By John Gabriel A Professor of Political Science at the Bayero University Kano, Prof. Usman Kokonba on Tuesday said some terrible th...
By John Gabriel
A Professor of Political Science at the Bayero University
Kano, Prof. Usman Kokonba on Tuesday said some terrible things happening in
Nigeria, such as banditry, the killing of religious priests, demand for large
sums as ransom from families of abducted victims, the compulsory levy imposed
on communities by bandits, control of some communities and installation of
bandit kingpin as a community leader, are all indications that Nigeria is at
the brink of collapse.
He told DAILY POST, in Kaduna on Tuesday, that Nigerians
should forget about the 2023 elections, adding that all preparations, and hope
of change amount to nothing, if insecurity continued without control.
According to him, in so many communities in the north,
residents have deserted their homes, many have lost their lives, and many are
not interested in collecting their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) because they
are after what their families will eat.
He said in some communities in the north, bandits are busy
preaching, persuading villagers that they are better off, taking care of them,
providing them with their basic needs, and protecting them against attack,
thereby deceiving them that there is no government.
“Do you think those bandits controlling some local
government in the north, and the recently installed bandits’ kingpin in one of
the states in the north, will allow people to vote in 2023?
“Do you think that fears will allow the INEC officials and
polling clerk to conduct elections in such high-risk areas?” He asked.
Kokonba, who said it’s better for him to be out of
university as a lecturer, further berated the federal government for stopping
their salaries for being on strike.
He noted that if the strike continues till the election
period, who will serve as collation officer, among other senior officials that
will help in the conduct of the 2023 election.
He claimed that the president is even ready to hand over to
bandit leaders, whose representatives are present in the Police, Army, Navy,
Airforce and above all, many of them are now on the recruitment lists or newly
recruited forces across the country.
He said as those criminals are gradually taking control of
communities, they will graduate to take control of the local government,
states, and the federal government.
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