What's One Big Snafu Divided Into 36 Parts?

You guessed it. [View this email in your browser]( 20- 6 - 2019 This is Zikoko's Game of Votes Weekly Dispatch. We share the most important things that happen in Nigeria every week. 5pm Thursdays. Stay woke. WHAT'S ONE BIG SNAFU DIVIDED INTO 36 PARTS? Welcome to Nigeria, where talk and the value of life are apparently cheap. On June 17th, around 30 people lost their lives, while 42 more were wounded in triple suicide bomb attacks at Konduga, Borno State. In reaction, our president reached into his bag of ‘Condemnations’, and gave the [1000th of his tenure](. While Nigeria’s media is paying the event, all the attention of a public holiday announcement, already distracted by the next round of tragedies to hit the country. The attacks were carried out outside a hall where many were gathered to watch the evening news and a game of football, together. It is the[biggest mass killing]( this year by suicide bombers. Who is responsible? Currently, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, whose perpetrators were heartbreakingly involuntary martyrs, being [only children]( to be a young boy and two girls. The Boko Haram sect is suspected to be behind this evil, although the group is yet to comment. Interestingly, in what can only be described as a maddening paradox, numerous more lives could have been lost, and at least a dozen more spared had certain measures been in place. An additional bomber and blocked aid. Though three bombs went off, four attacks were originally planned, with an additional female suicide bomber to complete the quartet.The attack made use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), the fourth and last of which failed to detonate, leading to the last purported bomber being [apprehended by the police]( and transferred to the army, sparing an unascertainable amount of lives. Conversely, the Nigerian army can be fingered for the loss of at least 23 lives, whose ‘orders from above’ led to their blocking off of the road to the blast sites. This prevented medical aid for at least 12 hours to the injured that so desperately needed it. It is believed [17 people were originally lost to the attack]( but their numbers climbed due to the blockade. Are lives just numbers? In the days leading up to the Borno attack, Niger State experienced a [wave of attacks]( bandits in 8 villages that led to the loss of so many lives, only ‘scores’ could be used to quantify their numbers. Around 1000 people were displaced in the aftermath. On June 17th, the day of the Borno blasts, Riyom Local Government in Plateau State was attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen, leaving a soldier and three others dead in their wake. Ardo Kola and Donga Local Government Areas of Taraba State were also, on the 17th — the subjects of attacks meted out by armed herdsmen.[13 lives were lost]( and numerous houses burnt. Since 2015, around [25,794 Nigerian lives have been lost]( violent crises; numbers which, anywhere else would send the government scurrying to contain what appears to be a creeping genocide. THE POOR EATING THE RICH, ACT 1, SCENE 100. Continuing what may have started as misguided reparations against the rich, but is now one big rat race to match [Evans’ pre-arrest net worth]( ⁠ — yet to be identified gunmen abducted Dayo Adewole, the son of former Minister of Health — Isaac Adewole. The[kidnap]( occurred at his farm in Oyo State on June 18th, but never fear, he was [released]( 24 hours after his taking, with no word on whether or not a ransom was paid. This is the latest in a series of kidnappings that have been getting mighty close to top officials in the Nigerian government, what with a whole State Governor- Rotimi Akeredolu [escaping kidnap]( early in June and the [Taraba State Governor’s spokesperson]( being abducted early in the year, to name just a few. Now, either the Lord thinks we need a good joke in these trying times, or Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (yes, [same one]( is determined to block out all negative vibes, because Mohammed Adamu, on June 18th, inspite of the kidnappings and violent killings across the country, publicly proclaimed that Nigeria’s [crime rate is at a decline](. Fix it, Jesus. WHO HAS ₦1.47BN'S WORTH OF EXPLAINING TO DO? INEC, that's who. In what must be a truly €njoyable and £nriching time for election petition lawyers across Nigeria, proceedings remain ongoing to determine the true winner of the 2019 elections. In dispute are assertions made by the PDP Presidential aspirant — Atiku Abubakar, that he won the elections by a margin of 1,615,302, against current president Muhammadu Buhari. How did he get this very assertive and exact sounding figure you may ask? Well, using data culled from the servers INEC allegedly deployed for the elections, the servers they [received ₦1.47bn for](. You know, the same ones they said[they never used.]( Ohh, we thought that was for rice servers? -INEC Or something of the sort. There is currently a lot of back and forth as to whether or not INEC made use of electronic servers during the general elections. On one hand, a portion of Nigerians are certain servers were adopted, using the fact that Presiding Officers claimed to have sent voting results to a [central server]( using wi-fi enabled card readers, and also[this assertion]( by a foremost Resident Electoral Commissioner, one week to the elections as point backers. However, another section is convinced that servers were not deployed during the elections, using the admission by INEC Chairman — Mahmud Yakubu that[blind spots]( trailed their usage, two weeks before the elections as a definitive counter. It is yet to be conclusively determined whose camp has the correct assertions, but there is an important question to be answered here. Just how were the results of 84 million Nigerians safely transmitted, if not electronically? WHO SED DAT? Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who gave us [this picture]( for which I am eternally grateful, told a bit of a fib this week, which he might have gotten away with, if not for the treasure trove of receipts that is the internet and electronic media. Despite talking a big game about [resolving the Apapa-traffic gridlock]( (which has been the bane of the existence of many Lagosians) within 60 days of his tenure, our guy back tracked and claimed to have been referring to [only a review]( what has been done on the Apapa roads within 60 days of his tenure. Tsk-tsk. Doesn’t he know the [internet never forgets?]( POLITICIANS BEHAVING BADLY. How fast can you blow ₦11bn? In [11 hours perhaps?]( Bayelsa speaker to [be arraigned](. Fayose’s speaker[got arrested](. NOT THE NEWS. The tragic Borno bombings reminded of this heartbreaking[video]( from the BBC on the double abduction of 14-year-old Falmata, who managed to escape being used a suicide bomber by the Boko Haram sect. I liked [this take]( on envy. This I really liked. [Keep your identity small.]( Love architecture? Check out [this home]( I’ve been absolutely obsessed with for years. Existential crises anyone? Start[here](. Fin! If you enjoyed reading this, share this with someone. OR ELSE (...I'll just ask again next week😊) [Boyin]( Z!KOKO Share this [Share]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( Copyright © 2019 Big Cabal Media, All rights reserved. You're receiving this email because you subscribed, or because we think you're awesome. Or both. Our mailing address is: Big Cabal Media Plot B, Block 1, Industrial Avenue, Ilupeju Industrial Estate, Ilupeju, LagosLagos 101283 Nigeria [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](