These killings must stop
Sir: The spate of killings in some states of the federation is worrisome and calls for everyone’s attention and concern.
Each day is greeted by announcements of bombings here and there with several innocent lives cut short unceremoniously.
The menace of herdsmen has also become a recurring decimal in Nigeria and lives are being lost on a daily basis.
Yet, these are our brothers and sisters being sent to their untimely deaths every now and then. People with aspirations and dreams for the future just like us.
Their only offence, as it were, is that they are Nigerians and decided to live in their own country and that decision has become highly regrettable. This period calls for inputs from all of us. There certainly must be a stop to these senseless killings.
Maybe all we need to do from now on, at least in all the troubled spots, is to start a process of searching people wearing hijab so as to ascertain if nothing is hidden under the veils.
This is because suicide bombers have abused people’s trust and confidence and now there is need for great caution. It is true that wearing of hijab is one of the hallmarks of good and well-bred Muslims ladies and women.
But the spate of killings now suggests that we must look for ways necessary to play safe. Innocent worshippers in mosques are in the habit of seeing those in hijab as fellow Muslims coming to worship Allah but with daily havoc wreaked by suicide bombers, people in hijab in the troubled spots should now be viewed with suspicion until proven to be harmless.
Unless we try this suggestion, there may not be anything the law enforcement agents will be able to do to curtail the killings.
There should also be urgent dialogue between herdsmen and their host communities on the need to live together in harmony as before. Whatever must be done, these killings must stop.
• Jide Oyewusi lives in Lagos.
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