Using a Poisoning as Pretext to Race Back into Crisis

by Eze Eluchie,

Recent events at the global arena has given life to the hypothesis that entrenched interests at the international level feel most uncomfortable with any likelihood of rapprochement between the major military powers, and are perhaps inclined towards a state of upheavals, tension and outbreak of hostilities amongst nations.

The emergence of a US President who publicly pronounces admiration for a Russian leader, and the reality that such admiration is reciprocated with the attendant emerging scenario of an era of amity between the twin major military powers, appeared too good for hawkish elements on both sides of the ideological divide. Right from the very onset of his presidency, these hawkish elements set out besmear and becloud whatsoever positives that could be gained from any good relations between US President, Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladmir Putin.

From as yet unproven allegations of Russian interference in the outcome of the US 2016 Presidential elections to vague accusations of use of chemical warfare in Russian military operations in Syria, those who think they stand to benefit from crisis have always tried to up the ante at building mistrust and enmity at the slightest opportunity.

The poisoning of British under-cover spy who had been embedded in Russian security institutions, Sergi Skripal, and his daughter in Salisbury provided a unique opportunity for varying interest to deepen cracks in already worsening relationships between the US and Russia whilst shoring up waning domestic profiles. The poisoning also provided a catalyst to stoke up the embers of regional strive and tensions. From British Prime minister, Theresa May, who is beset with myriad domestic issues, ranging from BREXIT negotiations that were not going as expected to down turn in British public finance outlooks and was in dire need for distractions and whatsoever would portray her as a ‘world leader’, to war-mongers in NATO who were worried that their livelihood was being threatened with President Trump’s insistence that all must bear a fair share of the burden for providing security in Europe, to leaders of extremist Islamist countries who abhorred the implications of a US-Russia alliance in the war against terror, there simply was a motley crowd willing, ready and able to galvanize support to deepen the divide between the US and Russia.

With full details of the poisoning yet to be ascertained and adequate scientific examinations yet to be conducted, accusing fingers were already being pointed in the directions of Russia, as culprits in the poisoning of former British double-agent. Some analysts claimed that the order for the poisoning came directly from the desk of Russian leader, Putin. In a space of less than 7 days, over 25 Western countries announced the expulsion of over 100 Russian diplomats from their territories. In trying to rationalize their actions, some of the countries concerned, such as Australia, overreached themselves in digging into the past, citing such issues as the Russia’s annexation of Crimea, military interventions in Syria, and involvement in the crisis in Ukraine.

As Russia prepares to roll out its retaliatory expulsion of Diplomats and closure of consulates of the countries which had taken hostile coordinated actions against her on account of the poisoning in , and the very high risk of escalating worsening relationships between Western countries and Russia, the prime beneficiaries of the ensuing crisis would be Theresa May, who would have surreptitiously sneaked her country back into the centre of Western activities and global attention and  international extremist Islamist entities who are gifted a reprieve from unanimity of purpose and action against extremist Islamists by Russia and the US (and by extension the West) whilst the greatest losers will be the international community which will now be saddled with the spectre of yet another descent into a bi-polar world characterized by a Cold War and the ever present likelihood of onset of apocalyptic conflict amongst the super powers.

The timing of the current crisis appears to coincide with the forthcoming World Cup scheduled for Russia in the summer. Right from the award of the monumental global event to Russia, spirited efforts have been made to revoke, cancel or alter the hosting of the 22018 World Cup in Russia – right from the very onset of the ‘poisoning crisis’, there have been calls for a boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Russia calmly swallowed the bitter pills of Olympic sanctions over alleged State sanctioned doping - it is very unlikely that Western boycott of the forthcoming World Cup on account of the current poisoning crisis, would be taken lightly in Moscow – the damage to relationships might be irreparable.

Hopefully, common sense will prevail before the situation deteriorates any further and stop the use of a poisoning in Salisbury as pretext to for a race back into global crisis.

Picture: Spy, Sergi Skripal, at his trial in Russia for espionage related offences.                

  

#Dapchi: Nigeria's Politically Choreographed 'Abductions'

by Eze Eluchie

Having sneaked it’s way into office under the guise of providing strong leadership, particularly in the areas security of lives and properties, the Muhammadu Buhari-led government in Nigeria was understandably feeling quite exposed with the frequency of bloody terror attacks staged across the North-east fringes of Nigeria by Boko Haram. With an economy already at the brinks, increasing frequency of murderous attacks across the country by Fulani Herdsmen militia and and growing tension across the land on account of the irresponsiveness of the government to diverse national issues, there was the felt necessity by supporters of the regime to ‘prove’ or in any way whatsoever show that the government still had some bite, some exploits/abilities worthy of commendation.

Answer: Stage something spectacular and position the government to play the heroic saviour.

