By Edwin Uhara
I read the article written by one Dr Perry Brimah where he shamelessly expressed his crass ignorance and understanding of the statement made by the Honourable Minister of Interior, retired lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau during his recent visit to Zamfara State to make on-the-spot assessment of the activities of bandits in the state.
The Minister while in the state said persistent attacks on the residents of Zamfara State could affect food security in the state. His words: “Since those affected by the killings are largely the agrarian rural dwellers, the activities of bandits will have serious impact on agriculture and food security.”
However, Dr Brimah in his analysis of the matter mischievously interpreted General Dambazau’s statement to mean that government was paying more attention to food security than the lives of the people.
Before I continue, I want to ask if Dr Brimah is truly a doctorate holder? I ask this question because I do not see the reason a man with doctorate degree or title could not understand that there is a linkage between food and life.
The linkage also mean that the less the availability of food, the more the threat to lives due to malnutrition, hunger, diseases and even death.
And likewise, less food could also mean more health cost to the people but most importantly, the people of Zamfara State rely mostly for survival on the food they produce. So, an attack on the means of their livelihood is also an attack on their lives.
And that is why the Minister said: ”We are committed to working closely with the state government to deploy more security resources to the state (Zamfara) … This administration will continue to go to any length to protect the lives and properties of the citizens because any single innocent life lost has a devastating effect on the nation and is unacceptable.”
Is there anything complex or too difficult to understand in the Minister’s statement?
Therefore, one wonders where Dr Brimah got his facts from and how his interpretation of the statement means that government is paying more attention to food security than to the lives of the people.
Is it a must that Dr Brimah must comment on what General Dambazau said even when it seems he has no idea or clear understanding of what the Minister said?
Instead of embarrassing himself publicly by misinterpreting and misrepresenting what General Dambazau said during his visit to Zamfara State, is it not better that he keep quiet and be counted among the wise ones rather than exposing his crass ignorance to the reading public of the world? Haba “Doctor!”
Comrade Edwin Uhara writes from Abuja
The views and opinions expressed in this article are purely of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the position of Business Post Nigeria on the subject matter.
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