By Chima Azubuike
One of the videos,which was shot in Osun state the military officer was seen calming frail nerves and immediately the youths bought into his ryhmes that the military is all out to protect them that was how they reasoned together.
Nigeria is in a difficult time that requires a different and unique methodology and not the usual force.
Mediation which includes; Arbitration, negotiation, reconciliation must be looked into just like the two excellent officers.
How i wished, the plea of Dr. Doyin Okupe, urging the youths to retreat, having succeeded in gathering momentum to quickly galvanise themselves and get set to go to the negotiation table with government was adopted. Maybe alot would have been achieved,lives and the destruction of property avoided.
Some have argued that if the president Muhammadu Buhari, had spoken earlier, may be not with a prepared speech but by heart that alot would have been avoided. Some had said the Inspector General of Police Adamu Mohammed, was too quick to name replacement. Some claimed that protesters did not see the protests coming to an end immediately but IGP having disbanded the Special Anti Robbery Squad named an alternative which is SWAT instead of glorying in the momentum of proscription of a dangerous as youths were already in the mood. Some said politicians hijacked the protest by bringing in their thugs who started the destruction, if not for the shooting at lekki toll gate,but there was curfew these are mere conjectures neither here nor there.
It time for the new approach in peace building and rifle will not do it but negotiation. There is this believe that an Army man does not have patience, but these officers in the video have proven us wrong. Nigeria has gallant officers, ones that will not delight in killing a fellow Nigeria. The president can still remedy the situation.
