Why Python Shouldn’t have danced in the South East
Donald Trump the debonair American businessman who recently clinched the coveted United States of America’s Presidency in the ticket of the Republican Party is a man that is fascinated by some crazy epithets and nicknames.
As he busies himself interviewing potential members of his cabinet who would serve the American people with him when he is sworn in by January 20th 2017, one characteristic that manifests is his inclination to go for United States citizens with the craziest sounding names.
He (Trump) is reported as boasting before tumultuous crowds of his American supporters who turned out at one of his very recent ‘thank you’ rallies that he has chosen as his Secretary of Defence a retired military General who goes by the name “Mad-Dog”.
The British Guardian reported the above nomination thus: “The retired Marine general, known for his blunt approach towards the United States Military and Middle-East conflicts…”
The American President-elect who has just been named Time Magazine prson of the year 2016 made this announcement in Ohio thus: “I don’t want to tell you this, I refuse to tell you, don’t let it outside of this room. I will not tell you that one of our great generals, don’t let it outside, we are going to appoint Mad Dog Mattisas our Secretary of Defense and we’re not announcing it until Monday so don’t tell it to anybody.”
Incidentally, Mr. Trump’s penchant for crazy nicknames has an ally in the Nigerian Army under the current dispensation because of a number of Code names assigned to specific internal security operations undertaken by the Nigerian Army.
In the North East which is the epicenter of terrorism in Nigeria, the Nigeria Army has since launched a counter-terror operation it called ‘Operation Lafia dole’ meaning operation restore peace by all means. In the restive Niger Delta region where there has been a resurgence in bombing of Crude Oil pipelines, the Nigerian Army launched what it called ‘‘Operation Crocodile Smile’’.
In what perhaps has received widespread condemnation, the Nigeria Army has recently launched what it called “Operation Python dance” in the very peaceful South East of Nigeria.
Amongst the groups singled out by the Army are the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB); Criminals and armed Fulani herdsmen.
Why the Army compared IPOB with violent criminals is mystifying and ludicrous.
The Army warned these groups to stop causing trouble or be ready to be crushed.
The one-month exercise which kicked off on November 27th would end on December 27, after which the Army would be on ground to maintain peace in the various communities in the geo-political zone, so it says.
Deputy Director of Army Public Relations of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Sagir Musa, told reporters in Awka that the prevalent security issues such as robbery, kidnapping, abduction, herdsmen-farmers clashes and violent secessionist attacks, among others, would be the main focus of the exercise.
Accusing IPOB of secessionist attacks is the greatest lie from the pits of hell.
But in his words, essentially, any group that threatened the security of the nation in the zone would be disarmed, adding that the exercise became necessary because of the rise in violent crimes during the yuletide period.
Col Musa said that for the purpose of the exercise, there would be increase in the number of soldiers and check points in the zone, adding that troops would also be moving from one point to the other to maintain peace.
He said that after the exercise, the Army would continue to maintain internal security in line with the existing joint security task forces in the states, insisting that the military would not hesitate to apply the rules of engagement to deploy troops to deal with secessionists as appropriate.
Musa said: “It would be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff, having painstakingly appraised the myriad of security challenges and scenarios across the country, ordered the conduct of both command post and field training exercises as a way of enhancing troops preparedness across the spectrum of contemporary challenges.
“Exercise Python Dance has been planned for the South-East Region from November 27 to December 27. It will be multi-agency in nature: Nigerian Army and other security agencies are expected to synergize and collaborate extensively and an elaborate civil-military cooperation line of operation has been planned during the exercise".
The heralding or commencement of this operation 'python dance' in the South East is coming exactly few days after the United Kingdom founded International Human Rights Group- Amnesty International indicted the Nigerian Army of killing through extra-legal means some 150 members of the peaceful and unarmed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
With the disclosure and commencement of this so-called operation python dance, a number of issues have arisen such as the gross inconveniences that have been imposed on commuters traveling within the South East region or indeed those returning home from other parts of Nigeria during the Yuletide.
Again, there are reports that the prolonged traffic gridlocks formed around the nearly half a century old River Niger Bridge because of the Operation Python dance in Onitsha, Anambra State has constituted grave engineering threat to that only major bridge that links the South East of Nigeria with their other compatriots in other parts of Nigeria.
