“One life taken in cold blood is as gruesome as a thousand others that may go down in genocide”
In 1981 during an international athletic trial, trigger happy policemen shot and killed Dele Udoh, a budding international athlete who came to Nigeria from the United states to represent his country but met death on the highway.
The incident generated public condemnation by Nigerians.
Till date, killers of Udoh are yet to be brought to book four decades after his demise.
The murder of Udoh was preceded by the state killing of Kunle Adepeju,the innocent undergraduate of the University of Ibadan who was felled by bullets fired police during a student protest at the University of Ibadan in 1971.
Beside Udoh several state killings have occured either during protests or peaceful demonstration against government policies. In this respect, the Nigeria Police have unwittingly turned itself into a mob which activities have led to deaths in various parts of the country by religious zealots who till date are yet to be reigned in by the state due to lack of will to do what is needed in a secular state.
In 2022, student Deborah Samuel was beaten and burnt alive in Sokoto state after being accused of making blasphemous comments.
Last year, a butcher, Usman Buda, was stoned to death in the same state under similar circumstances.
While the region and state where the above incidents took place are noted for harbouring murderous zealots for which the Nigerian state have no solution to stop its recurrence, it is ironical that the police who were trained to protect citizens irrespective of their religious faith turned their guns on protesting students.
The latest incidence involving Moses Mbah,a student evangelist who was felled by police bullet in Calabar last week is rather unfortunate and leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
It is sad that,the same police were being sustained by a secular state and by tax payers some of who are parents of several students in our various higher institutions.
It is equally sad that the students whose only offence was fighting for a better society of which the police are beneficiaries had to be silenced by guns purchased by their parents’ sweat.
Yet,since then, state killings of students and activists who represent hope for a brighter tomorrow have continued unabated while the state looks the other way.
Isn’t it ironical that the state is guilty of killing its own when its first duty is to protect?
It is also sad that the police in Cross Rivers state who under the guise of protecting the state governor have again turned their deadly weapon on Moses Mbah, a youthful evangelist whose only preoccupation is to win for Christ souls perishing in the state of which the state governor cannot be excluded?.
Yes, critics may blame Moses for daring to speak words of Life and Truth to those in authority in the state using the venue that led to the Office of the Governor Bassey Otu in Calabar, the duty of the police is to protect and guide Moses not to rain bullet on him.
Have the Nigerian police turned itself into a headless mob normally held responsible for similar actions in the past?.
Since Moses only weapon is the Bible, responding to his evangelistic foibles with pestle and mortar is killing the soul of the state.
It is doubtful whether Governor Otu will embrace or indulge police in killing a harmless citizen practicing the calling he enjoyed hust because they wanted to protect him.
What is more,the offer of N5 million compensation to Victoria Mba by the state is both inhuman and contemptuous.
It is contemptuous because instead of the state offering money to a grieving mother, display of consolation by a remorseful government and setting up of a fact-finding probe by the state would’ve convinced the aggrieved citizens of the state that value for human life earns a place in the governors heart.
This is why the attitude of Mrs Victoria Mba mother of the slain evangelist who rejected the compensation is a strong message that the life of a citizen is much more than whatever monetary value put on the table as compensation by the government elected to protect.
With the rejection of the money, Victoria has demonstrated that motherhood is much more precious and worth much more than the contemptuous ‘price’ placed on the young evangelist who merely wanted to share the word of truth and life but who was martyred in his line of duty.
Victoria hit the nail on the head when she said,”they said it was a condolence visit but I don’t know where condolence is done with money.”
Though Obogo, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, defended the compensation on the grounds that the state couldn’t visit empty handed, Victoria’s response is an attack on the twisted value system in our society which has equated life with money. The reason given by the CPS is not justifiable at a moment of mourning.
Governor Otu could only make a difference if in collaboration with the police ,he is able to ensure that the investigation is as thorough as thorough could be. The state should not only ensure that justice is done but also ensure that leaders are not shielded away from those who elected them into power.
Use of force by the security agencies to ward off ‘intruders ‘ should be seen as a last resort to prevent potentially dangerous elements from inflicting harm on their principal. If any act by aggrieved citizens is perceived as potentially dangerous definitely not the tract carrying evangelist who posed no threat whatsoever to those in authority.
Killing of Moses in a democratic setting is a minor for civility expected to be enjoyed by citizens. Thank God Cross River is not a hotbed of religious fanatics else the state would’ve been thrown into a crisis difficult to be contained by the police.
Both the Governor and the police owed it a duty to ensure that justice is dispensed to serve as a deterrent to law enforcement agents who often act with impunity on matters of public interest.
