A country where a few political oligarchs leave the majority deprived and impoverished is only grooming more Vampires, Aninis, and Shekaus.
The story of Henry Chibueze, the bloodlusting, kidnapping and armed robbery gang kingpin, popularly known as Vampire, should remind many Nigerians of the much dreaded Lawrence Anini, a notorious armed robber who terrorised the former Bendel State in the 1980s.
According to a report in PREMIUM TIMES, Vampire was the leader of a gang responsible for many kidnaps, armed robbery attacks and the killing of over 200 people in the South-South and the South-East zones of the country.
Like Anini, Vampire also ran out of luck, only last week, as he shamefully fell to the bullets of the gallant men of the Nigerian Police Force in a gun battle. That he fell is good news. Kudos to the Nigerian Police.
Sadly, it is not yet uhuru, because Vampire still lives.
This should not be mistaken for a dirge or eulogy dedicated to Vampire’s atrocious life. But, if we will not deceive ourselves, Vampire is just a reflection of one of the horrible possibilities in our country, where so many factors could force youngsters to resort to self-help.
Hence, we do not need a seer to tell us that we are surrounded by a host of potential and much deadlier ‘Vampires’. This is not being pessimistic, as the evidence is too glaring for anyone to deny or ignore.
A country with 10 million out-of-school youth, without a clear and well mapped out short- to long-term plan on how to turn the tide of indolence and poverty is a fertile ground for breeding potential Vampires, and perhaps, more militants or Boko Haram foot soldiers.
Also, that Nigeria’s unemployment rate is on the increase, as recently reported by the National Bureau of Statistics, is another valid testament that there are potential Vampires in our country.
We cannot divorce the rate at which people indulge in crimes – kidnapping, armed robbery and terrorism – for survival, from unemployment and the lack of education and opportunities.
Education refines and trains the mind to solve societal problems. It is globally regarded as the bedrock of human capital development; the foundation of other societal developments. As such, the increasing number of out-of-school students in our clime is a pointer to a disastrous future.
Of course, the future of every child may be said to be in the hands of God, but with 10 million out-of-school students, we do not need to ask from where cometh the Vampires, Aninis and Abubakar Shekaus of the next generation.
Only those living in a fool’s paradise would be praying, fasting and hoping that the Aliko Dangotes, Prof. Wole Soyinkas and Oby Ezekwesilis of next generation will emerge from among the out-of-schools littering our streets from Aba to Zamfara.
All over the word, the crime rate is directly or indirectly connected to mass unemployment. As such, we cannot choose to ignore questions that points to the inherent risk and danger of having 10 million out-of-school students and millions of young unemployed Nigerians. Or to keep paying lip service to these serious issues like our political elite do.
For them, having a 100 million out-of-school students and more unemployed Nigerians is a blessing. It helps them maintain the status quo and perpetuate their dynasties in our polity. This is why they loot, send their children abroad to schools and get them the best jobs in the land through the back door thereafter.
The negative multiplier effects of their heists tellingly brought us were we are today in Nigeria and we can connect the dots on how they have terrorised and sent many Nigerians to their early graves, like Vampire did.
The ‘good’ news, however, is that, the generation of Vampires that their kleptocracy is breeding will surely come for them and their children. It is just a matter of time…
A country where a few political oligarchs leave the majority deprived and impoverished is only grooming more Vampires, Aninis, and Shekaus.
Vampire is dead, yet he lives.
Ahmed Oluwasanjo writes from Abuja.
