Political Twitter has been on fire since morning, so much that Twitter’s top trends side bar has had IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, Abia, Igbos topping the list all day.
Here’s how it all began: The Nigerian Army in its infinite wisdom proceeded to the East on another adventure dubbed Python Dance II. Recall that Python Dance I which was activated while President Buhari was still in good health during the Christmas holidays was full of stories of soldiers indiscriminately seizing goods and generally making life a living hell for Igbos, to the utter consternation of TwitterNG?
Since his return from medical vacation, the C-in-C and his colleagues in arms thought part II will be a fun way to settle into the second half of his rule.
Watch:
VIDEO: Nigerian Soldiers Tortures IPOB Members, Forced Them To Sleep In And Drink Dirty Water @HQNigerianArmy https://t.co/fMjmAxNhyk pic.twitter.com/f9c7Tl9y6l
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) September 13, 2017
Fun for the soldiers, certainly. For these Igbo men, not so much. Activists on TwitterNG were swift in making their opinions known:
Juliet Kego is livid
These ignorant people that think everyone in SE is an IPOB, please stop falling for propaganda on all sides #IStandAgainstArmyOccupationofSE
— Juliet 'Kego (@julietkego) September 13, 2017
Gidimeister fires shots
Boko Haram, militants, now IPOB. It's possible there are ?? soldiers out there who've seen combat without ever facing a foreign aggressor.
— gidimeister (@gidimeister) September 13, 2017
Ogundamisi berates
Action by the Army in this video is condemnable, uncalled for and disturbing, this will alienate local populace and push them to IPOB. WRONG https://t.co/yLy0bmVTrs
— Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) September 13, 2017
Chydee is broken
Is there really no way we can resolve this IPob issue without bloodshed? Must the military be there? Can dialogue not work?
— Chidi Okereke (@Chydee) September 13, 2017
Some folks on TwitterNG have aligned themselves with the Nigerian Army. As far as they are concerned, Nnamdi Kanu and his group’s activities have brought the army’s aggression on themselves.
Kemi Ariyo’s the brutal force apologist
Beforeu critisize the Army, watch this video: Nnamdi Kanu & IPOB promise to take 2million people to Abuja to battle?pic.twitter.com/UpLqSKRAqN
— Kemi Ariyo (@d_problemsolver) September 14, 2017
Kayode Ogundamisi had tweeted an unconfirmed report of IPOB members killing a policeman. Ediong thinks that their actions merit the use of military force to bring them to their knees.
https://twitter.com/Ediong/status/908063941984768000
https://twitter.com/Ediong/status/908089105912909826
Sella agrees
If any1 wants to exercise his right to be a nuisance in a society, it is within d NA's rights to clip such wing. We don't live on trees here
— Hypophyseal Fossa (@Mzseaun) September 13, 2017
IPOB is a terrorist movement under the cover of Biafra. No sane Igbo will attack innocent Nigerians in SE, burn mosque, kill policemen.
— Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) September 14, 2017
@i_am_anomeli is stupefied
I have friends, some of whom I have known for 10yrs, who think it is okay for the military to torture IPOB members. I'm shocked to my marrow
— Igala_King (@i_am_Anomeli) September 13, 2017
Abia has been an ugly battle field these past few days. Perhaps in retaliation of what the army did to them, some Igbos chose violence.
WATCH:
If you understand Igbo, then you will know this IPOB issue has reached a point where something decisive has to be done asap pic.twitter.com/4uUP1fCFGc
— HENRY Okelue (@4eyedmonk) September 13, 2017
Henry went ahead to explain why the use of force to handle Nnamdi Kanu is necessary:
No govt(whether led by an Igbo, Fulani, Yoruba, Hausa,Ijaw, Urhobo, etc) will sit back and watch what Nnamdi Kanu(and his IPOB) are doing.
— HENRY Okelue (@4eyedmonk) September 13, 2017
Reactions:
Dear IPOB members, please Hausa people and Fulani people are not Nigeria Army, you can come to Ojo barracks if you want to test..
— Star Boy Josy (@SaintJoeCool) September 14, 2017
I don't know how an Igbo person would feel if they had watched a video of Hausa youths,seeking Igbos to kill in a bus. This Is crazy!
— ugo onyema (@jallopyinc) September 14, 2017
Emeka warns
Ikeobi wonders
Ugochukwu interrogates
Ayo Sogunro gives fitting comebacks
'Sit back and watch' is not the only alternative to shooting. There are ways for a govt to do things civilly and with respect for humanity. https://t.co/Fqo9O7pZEG
— AYO SOGUNRO (@ayosogunro) September 14, 2017
It is very very stupid to tell 'Biafrans' to obey the laws of Nigeria while our army treats them like they are citizens of an enemy country.
— AYO SOGUNRO (@ayosogunro) September 14, 2017
Arrest, prosecute, and convict lawfully*
As they've been supposedly working on for almost 2 years. Why is it so hard to prosecute? https://t.co/tRvgcKL5FD
— AYO SOGUNRO (@ayosogunro) September 14, 2017
If the Military cracks down on you people, shout. Don't wait for "Nigerians". Nigerians are fine with it, as far as it is not "their people"
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) September 14, 2017
Since the video of the army doing unspeakable things went viral, the army has been on pins and needles. They said they’ll look into the violations by their own. Sam Hart was unimpressed.
The Army responds
Troops were well sensitized. Therefore soldiers found violating Rules of Engagement will face the full wrath of Military Justice System.
— Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) September 14, 2017
Hart is satisfied
????. Okay.
— Sam Hart (@hartng) September 14, 2017
The army may be straightening their people out, but what’s the fate of Nigeria as a whole?
Demola Olarewaju chides:
Nigeria is Sitting on a Keg of Gunpowder and many citizens carry Fuel about.
Only One Man carries the Matchsticks though…
The President.
— Demola Olarewaju (@DemolaRewaju) September 14, 2017
Sometimes I think Nigeria will last till the world ends. We've been sitting on gun powder since we were put together. https://t.co/XpncTjRsFz
— Abdul-Lateef (@SIXTEENskins) September 14, 2017
I'm a Nationalist but I fear the stakes are too high at this point and will be higher as 2019 comes closer.
Who wins, controls armies. https://t.co/SsyWx3uKdS
— Demola Olarewaju (@DemolaRewaju) September 14, 2017
If you use Nnamdi Kanu as an excuse for operation python dance, please never reproduce. The world will be just fine without more morons.
— CrossËš (@Elcrucifixio) September 14, 2017
These mad streets.
[See also]: “The Thread: President Buhari just made the biggest tactical blunder of the year”
Reformed social media monitoring spirit
Nigerian civilian murderers