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There was no confidence and hope about the future in Fortissimo, a country that proclaimed itself as the largest Red nation in the world. Politicians swam in the murky waters of politics. Their actions played a role in conflict and death of the citizenry. Prostitution was rife. People ate ashes for bread and drank tears for tea. Illicit petroleum trade was predominant. A lot of people were into this business, especially white men, who are immigrants. Many of them were providing money and weapons for violent conflict. As much as one percent of the world's oil produce were stolen everyday in the country. The government was furious over this menace, but couldn't do more than mere talking, because she had failed in her role to providing the necessary amenities in the citizenry. The trend was 'kill and bury'. Stepping on the ground was a very big risk. The situation was absurd, but it provided employment for healthy young men. Thugs, politicians and the impoverished citizens of Fortissimo were brought together by the bloody trade of oil. Elections were influenced by local thugs the politicians hired to challenge and suppress the opposition. Many gangs' challenged the national government and oil companies for the control of the resources. Arsenal of AK47 guns was not hidden. The gangs used them openly in broad day. Life was unbearable for the citizens. And everyone was fighting for a means of survival. The feeble-minded took to self-employed jobs like internet fraud, (popularly called 'Yahoo, Yahoo').

Just today, armed robbers shot dead another eighteen policemen. The policemen were escorts attached to a money-carrier van. The van belonged to the Federal Government Bank [FGB].

A week ago, armed bandits killed twelve cops checkmating pirates, who were into crude oil business on the Rivers of Rivers, a popular river in the country. This threw the country into turmoil of how the rage was escalating. Nobody was sure who next would die.

But in all that transpired between the men of the underworld and the policemen, none of the former sustained any injury in the many battles. The eighteen police men that died were killed by mere six hoodlums, who also escaped with Thirty million naira in the van, (US $30, 000). The bandits, reported by the Federal Intelligence Agency [FIA], shot unprofessionally when they were escaping. Twelve people feared dead in that reckless shootout.

Among the twelve people that died, the deaths of a pregnant woman and a cripple, were most heartbreaking. The pregnant woman was coming out from a shop where she had gone to buy articles for her expected baby, when fate had a twist in her life and she was mowed down by the pellets of the robbers. The cripple was said to be a scope in the escaping route of the men and he was killed.

The scenario was absurd. Just in one year, armed robbers' sordid quest had taken the lives of over two hundred policemen. Not only that, over twenty police stations were invaded and set ablaze by yet to be identified gunmen. Many citizens saw the invasions and burnings of the police stations as politically motivated, contrary to the government's claim that they were burnt by hoodlums.

The Grave To Grave political party (otherwise called GTG) sought to lead the country by any means necessary. Its national chairman was quoted to have said that they wouldn't relinquish power till one hundred and twenty years more. Rigging of elections was especially the means, because the GTG could not win in a free and a fair election, outright.

“But how would GTG not win when it imposes the Judges at the Supreme Court, the President of the electoral body, had the money and the majority of men and women in the National Assembly?” activists always asked.

First, in the GTG manifesto in the previous elections it was “Democracy for all”. But, the second time, it started agitating for unitary government or what many in the opposition called, “one party system of government”. Because of the GTG's myopic gesture, mismanagement and corruption were endemic. Ordinary citizens were deprived of their right to basic education and health. Extrajudicial killing and torture were known as the government's rule of law, whereas the GTG-led government had promised to strengthen the rule of law as known in the world's democracies.

In Fortissimo, the police were experts in beating ordinary citizens on trumped-up charges. But how the armed robbers attacked the police, burnt their buildings and go wound-free kept amazing the citizens that police were only brave with ordinary civilians, but not able to lock their horns in a fray with hoodlums.

“Cowards,” the citizens called the police.

The police hadn't recorded any victory in their battles with armed bandits, but they had victories in their maiming of the citizens, who kept on calling on the international community for help. When the international community sent out delegates, the delegates were harboured in the Federal Capital, whereas people were being killed per second in the towns and villages. That was the problem.

Keke and Obi, who were friends and university students, were most skeptical, about the events unfolding in the Fortissimo. “The victories we hear the police have recorded are what I call newspapers victories,” Keke said.

“I think the police shouldn't be blamed, because armed robbers use sophisticated weapons whereas the police use nearly mock guns,” Obi countered.

Irked by the incessant attacks on the money-carrier vans, the Director of Banks in the country organized a press conference. In that conference, the president of Fortissimo, State Governors, Ministers, House members and many dignitaries were in attendance. The conference centred on how to proffer a solution to end what Keke described as the “Bank robbery-epidemic”. Their faces blazed as a result of the money meant for the general public, they have looted.

The Director of Banks in his keynote address said: “The pivot of this national press conference is on the possibility of importing Bullion vans.”

The viewers gaped.

“Countries like South Africa have been using the Bullion vans for years now. This is not news. What is news is how to proffer a solution to stem corruption among politicians,” Keke said. The deliberation by Keke now ended on the floor of the public parliament. Others who joined in the argument said:

“The Bullion van is not the issue.”

“It is the bankers that inform robbers to attack bank vehicles whenever huge money was being conveyed.” Continued    Source: Odimegwu Onwumere

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