By GODDY UWAZURIKE

The constitution has far reaching sections on the security and welfare of the citizens which it calls the primary duty of the government. It said government without specifying whether it is the federal, state or local government. In other words, it is the primary duty of all three. The constitution also guarantees our right to liberty, education, movement and dignity of citizens. The same constitution assures us qualitative education and freedom from religious domination.

What has just happened to the unspecified number of students and staff is an unmitigated assault on the sovereignty of Nigeria, eleven and half years after the Chibok abduction.

The local common factor of both abductions is that the man who was the governor of Borno (Chibok is a part therein) is today the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (both Kebbi and Borno are states herein)!

I can say without any fear of contradiction that we have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing!!! As always, the ubiquitous military checkpoints failed to detect the terrorists as they rode their motorcycles in groups of 100 for long distances and the military intelligence failed to detect danger. By the way, let us remember that the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari laboured hard to get us to refer to the outlaws as bandits and not terrorists. The current leadership of the APC government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also treating the outlaws with kid gloves.

As a matter of fact, the decision of President Donald Trump to go after Nigeria is based on a report made by the Catholic Bishop in Benue state in 2024, before Trump came to power. This latest kidnapping adds fuel to the anger of the genocide evidence brought by the Benue state based Catholic Bishop!! Yesterday, Pope Leo listed Nigeria among countries under the inhumane jack knife of genocide!!! It should be remembered that it was the complaint of the Pope early this year that made the President of Nigeria to visit Benue state (without visiting the scene of the massacre)!

On paper and as a lawyer, I can tell you that the victims and relations have a legal right to remedy from the governments!! Yes, they will get a meaningless declaratory judgement based on Section 14 of the constitution but may get a favorable judgement under the Enforcement of their Fundamental Rights.

But the problem a lawyer will have is convincing litigants that there is a room for justice in this country!!! This is so that even if a court gives an enforceable judgement, whether the government of Nigeria today will obey!! Executive lawlessness is the order of the day today. Even in private cases, the phrase ?go to court? is commonly bandied about by the guilty party. In other words, impunity is the order of the day!!

It is tragic that kidnapping, terrorism, massacre are daily contents of news today in Nigeria!!!

And yet the Federal Government of Nigeria today is working day and night to convince the world that all is well in Nigeria today!!!

?Chief Goddy Uwazurike, veteran lawyer and activist, writes from Lagos.

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