Knife Laws!
The recent furor in the United Kingdom over knife attacks (another young Nigerian was stabbed to death on the 17th of June) shows their government is determined to see an end of wanton violence. In Nigeria we dont even have the statistics of the number of persons killed after being knifed or stabbed. Its interesting that in the last three days ( I have covered the night shift) I have seen 3 victims attacked by knifes/machetes. Only one of the three ended up as a mortality. If I was to count how many I have seen since I started work in the Niger Delta if this was the United Kingdom a state of emergency would have been declared by now!
The first victim was a young man who had been stabbed about an hour before he arrived at our facility. He could not have been more than 18years. He was brought in Dead by the police. Immediately I confirmed him dead his assailant (who was also barely an adult) was immediately handcuffed and taken away. The incident shook all the medical staff up and it was something we talked about long after they had left.
What could possess the young man to stab his friend/enemy/relation to death?I can kill a chicken but the very act makes me a bit squeamish, how much more a human being. We all figured that the young man who stabbed his friend to death had also ended his life that night. Even if he is not given a life sentence, the stigma of being a murderer will close so many doors for him. But looking at several factors can you say he is to blame or is he a product of his environment.
My route to work takes me through an area as notorious as Oshodi in Lagos and all the times I have passed there without exception you have pockets of young men who have nothing to do. They just sit around in groups idle. Those who have anything to do work as bus conductors or the touts who pose as passengers but are really thieves in hiding. The inability of the government or their communities to provide the means by which these youth have an outlet for the energy straining to burst from them is in part responsible for their subsequent irresponsible acts.
They grow up in slums where basic facilities like water, light access to health care is missing, their role models are the neighbourhood drunkards whose leassons the youth take to heart. There are no recreational facilities, schools are a shadow of what can be. They are not exposed to any influences that make them think that they can rise above their situation so the end result are the idle boys who think nothing of stealing, raping, stabbing..........the list is endless.
The last case I had is a promising young man whose life was changed in a split second, one of the 'bad boys' in his neighbourhood (notorious for their violence) decided he was going to be one of the gendermane in 'blood diamonds' and gave him a long arm amputation with a machete. The sight was horrible, the poor boy was so shaken by his experience, he kept repeating that how was he expected to forgive his attacker. The motive for the act is still unknown.
Nigeria still has a lot to contend with in terms of violence especially in the Niger Delta. For now the smaller fish can wait till..................
The first victim was a young man who had been stabbed about an hour before he arrived at our facility. He could not have been more than 18years. He was brought in Dead by the police. Immediately I confirmed him dead his assailant (who was also barely an adult) was immediately handcuffed and taken away. The incident shook all the medical staff up and it was something we talked about long after they had left.
What could possess the young man to stab his friend/enemy/relation to death?I can kill a chicken but the very act makes me a bit squeamish, how much more a human being. We all figured that the young man who stabbed his friend to death had also ended his life that night. Even if he is not given a life sentence, the stigma of being a murderer will close so many doors for him. But looking at several factors can you say he is to blame or is he a product of his environment.
My route to work takes me through an area as notorious as Oshodi in Lagos and all the times I have passed there without exception you have pockets of young men who have nothing to do. They just sit around in groups idle. Those who have anything to do work as bus conductors or the touts who pose as passengers but are really thieves in hiding. The inability of the government or their communities to provide the means by which these youth have an outlet for the energy straining to burst from them is in part responsible for their subsequent irresponsible acts.
They grow up in slums where basic facilities like water, light access to health care is missing, their role models are the neighbourhood drunkards whose leassons the youth take to heart. There are no recreational facilities, schools are a shadow of what can be. They are not exposed to any influences that make them think that they can rise above their situation so the end result are the idle boys who think nothing of stealing, raping, stabbing..........the list is endless.
The last case I had is a promising young man whose life was changed in a split second, one of the 'bad boys' in his neighbourhood (notorious for their violence) decided he was going to be one of the gendermane in 'blood diamonds' and gave him a long arm amputation with a machete. The sight was horrible, the poor boy was so shaken by his experience, he kept repeating that how was he expected to forgive his attacker. The motive for the act is still unknown.
Nigeria still has a lot to contend with in terms of violence especially in the Niger Delta. For now the smaller fish can wait till..................
"...have pockets of young men who have nothing to do. They just sit around in groups idle.....The inability of the government....to provide.....is in part responsible for their subsequent irresponsible acts."
ReplyDeleteWhile 'tis true, of more importance is the fact that these young men are uneducated and skill-less (technical or blue-collar skill - mechanic, plumber, mason, painter, carpenter et al).
The Government CANNOT educate a people only provide conducive environment and tools/infrastructure for education. Oh, did i hear, but, the Government has not even provided these?
True, but, in these same environment we (you, i & others) were educated. When 'twas substandard we endured and when we had none we managed; but, of utmost importance is that we came out at the other end.