Nigeria Army’s ‘By Force, By Fire’ Immunization.

Reports from the Southern part of Nigeria inundates us with news of school children scampering for safety and Parents rushing to pick their wards from school over a suspicious immunization outreach programme being conducted by the Nigerian military. It is not unusual for Nigeria's Military to conduct socially responsible activities aimed at forging closer ties with civilians; they've done so for decades. Also, the Nigerian Military has good quality medical personnel within its ranks, hence carrying out free medical support services shouldn’t be out of place.

Unfortunately, 'Trust' has become a very rare currency in the Nigerian polity, and it has gotten worst in the almost three years of Buhari's administration. The Nigerian Military have long deviated from any tiny circle of trust they may have enjoyed with the populace at any given period. Sordid tales of brutality which the Nigerian military left behind in places like Odi, Zaki Biam and more recently among Shites in Zaria are still fresh in our memories. The Nigerian military has also gunned down peaceful protesters in the East expressing their right to self-determination.

In recent months, the Nigerian Army has launched unpopular military exercises in the South; ‘Python Dance’ in the South-East, ‘Crocodile Smile 2’ in parts of the South-West and South-South. Most Nigerian residents in affected regions are neither impressed nor convinced about the real motives behind these friendly military invasions. While these Nigerians were still trying to get a grip on seeing Pythons dance and Crocodiles smile, they were certainly not prepared for any Monkey immunization. Reports have been quite sketchy such that we do not have details on the diseases Nigeria’s Army is being sent to immunize Southern children against. Surely, if there had been sufficient sensitization on the part of Military authorities, citizens’ reactions would have been different.

Even though the Southern part of Nigeria shares part of the total rot in Nigeria's health system, the region has fared better when compared to the North. There is already high immunization awareness in the South and the region has never really lacked adequate personnel to carry out immunization activities. One would have expected the Nigerian Military to take its immunization agenda to the far North, especially in Boko Haram ravaged areas where Polio is still being recorded and access to proper healthcare still a challenge.

If the Nigerian Military wants to redeem its image among a cynical populace, perhaps, rather than engage in forceful immunization of school children, how about embarking on Human rights programmes? How about explaining to civilians the rationale behind leveling of Odi, killing of IPOB protesters or the massacre of almost a thousand Shites in Zaria and unlawful detention of Zakzaky? 

Instead of chasing Southern school children all over the place with injection syringes, how about Nigerian Army initiating self-defense and awareness programmes for communities constantly ravaged by Fulani herdsmen?

Better still, can the Nigerian Army just let the rest of us be and concentrate all their efforts in rebuilding the North East and putting a final stop to Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen?

~Stanley Nwabia