The political campaigns which were declared open a few weeks ago have already started to draw blood. But why?
Economic saboteurs must be named and shamed.
Nigerians woke up last Thursday to the embarrassing and shocking news of the death of about 37 people in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The diseased 37 young people were among the 65 persons arrested in connection with illegal mining in Niger.
The manner of their death has since led to the sacking of some officials and empaneling a committee to probe into the circumstances that led to the mysterious deaths.
One thing is sure, and that is where it rankles most: Whatever may be the findings of the panel will not bring back to life the dead. The families of the young victims will live to bear the loss of their loved ones.
Questions have been asked without answer about why such teenagers were in mining sites and not in their classrooms, and who recruited them for the illicit escapade?
The death of these youths may have also exposed what may have been going on without anybody hearing about it. A lot of permutations are going on over the possible reason for the mysterious deaths. The one that has refused to go away is, who are the sponsors?
Like what is going on in the bloody business of abduction, where certain wealthy individuals arm the radicalised youths with AK-47 and other dangerous weapons to go commit the crime for financial gain, illegal mining is being touted to follow the same trajectory.
Nigeria seems to have become used to terrible deaths and large figures that death has lost its bite and Nigerians has equally lost their humanity.
If anyone thinks that what happened in Niger would lead to an end of illegal mining in Nigeria, such thinking is sheer bunkum!
Over the years, mindless stealing of the nation’s patrimony has been flayed by those who have the interest of Nigeria at heart. Yet, the scale of the corruption has not abated. If anything, it is worsening.
Although mineral resources are on the Exclusive List under the Nigerian Constitution, some highly connected and those with tentacles that run deep into the corridors of power in the country believe the minerals are their personal property.
Item 39 of the Second Schedule gives the federal government sole control over mines, minerals, oil fields, and natural gas. It stipulates that only the federal government can make laws, issue licences, or regulate mining activities, but these have not been the case. In some parts of the country, some political figures and socio-cultural groups have, over the years, arrogated to themselves the rights to the minerals in their domain. They have made statements advocating for regional control, equity or specific rights regarding the mineral resources in their part of the country.
These agitations are rooted in a highly complex and long-standing political economy debate in the country regarding federalism, devaluation and resource control.
Efforts by the National Assembly to tinker with the Constitution on the control of mineral resources have only yielded bills and no laws.
What has been noticed over the years has been sheer impunity by the highly placed and well-connected individuals in society who steal away the common wealth through illegal mining and illicit oil bunkering.
Virtually all the states in the country are plagued by illegal extraction of solid minerals, but the degree at which it is happening in Niger and Zamfara States is mind-boggling.
While Niger experiences massive illegal mining of gold, lead, zinc and tin, Zamfara is burdened by constant illegal gold mining.
The entitlement spirit by eminent personalities in those states may have provided oxygen for the illegal mining to thrive.
In 2020, while he was still the governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, now minister of Defence (state), was quoted to have said that the gold mined in the state belonged to Zamfara. His assertion sparked controversy over resource control and comparison with the crude oil in the Niger Delta.
It is not yet clear if Matawalle has been de-radicalised from the dangerous mindset. He is a serving minister of the Federal Republic at a time when illegal mining has assumed a monstrous dimension.
Some time ago, the media was awash with news report over some helicopters sighted ferrying away mined solid minerals. Nothing was heard about any punishment meted out to anybody in connection with the economic sabotage.
The same level of mindless siphoning of the nation’s crude oil is going on in the Niger Delta despite billions of naira the government spends on a monthly basis to check the leakages in the region.
Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, in January this year, pointedly accused retired Military Generals, permanent secretaries and other prominent figures of being the brains behind the malfeasance.
He claimed that these individuals use private helicopters to illegally transport gold and other precious minerals out of the country.
The seeming invincibility of these alleged big thieves has also strengthened the allegation that those in this illegal business have backers in the corridors of power.
The oft-claimed sterling performance by the Nigerian Navy in its task of policing the Niger Delta region to ensure little or no crude oil thievery, has continued to fly in the face of truth.
Despite the claimed deployment of intelligence and all manners of technology to track down the saboteurs, the Nigerian economy has continued to bleed from that front.
Moreover, despite the efforts of the Joint Task Force (JTF), illegal oil bunkering has persisted in the region. This has fueled speculation that there must be some powerful forces that sustain the illegal activities.
One of the 2027 Presidential candidates has always asserted that crude oil cannot be stolen by hiding it in a pocket. Those who steal the product come into the nation’s territorial waters with a huge barge which is not hidden. He believes that illegal oil bunkering cannot happen unless there are colluders, who like the proverbial dog, are eating the bones hung on their necks.
While the Federal Government has been commended for moving very fast in suspending some of the officials of the NSCDC over the mysterious deaths, and also raising a panel to that effect, Nigerians have called on the powers that be to make a statement with those who may be found to have traded their duty for mammon or those collaborating with nationals of other countries to carry out the economic sabotage. Anything to the contrary will ne do.
Intolerant politics
The clash that took place in Warri and Effurun, Delta State a few days ago was very unfortunate. Political parties and their supporters must concern themselves with selling their manifestoes to the Nigerian electorate and not resort to violence and brigandage to win support.
Reports had it that supporters of one party attacked some youths of another party during recent political gatherings and mobilisations.
There have been several related clashes between supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) or the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The opposition leaders have also raised the alarm over a wave of intimidation, including suspected political thugs targeting opposition offices and figures in Edo State.
Campaigns are just starting. Parties have not really mobilised themselves to hit the streets. Some are yet to constitute their campaign councils.
What is going on at the moment is simply an introductory part of the campaign, yet, hoodlums are already wreaking havoc on their opponents.
If parties are clashing at this stage, what will happen when the full campaign begins toward the tail end of October, when all the candidates will mass out on the streets to canvas for votes?
No state should be made a battle ground for mortal combat because of votes. It must be emphasised that name-calling, abuse of personality and outright falsehood are not ingredients of a good campaign.
Any rhetoric that aims to divert attention from the main focus must be done away with. Peace must be allowed to reign.