EDITORIAL: Menchum Killings, Abductions: The Darkest Hour of the Night Is at Dawn

 

Soldiers of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) with the teachers who were abducted and have regained their freedom

The relative calm that has returned to parts of the North West Region must not be allowed to create a false sense of security.

For several months, the intensity of shootings, killings and other violent incidents appeared to be declining. This is welcome news. It gives communities an opportunity to rebuild, allows children to return to school and gives public institutions some breathing space.

But recent events in Menchum, Mezam and Boyo Divisions are a painful reminder that the crisis is far from over.

The killing of a Special Branch Commissioner in Wum and the abduction of a school Principal and teachers are incidents that should concern every public official, be it security or civil administrator or citizen. Although the abducted teachers and Principal have reportedly regained their freedom, their ordeal cannot simply be dismissed as another isolated incident.

It should instead serve as a warning.

The darkest hour of the night is at dawn.

When violence appears to be losing momentum, that is precisely when vigilance must be strengthened, not relaxed. Those who have survived years of conflict know too well that periods of relative calm can sometimes be followed by sudden and shocking attacks.

The North West cannot afford to return to the days when gunshots were part of everyday life, when schools were targets, when public officials moved under constant fear and when families could lose loved ones without warning.

This is why authorities must remain cautious.

The decline in the tempo of violence is an achievement that should be protected. It should encourage authorities to consolidate security, strengthen intelligence gathering and engage communities rather than create complacency.

The Wum incidents also raise an important question about the protection of those serving the public.

Government officials, security personnel, teachers and other civil servants are increasingly becoming symbols of the return of state authority and normal life in communities that have suffered greatly from the crisis. When such people are attacked or abducted, the consequences go beyond the immediate victims. It sends fear through entire communities and can undermine efforts to restore confidence.

The teachers' abduction is particularly disturbing.

At a time when authorities, parents and communities are working to encourage children to return to school, any incident involving teachers risks creating renewed anxiety among education stakeholders. A school cannot function effectively when teachers are afraid to report for duty or parents are uncertain about the safety of their children.

The response, therefore, must not only be reactive.

Security agencies must continue to anticipate threats. Local administrators must maintain close contact with communities. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups and other community stakeholders must remain part of the security conversation. Information that can prevent an attack should never be ignored.

At the same time, the population must understand that security is not the responsibility of government alone. Citizens have a role to play by reporting suspicious movements and activities and by cooperating with legitimate security and administrative authorities.

But authorities must also inspire confidence. Citizens are more likely to provide information when they trust that their identity will be protected and that their concerns will be taken seriously.

The North West has paid a heavy price for violence. Communities have lost loved ones, livelihoods have been destroyed and an entire generation has grown up with the scars of conflict.

Today, there is a window of opportunity.

The reduction in killings should be consolidated. The return of children to classrooms should be protected. The reopening of communities should be encouraged. And every sign of renewed violence should be treated with the seriousness it deserves.

Menchum should therefore not be viewed simply as another security incident.

It is a warning against complacency.

The night may appear to be getting brighter, but dawn is often the moment when vigilance matters most. Authorities must keep their eyes open, their intelligence networks active and their security measures strong.

The people of the North West deserve peace, and they deserve to enjoy it without fear that today's calm could suddenly become tomorrow's tragedy.