Every Nigerian Is A Victim Of The Boko Haramic Bombings By: Saheed M. Toyin
The startling tragedy of the Nigeria's Bombardiers is already far above our imaginations. It's not funny that the activities of some set of hoodlums have resulted in turning the most populous country in the Black race to a religio-political hullabaloo and becoming non-habitable. In fact, one may not but concede that the challenge, hitherto, was more of ideology rather than a technical or military one, which, not too flabbergasting, the government has failed to arrest. Little wonder then, when even the Federal Government of Nigeria is 'Bokophobic'.
It's high time we called on our Statisticians, Mathematicians, Numerologists and Data Analysts to, in microsecond; give us the approximate number of victims of the various bombings. Can this be done successfully? In fact, why do we need it? To my mind, it's relevant, in determining the approximate number of lives lost and for the vulnerable members of the society to prepare afrorehand, so that we'll not be gradually and systematically bombed to extinction.
I am not trying to be owlish, but optimistic that an exercise of this nature is, to a reasonable extent, very easy. Shall we then, embark on a voyage of calculation?
The country's population was put around 140 million by the National Population Commission after the 2007 population census. In 2011, after the voter's registration exercise, it was estimated that about 80 million Nigerians were eligible to vote and be voted for.
The important thing is that Nigeria's population is more than 100 million. It is also interesting to note that the orbit of the Boko Haramites circulated its nuke more conveniently (if you don't mind) in the year 2011 due to the numbness of the FGN. In fact, nothing less than fifteen (15) different strikes were launched last year, with approximate 1000 lives lost and bodies injured.
On the 27th of May, 2011, eight (8) people were killed at a Police station and a Bank in Danboa, Borno State. Barely two (2) days after, three 3 people were killed and 13 wounded in Bauchi on our 'Democracy Day'.
The month of June opened another episode of reed in the display of bombing prowess, when on the 20th of June, 2011, some people, including five (5) policemen were killed in Kankara, Katsina State. A week later, precisely on the 27th of June, 2011, at least, five (5) innocent citizens met their untimely death in a beer parlour in Maiduguri. In August, 2011, at least, fifteen people were killed, in Gombi, Adamawa State and 23 people, at the UN House, Abuja. On the 12th of September, 2011, seven (7) men, including four (4) policemen were reported dead after the Misau attack in Borno State.
The month of November, 2011 rings bell in our memory for the portentous strikes therein, resulting in the death of about 150 people, when the motorcade of the Borno State Governor were killed, and the attack on a Police station and its suburb in Damaturu, Yobe State, same day. In the same month, particularly on 9th of November, 2011, there was also a bombing, but none died. In the last week of November, 2011 we 'witnessed' the killing of three policemen and some civilians in Geidam, Gombe State, six Churches were also reported to have been bombed, a police station was also attacked, a beer parlour in rampage, a shopping complex raided, a high court struck, a local building gutted and 11 cars burnt.