And just about few months back, some 12 soldiers' fate too was also decided through same capital punishment, in a democratic setting?
These people have been found guilty of mutiny. Mutiny of what? Found guilty for resisting to face some powers that are obviously above them. Found guilty for not gullibly jumping into a ditch, being punished for asking the Nigerian State to stand to its responsibility by providing sophisticated weapons that could enable them match the merciless and undauntedly cruel insurgents fire for fire.
Some were said to have sold out by supporting the insurgents to the detriment of the Nigerian State. Would this had happened if the nation had taken care of its men? It is a known fact that an untrained child will definitely sell his father's property.
To the best of our knowledge, corruption itself is the highest form of mutiny one can think of and if the C-i-C can give corruption a soft landing in one of his responses in a national TV, "corruption is not stealing", then these soldiers have done nothing to warrant being wasted like a grind rind of an orange.
History beckons on the Jonathan-led government if these innocent soldiers lost their lives just like that when there's more than enough evidence to vindicate them.
We're all aware and students of history and the western world are already in possession of the confidential letter written to President Jonathan by one of the generals in the battle front exposing the dirty deals going on and how the "GoCs" have been sabotaging the efforts of the Nigerian Army from conquering the insurgents.
This letter is good enough to give an insight into what a good administration should level on and do the needful.
At a time like this, when the nation is supposed to be in a sober mood and when all hands are meant to be on deck to find a lasting solution to the calamities befalling the country, shedding blood is the least anyone can pray for, what happen to life imprisonment if there must be a stiff penalty.
It's even more demeaning of a nation whose soldiers cannot boast of modern weapons and ammunition in its armoury and an ordinary militant is audacious enough to purchase sophisticated weapons and warships.
Who's fooling who? What's Tompolo's recent warship acquisition for? Who's behind all these, and for what basis is a warship for an individual to acquire. Needless to emphasise that the abortive efforts of this government to acquire weapons through the back door have been realised eventually.
The Otta farmer might be seen to be blowing hot but there's an urgent need for us to come to term with some of the agitation and reservations of the elderstatesman for this government and it is high time we reviewed the contents of his very first expose that shook the nation to its very root.
We must all wake up to stand up to this STAGE which seems to have been SET for...!
Because to before warn is to before harm.
Tunde Moshood Jr.
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