It is pertinent to state that all of these unfortunate actions were but a reaction to the shortcomings, and if you like, say failure of relevant authorities to live to their responsibilities. Because little or no pragmatic response was given to the many outcries from victims of SARS brutality, the ungodly act continued unchecked so much that the rather helpless and fearful young men on the street couldn't absorb the heat anymore. They, afterwards, reacted by protesting albeit peacefully abinitio. And even after the disbandment of the unit, they remained on the street until those with ulterior motives took undue advantage of the process, leading to the gory condition, a situation we all frowned at.
Now that we are left to count our losses following our thoughtless actions and inactions, I hope we have learned our lessons. I hope that when next genuine calls are put across, we wouldn't mind the social/economic class of the person(s) making the calls. And that, even when we find it necessary to react, we would know when and where to pause, analyse our success or otherwise, re-strategize and bounce back. We should always have it at the back of our minds that the hands of the clock can always turn around and mostly, to our disadvantage. We should as well be wise enough to know that with every passionate move we make to put a stop to any anormally, or drive home our demands, someone out there is lurking around the corner to take advantage of the situation.
Breaking into warehouses to destroy or loot items therein is by every means a condemnable act, for it has among other things, the potential to birth lawlessness and give it a breeding space. When people wake up in the morning, rather than go to offices, schools, markets or whereverelse they usually go, to fend for themselves and their families, and in turn, contribute to nation building there is every tendency for poverty, hunger and anarchy to loom.
While on the one hand, the act of hoarding relief items especially in the form of food and other consumables provided by Federal Government to states, in order to caushion the excruciating scrutch of Covid-19 is horribly absurd and must be condemned in unison, looting these items is likely to leave grave consequences in the near and far future because;
1. It has de-criminalized the act of destruction and looting, and so, encourage further breaking of both public and private properties which is already observed in some states. Not only are private residences, shops and more being intruded/trespassed and properties therein carted away, media channels are awashed with news of cases where doors, windows, refrigerators, fittings and more are not left out.
2. Since not all the warehouses that were broken were stocked with Covid-19 palliatives from Federal Government, and if information emanating from affected states is true, we may have to pay direly for this ill actions since the looted items are said to have been kept for the rainy days or are meant to be planted by the next farming season, the aftermath of which may lead to acute food shortage, hunger and poverty. Other information has it that the items are poisonous for consumption.
3. Those who profit from the act may make it a habit thereby leave their legitimate understandings to looting anything they find. This too would be too costly a practice to bear. Etc.
The earlier we apply wisdom in all that we do or don't do as individuals, groups and institutions, the better. The fragile state we are in already must be nurtured with extra caution by all components of state, you and I inclusive, lest we land ourselves in trouble whose consequences we may not be able to bear.
© Taru Salim Dugub.
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