hy is it virtually impossible for Nigerian security agencies (especially the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, and the Department of State Services, which is the intelligence agency) to have an engagement with any dissenting group without it leading to deaths? Some decades ago, Afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, sang about the Nigerian security agencies, noting that they “bring sorrow, tears and blood”, which he called their “regular trademark.”

In spite of the number of years that have elapsed since then, that same scenario still subsists. Over the weekend, it was reported that two people died in the face-off between the police and the Shiites, officially known as the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. Just slightly over a week ago – precisely two Sundays ago – it was reported that some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra were an altercation with the DSS, which led to the death of some people. IPOB said 21 of its members were killed. The DSS said two of its men were killed. The media said at least six corpses were found at the scene of the incident in Emene, Enugu.

What was the cause of the problem? Some newspaper accounts said that some members of IPOB were having their weekly prayers, meeting and martial arts training within the premises of Community High School, Emene that fateful Sunday morning, where members of the community gather for sports. Then a team of operatives of the DSS visited the venue of and used force to disperse them, killing some of their members. Members of the IPOB, in anger, went after the fleeing DSS operatives, captured one of them and killed him. The DSS called for reinforcement from the police and the military, who arrived the scene and responded with gunfire, worsening the casualty figures.

Since then, the security agencies and IPOB have been accusing each other of being the aggressor. IPOB claimed the DSS opened fire on its members who had no arms. The DSS claimed that it was on patrol when IPOB members attacked it and killed its men. The police claimed that they merely responded to the distress call made by a sister agency that was attacked by IPOB members. Curiously, the DSS and the police are armed agencies, while IPOB is not an armed group; yet it was IPOB that allegedly attacked the armed groups and killed their officers!

The media response of the DSS and the police was in consonance with the way the security agencies respond whenever an incident that results in fatalities occurs. Whenever there is a face-off between Nigerian civilians and the police, military, and other security groups in Nigeria, the press statement from such a security group is usually that such civilians were the aggressors. One wonders if anybody believes such press statements.

The belief was this flippant killing of civilians was caused by the dictatorial mindset that governs military juntas. However, this aberration has continued under different civilian administrations as if it is the standard way of engagement between security operatives and the civilian populace. Even the citizens have adjusted to it and accepted it as the norm. When civilians are gunned down by any arm of the security forces, most citizens blame the victims and find different reasons – no matter how weird – to justify such killings.

Nigerians have accepted the message that the life of a Nigerian is worthless and can be dispensed with any time without any consequences. The reason this sore has continued to fester is because of the decades of mental conditioning that has taken place in Nigerians. It is not surprising that when someone dies or is killed in France, the USA, the UK or Canada, the Nigerian government sends a condolence message to such a country, but when dozens of Nigerians are killed under avoidable circumstances, there is silence from the Nigerian government.  Similarly, when a citizen of the UK or USA or France is killed or even dies in an accident or from an illness, many Nigerians discuss it and mourn with the concerned country. In some circumstances, some Nigerians even organise protest marches right here in Nigeria in solidarity, but when some Nigerians are killed needlessly by agents of government or some criminal elements, many Nigerians carry on as if nothing happened.