The Mubi Massacre

THE massacre of 48 youths, most of them students of Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State, by unknown gunmen in their off campus hostels, has caused immeasurable rage.

The horrendous killings took place on the night of October 1, 2012, when the celebrations of Nigeria's 52nd Independence anniversary, had barely died down. Students from two other institutions: Adamawa State University and the School of Health Technology were also killed. Besides these deaths, scores lay injured; leaving parents and relatives in despair.

The motives for the killings are still unclear. But the manner of killings is quite suggestive as the students were shot or stabbed after their identities were ascertained, giving rise to the fear that the killings were probably a spin-off from the recent students union elections. Reports say that the elections were allegedly contested on ethnicity and the North-South divide, a theory some students dismissed as farcical. Others have insinuated sectarian motives were responsible for the murderous acts. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Life has become cheap in Nigeria since the outbreak of violence and terror linked to Boko Haram. These acts of bloodshed and criminality which some link to poverty and unemployment, as well as other anti-social such as kidnapping and robberies, have gone on unabated. The Mubi massacre has brought new challenges to the security crisis in the North.

The students of Adamawa State University were killed outside their campus by attackers who gained entry from the rear, thereby destroying the myth of the inviolability of school campuses. Nigerians may have become frustrated over the incessant senseless killings. The security agencies should brace-up, arrest the worsening security situation to avoid it degenerating into something more catastrophic for the country or to use the words of Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (rtd), " becoming a Somalia."

Emotional outbursts follow the killings of students anywhere in the world. This has been abundantly displayed in this instance. The students umbrella body, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), gave an ultimatum that the culprits must be apprehended within seven days, otherwise they would embark on street protests. The Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rightly urged President Goodluck Jonathan to go beyond condemnation of the massacre.

The Nigerian Senate was so incensed by the barbaric display in Mubi, that the Senators began calling for sterner measures, including capital punishment. But Nigerians are familiar with the outrage that follows killings, the lull in apprehending perpetrators and ensuring they face the full wrath of the law.

The killings at Mubi is one attack too many. The incessant spilling of blood by gangs of hoodlums and gunmen must be brought to an end; the security agencies must demonstrate further creativity to achieve results. These challenges call for new security architecture to fight today’s emerging crimes of terrorism, armed robbery and kidnapping, in a manner that inspires confidence in their efforts.

In the fight against these crimes, all arms of government must be on the same page. The National Assembly should update the relevant laws on these crimes. It is not enough for legislators to seek stiffer punishment for offenders; the country’s laws must reflect the seriousness of these offences.

Too often when culprits are charged for offences of this nature, much time is lost before justice is applied. It should be a matter of patriotic understanding that those charged with terrorism, murder and related offences, must receive speedy justice so that the right lessons are learnt. Elders in each community have their jobs cut out for them.

As leaders, it is their pivotal duty to mentor the youths in good conduct and rein in any potential criminals in the communities.

However, the enduring solution remains in, delivering deep and good governance; the strict maintenance of law and order and eradication of wholesale corruption.

The perpetrators of the Mubi killings must be brought to book.

The Nigerian Compass