It was to be expected that something tragic was building up on that road. The information available predicted that. But being a society that pushes everything to God, nothing concrete was apparently done, although some travellers saw troops on patrol on the road at a point. That informed Intervention’s August 4th, 2020 story titled Troops Now Patrol Abuja- Loko – Oweto – Otukpo Road. It was a sequel to Over 40 Kidnapped on Nasarawa – Agatu Road Within One Week. That was Intervention headline on July 6th, 2020.
The Abuja-Oweto-Eastward Road
It is thus either part of laxity on the part of the security establishment or carelessness of the public or simply more manifestation of generalised insecurity that bandits could still hijack two buses carrying Road Safety Corps members early last Monday and out of which two members of the FRSC are dead. Otherwise, there were enough hints both in the media and otherwise, that some ‘strange elements’ have penetrated that environment/route.
People prefer to call these Fulani herdsmen but, in truth, these cannot but be guerrillas, renegade fighters and terrorists. The Federal Government and security chiefs who, obviously, do not wish to alarm the populace or declare their helplessness, has chosen to keep quiet instead of speaking the truth and mobilising the people against guerrilla tactics. Yet, there is no policing or military tactics that can undo practitioners of guerrilla warfare.
The choice is clear: government has no option to admitting who these people are and then mobilise the Nigerian people against guerrilla fighters or the society will suffer worse fate than what exists already.
For, what is developing fast on this road is also what has been happening on Abuja – Kaduna Road and Abuja – Lokoja – Ibadan Road. A clear strategy of encircling the country appear to have unfolded. Already, almost everyone has abandoned Abuja – Kaduna Road. No less has happened on Abuja – Lokoja and same appears developing on Abuja – Oweto. How bad can it be?
