From my inbox, a few thoughts from readers

My readers, when responding to this column, tend to mostly strike a balance ratio-wise, with half being kind with their words, and the other half not-so-nice. But as the French say, c’est la vie, right? The ones that make up this week’s offering leans mostly to the positive, interestingly. Anyways, I thought I would share with everyone else the messages I have received in the past month, as we head towards the end of 2023. Thanks for reading. – Abdulkareem.

Re: For urgent attention of the InspectorGeneral of Police

Dear Malam Baba Aminu, I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits. I recently had the opportunity to read your thought-provoking article addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, published in the Daily Trust on Saturday a few weeks back. Your eloquent expression and passionate plea for improvements in law enforcement certainly caught my attention, especially due to the personal angle brought upon by your unfortunate encounter with criminal violence. I commend you for your courage in lending a helping hand and quite possibly saving someone’s life. Your article resonated with many readers, including myself, and has ignited conversations about what the police should be doing to secure our dear federal capital. It is encouraging to see individuals like you take a stand and use their voices to advocate for positive change in our society. I wholeheartedly agree with your recommendations, and I believe your article will serve as a catalyst for discussions and actions aimed at addressing the issues you’ve raised. I hope that your words inspire those in positions of power to take concrete steps towards the right direction. Once again, I would like to express my appreciation for your impactful article, and I look forward to reading more of your insightful work in the future.

Marcus Gyang, Jos.

Re: For urgent attention of the Inspector-General of Police

I cannot thank you enough for caring about the issue of security in Abuja enough to write about it. I read it via a friend’s post on Twitter/X and it brought back memories of a time my friend and I were driving out of a popular pharmacy in Garki after grocery shopping, and just before a traffic stop, we saw the most shocking, scariest thing we have ever seen: A woman being thrown out of a moving car. I thought of stopping to help, but who knows what weapons her assailants held? A million things raced through our minds but we sped off. Reading your article, I confess your act of selflessness made me feel guilty for not stopping to help. I pray the woman is alive and well. I also pray those who will do something about the rise of violent crime in Abuja read your article and respond accordingly.

Usman, Area 1, Abuja.

Re: ‘Banditry’ is back

Even your alarmist article felt pretty much like déjà vu when I read it, because you have a penchant for taking nothing and making something out of it. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy your work quite well and it is always well-rounded. But I am talking about your alarm-raising piece on the so-called return of banditry. Is it really back? Is it really as much a problem as you – and your colleagues at Daily Trust – make it out to be? I ask these questions because I feel the Nigerian media as a whole tends to be a negative, doom-andgloom space that woud rather say the bad of our society instead of the good. I do look forward to being proven wrong by all of you. Thanks.

Mudi Ibrahim Jalingo, Abuja.

Re: Abuja’s security, Wike, Shettima’s birthday on my Nigerian mind

I would rather not comment on the first two things on your list of things on your Nigerian mind. I am tired of talking about Abuja’s security, and I find Wike a boring topic, what with his one-dimensional approach to everything. What I want to talk about is your humorous but admiring birthday wish for VP Kashim Shettima. First of all, he does not look his age, and secondly, he is one of the most eloquent elected officials in Nigeria. These reasons are part of why I was happy to read his part of your list. Your fake apology for refusing the VP’s charge for birthday wishes not be offered to him in newspapers was hilarious! I imagine he found it funny too. I would also like to agree wholeheartedly with the following text you wrote: ‘I would like to apologize for [politely] not listening to that line, and wishing [Senator Kashim] Shettima a happy birthday here, on the pages of a newspaper. But I have a good reason: He is, after all, a leader who has shown in his past and present political iterations a great and deep love for books and reading, as well as literacy and education.’ Also, like you added at the end of your piece, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I cannot thank you enough for caring about the issue of security in Abuja enough to write about it. I read it via a friend’s post on Twitter/X and it brought back memories of a time my friend and I were driving out of a popular pharmacy in Garki after grocery shopping, and just before a traffic stop, we saw the most shocking, scariest thing we have ever seen