On February 9^th 2018, something spectacular did indeed happen at the Government Girls Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, North-Eastern Nigeria. A few days after military roadblocks and other security checkpoints were ordered to be dismantled around Dapchi town, a column of what is being touted as supposedly Boko Haram ’terrorists’ stormed the now defenceless school in Dapchi and strolled away with over 100 school girls. Findings by Amnesty International reveal that efforts by persons in Dapchi to notify security agencies while the ‘abductions’ were taking place, was discountenanced. The innocent school girls who were not privy to whatsoever was unfolding resisted, and some of them were killed during the ‘abduction’.

After the Dapchi ‘abductions’, the Nigerian government went into overdrive to stress that it was ‘on top of the situation’ and would DEFINITELY rescue the girls in a very short time span. The Minister of Defence proudly granted interviews within the past few days asserting that ‘gallant’ soldiers were in hot pursuit of the terrorists holding the girls and were on the verge of ‘rescuing’ the ‘abducted’ girls. President Buhari himself, apparently overwhelmed by the plot that was daily unfolding, embarked on an ill-advised red-carpet media-blitz visit to the venue of the ‘abductions’ in Dapchi, where he compared his government’s response to Dapchi with how the erstwhile Goodluck Jonathan administration had reacted during the Chibok ‘abductions’, and concluded that his {Buhari’s} administration’s reaction was better. The certainty with which the government was announcing it’s impending success at rescuing’ the girls, was simply mindboggling and suspect.

With the script playing out quite well with Interest displayed by global media outlets about a second mass abduction of female students in Nigeria by ‘Boko Haram’ was sufficient to convince the principal protagonists, the Buhari-led Nigerian government, that it was time to play the ‘hero’ and move to the concluding part of the script – the ‘rescue’/’release’.   

After spending 31 days in supposedly Boko Haram ‘captivity’, a long convoy of vehicles drapped with Boko Haramm flags and conveying heavily armed ‘terrorists’ and the 100 ‘abducted’ girls  meandered, unchallenged, through what is supposedly areas under intense security surveillance, and dropped off the ‘abducted’ girls in the centre of Dapchi town. The residents of Dapchi town, who apparently had foreknowledge of the ‘return’ of the ‘abducted’ girls, lined the streets of Dapchi to usher in the ‘Boko Haram’ convoy into Dapchi.

Pictures taken of the ‘rescued’/’released’ girls, soon after they were dropped off by their captors, of the girls decked in very neat school uniforms and each saddled with a bag of provisions and apparels, coupled with the heroic pre-arranged welcome of the Boko Haram ‘terrorists’ into Dapchi town, was simply too incredulous to be imagined. Are we to believe that the terrorists were so caring that they ensured the ‘abducted’ girl’s uniforms were properly laundered? Did Boko Haram terrorists spice up their caring nature by lavishing the ‘abductees’ with gifts at the end of their ‘ordeal’?

To fully take benefit of their ingenuity, the Buhari-led government wasted no time in claiming ‘victory’ for the ‘release’ of the girls, with the ruling All Progressive Congress {APC} political parties making pronouncements, simultaneous with the ‘release’ of how ‘effective’ the government was in handling the Dapchi ‘abductions’ when compared with how the Chibok saga was managed by the erstwhile Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The gloating over the ‘release’ of the Dapchi abductees’ has been ferocious, with nationally owned television and radio channels repeatedly broadcasting news and interviews on the heroic unconditional ‘release’ of the abductees of Dapchi.

Really? Vicious terrorists ‘abduct’ hundreds of school girls, keep them for a month and return them to their parents unconditionally? Without any ransom being paid or other conditions whatsoever? Does this regime really think Nigerians and the discerning international community do not see through this obvious scam?

If only the liberty, safety and lives of innocent school girls was not adversely impacted upon and the concerns of the parents of the girls, the greater Nigerian population and the international community had not been aroused, one would have had a nice lengthy laugh over the childishness of the Dapchi tragicomedy. That a government can descend so low in an effort to prop itself up as a ‘heroic’, security conscious and savvy entity is simply disgusting.

With this level of desperation, one does not need to be a rocket scientist to realize to what extent the sitting government would go in the forthcoming general elections slated for the first quarter of year 2019, towards reinstalling itself into office.

The dark clouds are gathering......

Video link: Residents of Dapchi give heroic welcome to Boko Haram ’terrorists’ when they returned the Dapchi ‘abductees’ earlier today, 21^st March 2018, at Dapchi.

https://twitter.com/SaharaReporters/status/976448663441625089

Picture: The returnee ‘abductees’ (neat and trim with packed bags) earlier today 21^st March 2018, at Dapchi.    

Picture: Residents of Dapchi give heroic welcome to the convoy of Boko Haram 'terrorists' who 'released' the 'abducted' Dapchi girls.