A disturbing case of intimidation and abuse of power has emerged in Kogi State, Nigeria, where the Accountant General is seen in a video that has gone viral on Facebook, threatening to make a woman a scapegoat over a leaked voice note. The woman, who according to the audio is a director in the state ministry of sports, had called for massive employment and recruitment of graduates in the state, highlighting the alarming rate of unemployment and its consequences, including prostitution and thuggery.
The voice note, which has sparked widespread outrage, paints a grim picture of the state’s unemployment crisis, with tens of thousands of graduates roaming the streets, struggling to make ends meet. However, instead of getting busy mapping out ways to address the issue, the Accountant General has chosen to threaten a woman for voicing out the painfull predicaments of majority youth population, using her office to silence her and cover up the state’s failures.
This unfortunate response from the Accountant General is tyrannical, arrogant, and oppressive, with allegations that she has turned his office into a wing of the ruling political party. This is not an isolated incident, as the state government have been accused of turning deaf ears to pleas for job creation and employment opportunities for the increasing population of educated youths. Kogites do not deserve draconian leadership, we call for an end to the intimidation and threats, and for the government to take concrete steps to address the unemployment crisis.
For almost a decade Kogi state has witnessed worsening cases of water scarcity, epileptic power supply, insecurity and skyrocketing unemployment rate with the government of the carrying on unperturbed. The woman’s bravery in speaking out and venting against the incompetent system should be commended and hailed as an act of courage, all and sundry should rally behind her, demanding justice and accountability from the state authorities. This should be seen as a wake-up call by any responsible government.
The situation highlights the need for greater citizen engagements, transparency and accountability in government and governance, as well as the importance of protecting whistleblowers who dare to speak truth to power. Will the people of Kogi State rise to demand change, or will the forces of oppression silence the voices of the marginalized? Only time will tell.
– Hussain Obaro, Lokoja.
oseniobaro@yahoo.com