The Indigenous People of Biafra through its spokesperson has already accused the Nigerian Army of plotting to assassinate members of the peaceful agitators of self-determination.
The group whilst warning the people of South East to be wary of being caught unawares and eliminated by the military operatives engaging in operation python dance, has also launched what it called Operation David dance.
The spokesman of IPOB said the Operation David Dance is symbolic as a way of passing a message that no amount of military threats and extra-legal killings can deter the members from consistently agitating through peaceful means, the self-determination of the South East.
But almost immediately the Python started to dance in the South East, the last group identified by the Army, armed Fulani herdsmen have struck twice in Abia State in Arochukwu and Item, leaving in their wakes, tales of deaths, and destruction and maiming of peace loving members of those farming communities.
The Nigerian Army which seems to be dancing only in the Major towns of South East and causing spectacular nightmares for travellers could not prevent these dare devil attacks of armed Fulani herdsmen.
It is the considered position of this writer that the Python shouldn’t have gone dancing in the South East in the first place because it has created the impression that only the peace loving people of the South East are deliberately being provoked to protest the artificial inconveniences caused by the internal military operation so the armed security forces can find excuse to embark on another killing spree.
But why has the military chosen the name ‘Python’ for this kind of operation if it has nothing sinister behind the operation particularly when the South East is comparatively peaceful? Why let ‘Python’ dance in military uniform in the South East about the same time that the Kano State government raised alarm that fleeing boko haram operatives are relocating to Kano from Borno State and not even a SCORPION was sent to Kano state by the Nigeria Army.
Some observers have even stated that the choice of the name ‘Python’ for the military operation portrays a kind of dangerous undertaking that only targets the elimination of perceived opponents.
"Typically the Python kill its prey by constriction which is seen as one of the most gruesome pattern of violence."
The Encyclopedia Britannica gives us some insights on the characteristics of a Python thus: “Prey is captured by striking and biting, usually followed by constriction. When swallowing prey, pythons secrete a mucus that contains harmless trace amounts of venom proteins.”
Honestly, what the people of South East of Nigeria expects from the Nigeria Army is not to kick off another internal security operation coated in such venomous coloration about this time that the Army as an institution should indeed embark on large scale campaign to win the hearts and minds of the people given that there is already a report which actually indicted some military operatives of extra-judicially killing 150 people of the South East.
The Nigerian Army must continue to operate as an institution created by the constitution to protect each and every Nigerian since the Army belongs to Nigeria and to the people of Nigeria which includes the good people of the South East of Nigeria.
This challenge is imperative given that the South East of Nigeria is one place the Nigeria Army receives some of its best support and partnership.
Recently, the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai launched the Nigerian Army “Thank You for Your Service Initiative”, and amongst the very first supporters are the people of South East of Nigeria in Ebonyi and Enugu States.
Specifically, in a publication in Thisday Newspaper of December 5th 2016, endorsed by Major General JGS Hamakin the Director General of the Nigerian Army resource center, the Nigerian Army Stated as follows: “The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai, in an effort to boost the morale of the troops of the Nigerian Army, has conceived and launched the “Thank You for Your Service” Initiative.”
“While this initiative originated from the Nigerian Army, it will be a 100% private sector driven initiative, championed by the Nigerian people, as it is in other parts of the world.”
“The objective of this initiative is to show the soldiers of the Nigerian Army that the Nigerian people are standing with them, and they support and appreciate their efforts and sacrifice for the nation.”
“The first scheme under this Initiative is the Water Project. The aim is to provide the Nigerian Army frontline soldiers with a continuous supply of 50 cl bottled water with a message that reads, “Thank You for Your Service”. This water is not for sale, as the cost will be borne by partners to the initiative.”
“The Initiative, which has already received support from TETFUND, Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos, Ebonyi and Enugu State Governments, with commitments from Abia, Nasarawa, Plateau, Borno States and other corporate organisations.”
This writer is of the opinion that Python should not have in the first place be allowed to dance in the South East just as the Nigerian Army alongside other security forces must implement law based and human right-based approaches to combat crime and criminality and to work assiduously to stop armed Fulani attackers from continuing their dare devil attacks in the South East and any other part of Nigeria.
*Emmanuel Onwubiko is the National Coordinator of the Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria and blogs @ www.emmanuelonwubiko.com