Kidnappers kill ex-governor's father- but who is to blame?

 They say every day is for the thief, one day is for the owner. That was the case of the entanglement between some the kidnappers and former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye that led to the untimely death of his father, Pa Dariye.

This post is not about being apologetic, or in any way in support of the activities of kidnappers, or kidnapping as an act, however, a close look at the peculiarity of Nigeria’s security challenges tells you a few things.

When the criminals that carried out the kidnapping of Pa Dariye were interrogated in broad day light, they confessed that their intention was to extort the former governor who had also gone on to become senator for eight years after his governorship tenure.

Their main reason was that there was unemployment amongst the youth of his constituency.

Is that a justification for their actions, certainly not, but you cannot totally take away the blame from Joshua Dariye- who has eventually been sentenced to a 10 year jail term for criminal misappropriation and breach of trust.

The ex-governor looted a whopping N2billion naira between 1999 and 2003 when he was governor.

In this period, the unemployment rate among the youth of the state grew rapidly, the state faced security challenges from marauding herdsmen with no solution. Many of its citizens were left in IDP camps because they lost their homes.

While all these were the result of a failed system (which the ex-governor could still be responsible for), the evil that befell his family came from the direct seed of immorality politicians like him sow in the society.

His father was eventually kidnapped by criminal elements that they empower with arms to carry out electoral malpractices just to reach political office. And though the criminals confessed that their intention was not to kill the elder Dariye, the killing was a direct result of providing dangerous youths with arms for the destruction of tho
se not in agreement.

Now, the beast he created through unemployment, and embezzlement turned on him.

While the activities of the criminal elements who led Pa Dariye to his untimely death is condemnable in the strongest words possible, a lot should also be said of how politicians deliberately allow the society to rot so that they can take advantage for their own gains.

The truth is that, by the time the criminal elements that have been empowered with arms get bored from oppressing the poor and down trodden, they will shift their focus to the high and mighty, and begin to torment them with the very weapon they provided them with.

The situation with Joshua Dariye was unfortunate because of the tragic loss of life involved. Pa Dariye did not have to die because some hungry and irresponsible youth did not know how to channel their youthful energy to something honourable and productive. And though the death is irreversible, lessons can be learned.

Politicians to should learn to be responsible while in office, it is their good deeds that will live after them. If they choose to be irresponsible while in office, and flaunt looted funds, the monkey go enter market, and e no go return again.