Nigeria: From Plateau to poverty, our country has had a very bad week

Nigeria has dealt with internal crisis, bad international rankings and a painful World Cup defeat in just one week.

This week has been a week from Hell for Nigeria and it's just Thursday.

Plateau killings

The week started off on a bloody and sad note. On Sunday, June 24, 2018, there was a deadly clash between farmers and herders in Plateau state. The body count was unfortunately high. Initial estimates placed the lives lost at 86. According to international media, the number is above 200.

The violence is the latest from the herdsmen crisis which has escalated within the last year into a serious and complex problem that the Federal Government has found difficult to solve.

The Vice President and President travelled to Plateau later in the week to meet local leaders and sympathize with the lives lost. Despite their attempts, there is a still a general mood scepticism that little or nothing will be done about the herdsmen crisis.

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Poverty capital of the world

While still dealing with the aftermath of the bloodbath, the World Poverty Clock announced that Nigeria is now the poverty capital of the world on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.

According to its current estimate, around 643,527,400 people all over the world, 8% of the world's population, are currently living in extreme poverty.

Of that figure, an estimated 86,977,400 are currently living in Nigeria, a number that accounts for 44.2% of its current estimated 196 million population.

According to the World Poverty Clock, the poverty in the country is still rising with a negative escape rate of -5.8.

 

At its current progression, Nigeria is expected to have 119,766,229 people living in extreme poverty by the year 2030.

The Federal Government has responded to the figures by the World Poverty Clock, saying that the figures are outdated. This was the first bruise on Nigeria's international reputation this week.

Super Eagles defeat to Argentina

On the same day, the Super Eagles painfully left to the 2018 World Cup in Russia by losing to Argentina 21-. The national football team conceded a goal scored by Marcus Rojo in the 86th minute. Football and heartbreaks.

 

Coming into the World Cup, optimism was sky high based on global attention of our jersey and the individual talent brimming in our squad. Sadly optimism does not yield precious 3 points.

After a mediocre display against Croatia, the Super Eagles flew and demolished the Vikings for Iceland only to lose painfully to Messi and his gang.

 

It was a sword in the hearts of millions of Nigerians who not only wanted the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2nd round but finally defeat Argentina in a World Cup game.

ALSO READ: Super Eagles do not wear black armbands in honour of Jos victims

Nigeria is the 9th most dangerous country for women

24 hours after the Super Eagles exit, a new poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation revealed that Nigeria is the ninth most dangerous country for women.

 

Nigeria is ranked ninth with human rights groups accusing the country's military of torture, rape and killing civilians during its nine-year fight against Islamic insurgency by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The terrorist group is responsible for the death of over 30,000 people and the displacement of millions, resulting in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Lord knows what Thursday, Friday and Saturday have in store for us. Nigeria is in dire need of some good news, something to cheer us up. As a Nigerian, we know the country comes with a lot of stress but with back-to-back-to-back-to-back bad news, we need a break from the struggle we live in.