A Nigerian lawyer, Dayo Ogunyemi, living in Canada, has cried out over the death of his uncle, Akinwale Ariyo Natty, whom he said was murdered by kidnappers in Ekiti State.
He said that Nigeria failed his uncle, survived by a wife and three children.
“May Nigeria not happen to you,” Ogunyemi wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. “My uncle, Akinwale Ariyo Natty, was laid to rest yesterday. He was murdered by kidnappers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. It should, however, be on record that Nigeria failed him. Like many others, he just wanted to live a good life, love his wife, raise his three kids, but Nigeria happened to him.
“It is unfortunate to see how the devilish acts of kidnapping and indiscriminate killings have been normalized in Nigeria. Terrible things happen, but we move on like these things mean nothing to us. We do not hold anyone or the government accountable, and I am unable to wrap my mind around this.
“People now live in fear of the known and the unknown. These fears come in several guises. If the bad roads do not kill you, you can be killed by a stray bullet. If you are not hacked to death by the agents of the greedy Nigerian politicians, you can be killed by kidnappers – just like my uncle. It is now almost a thing of luck to die peacefully in your sleep.
“Everything in Nigeria can kill you. Nigerians who are abroad are not visiting or returning home because they are scared of being kidnapped and killed. This is a national crisis, and I hope this situation gets the attention it deserves.
“Rest in Power, Akinwale Ariyo Natty. Rest in Power! May the Holy Spirit comfort us and may God keep the family you left behind.
“It is just sad that I will no longer see you again. Egbon!!! This is painful. I am hurt!
Again, it should be on record that Nigeria failed and killed my uncle.”
Cases of kidnapping have been on the rise across the country.
In the South-West, governors had launched Amotekun, a regional security outfit, but crime is still a major challenge in the region.
