercise as a result of overcrowding and stampede. This incidence took place under Abba Moro, the then minister of internal affairs. Up till now the case stills linger on in court. No one has been punished. 

Another major problem here is the collapse of old and new buildings with many recorded causalities. Again no one has pay the price for this criminality....the building owners, contractors, local regulating authorities and governments and sometimes the court always connived to protect the interest of the building owners. The examples of cases here includes 2014 building collapse of the synagogue church of all nation where over 100 people perished mostly foreigners. Till date no one has been brought justice. 

So, who pay the price of impunity ? The causalities ! The injured ones ! The helpless innocent citizens ! 

Another one is 2016 Uyo church collapse where over 200 death was recorded. Again, no one has pay the price for this criminal act despite having the current governor in attendance for the church programme. The innocent worshipers of Reigners Bible Church turned victims remain the ultimate PRICE PAYER of this criminal behaviour. 

The issue of Lekki Gardens where thirty-five people were killed can not be easily forgotten. The Lagos state government took some 'gra gra' step and got the contractors arrested. That was the last update on the issue to the public. 

The dead ones have paid the impunity price.

The recent Abuja building collapse too recorded two death. Today 2nd September 2018, Catholic church collapsed in Delta state resulted in one death and fifteen inured people. 

Your guess is as good as mine on the next line of action regarding today incidence, the country will carry on as if nothing has happened. No investigation, ! No one get punish ! Only meaningless condolence messages ! End of story. The dead has paid the price of impunity.


Collapse of building will keep happening !! Killings of hapless citizens continues ! 

We also have issue of mass killing under police watch, land grabbers and owners, trucks and haulage business owners on our motor ways through avoidable accidents and other places. Majority of offenders among these group of people go scot-free as no one has been brought to justice to deter others. 

But the major incidence of impunity that is threatening the unity and peace of the country is the Fulani herdsmen killing of the helpless farmers and innocent citizens across the country mostly in Plateau, Benue, Taraba and Oyo states. The incessant killing continues with no end in sight. The total number of death recorded is unimaginable. Most affected are children and women. The Herdsmen also attack and kill worshipers inside church at will. 

The biggest problem about this crisis is that the ruling government is doing little or nothing apart from issuing conflicting statements that the killers are foreigners in order to excuse the Fulani herdsmen from the killing because President Buhari is their patron (Miyetti Allah association). In fact the level of hatred speech by this association is enough to officially label them terrorist organisation. 

But what happened the president and his team as usual displayed their trademark because of president's interest....CONNIVING SILENCE whereas other body like IPOB that has done fewer atrocities are being harassed and arrested day in day out. 

The Fulani herdsmen cherish cows more than people's live, therefore it is right to label them murderers and terrorist organisation especially when the government is not doing anything about their crime and atrocities.

This is one major reason why we need to restructure the country because our orientation and attitude to life are different.

According to David Young, Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge de Affairs, US Embassy in Nigeria, impunity is really fuelling the killings in the land because people tend to commit serious crime and get away with it without being brought to justice because the government is not doing enough to get perpetrators punished. He made this statement when he visited Plateau state to commiserate with victims' family of Fulani herdsmen killing. 

He said: “On behalf of the United States Government and American people, I want to express again our condolences on the tragic loss of lives across Plateau, North-Central and North-West states. Quite a lot of people have died; it has been very terrible tragedies. We want to affirm the sanctity of human lives and anytime a person dies, it is a tragic loss, be that person a Christian, Muslim, Berom, farmer or herder. 

“I think it is clear; we know and government knows that as well. A lot of people are doing good things and working hard. But it needs to be even more because it is clear that there is a climate of impunity. When people are committing serious crimes, they get away with it, without being brought to justice. 

 “It is so important that there should be very strong efforts to make sure that people are brought to justice for these terrible crimes. It is also important to address the drivers of conflicts, address opportunity, fight poverty and provide jobs and hope for young people, because definitely, young people are getting into terrible groups. They really need to be part of the future and as such need mentoring and parenting.” 

The actual number of victims of Fulani herdsmen killing is unknown as conflicting figures are being published. Just this week the Benue state governor, revealed that about 50 security operatives have been killed since January 2018 by Fulani herdsmen. A human right organisation called international society for civil liberties and rule of law (Intersociety) has put the number of extra-judicial killings by boko haram, Fulani herdsmen, Zamfara bandits and security agents since President Buhari took over in 2015 at 22,600. By daily newspapers report, the number of death victims from Fulani herdsmen is up to 10,000 since Buhari took over in 2015.

Again, who is paying the price of impunity... THE DEAD ONES ! THE INJURED ONES !! THE INNOCENT CITIZENS !!! THE HARD WORKING FARMERS !!!! 

So far, no one has been brought to justice over this crime against humanity. This is a war crime. The innocent farmers and people are helpless. No help is coming to them. No compensation from government. The injured victims with psychological trauma are on their one. No one is fighting their case. The blood thirsting Fulani herdsmen continue to use their killing skills on unsuspecting farmers on their farms and other places. 

Many lives that could have contributed to the growth and development of Nigeria were cut short at prime time. 

Our is a not civilized society but a lawless country. Welcome to the land of impunity.  - Irunmole-nla