It was in 2009 the dreaded Sect, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lid’diwa’ati Wal Jihad (Boko Haram), descended on the peace of Bauchi State from the blues. Within their uninterrupted 45 minutes deadly operation, few innocent souls within targeted areas around the Bauchi Correctional facility were dispatched to great beyond.
Security agencies led by Oluwatosin Ajayi, then Bauchi State DSS Director, immediately swung into action, monitoring the situation to contain further threats from the sudden attack. It was an operation carefully concealed and executed by Boko Haram members from different cells, never expected at that material time of the Muslim fasting period.
Ajayi was relatively shocked to the marrow but not demoralized to act fast. Within the same period of the attack, he personally led a squad of his men in collaboration with other security agencies to confront the, beasts for a showdown. They were subdued and gallantly chased out of the state within 48 hours and normal life restored.
That’s Tosin Ajayi for any doubting Thomas. He vowed never to repeat such an occurrence during his stay in Bauchi State, and it was a promise holistically kept to the end.
Terrorist cells within Bauchi and neighboring Gombe States were dismantled. State boarders were well managed and influx of strangers monitored. Other strategies were introduced and lasting peace restored and jealously protected in line of security mandate. Oluwatosin Ajayi was truly an asset to Bauchi State that exited as a respected and adorned security officer never to be forgotten. He was regrettably missed by all.
The peace initiated by Tosin Ajayi, supported by Raymond Nkem (DSS Director Operations) then, and maintained and improved upon by successive administrations, is today under threat by bandits and terrorists that has attracted national attention.
Governor Bala Muhammed, as characteristic of his governing style, took up the challenge with determination and courage. He immediately suspended all state matters of less importance and relocated to the scenes of attack in Alkaleri local government. He mortgaged his comfort for the safety of the state in line with his mandate.
After a careful assessment of the worrisome situation, he reached out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces for additional support to flush out the terrorists from Bauchi State.
Commendably, Tinubu acted fast and issued a directive to the military high command for action. The 3 Division of the Nigerian Army based in Jos, Plateau State, swiftly moved to the embattled areas and launched OPERATION BUGUN KARKANDA III.
Within few days in operation, the criminals were subdued and cleared from their hideouts. Troops advanced into identified flashpoints to establish dominance over key areas to dislodge the terrorists.
Despite having two representatives in the Federal Executive Council (Prof Ali Pate and Yusuf Maitama Tugga), who ordinarily were expected to at least pay personal visits to the state to commiserate with the government and the people, they chose to be more concerned with the outcome APC Congress elections than a visit to the embattled communities. Yet, Ali Pate is rumored to be nursing a 2027 gubernatorial ambition. Is that not an illusion and a joke carried too far to contain? Anyway, he may be eyeing Kannywood gubernatorial contest but surely not Bauchi State.
Commendably, the first prominent son of the soil to commiserate with the Government and people of Bauchi State over the unfortunate development, with emphasis on the embattled areas, was Muhammed A. Abubakar SAN, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC).
M.A Abubakar, onetime governor of the state, described the persistent attacks on Alkaleri local government area by bandits as an unfortunate development never experienced since the creation of Bauchi State, “We must suspend all political activities and face the challenges together as a people in the spirit of an injury to one is an injury to all. We cannot be comfortable when our people are under attacks. We must support the efforts of the governor to do the needful and restore peace for our collective peace.”
Today, despite the deployed efforts of the governor, the situation is queer. Nigeria streams into this forefront for the wrong reason. Its wrongness can’t be denied or ignored. The country is topping the list for the absurd. Leaders beat their wild, fleshy chests for the odd and the bizarre. And their praise singers do their sing-song with eerie deftness.
We are, perhaps the fastest country leaping into retrogression courtesy of inept leadership and a clueless president, and speedily racing back into the dark years we had earlier vacated. That primitive Stone Age of yester-years that humans were treated as beasts of burden.
That’s the monumental tragedy violently dropped on our fragile laps. Since the late Muhammadu Buhari as president crashed us brutally with deep intensity from top-bottom, we have been sinking further like never before.
There has been no stopping or parking lot for us. Our plight remains unchecked and uncontrolled. Our experience has been extreme ups and downs. What am I talking about here? Terrorists are upping their terror by the day and the game is changing fast.
They are flying a new template not only in Bauchi State but in almost all the states. What informed their choice of states for operation is baffling and confusing. You may choose to wonder, even to high heavens.
They’re fueling a weird form of terrorism with their own odd brand of diversification. It’s straight from the bottomless pit of hell. If we are careless enough to oblige them a luxurious smooth ride. We will be violently thrown back to the lawless age. We’re struck for life!
This is the new face of terror. Help! It’s battling to rear its ugly head in Bauchi State! It’s not near anything palatable. This piece of information tells it all. What’s happening in this country under Tinubu is beyond heartbreaking or inviting foreign powers, but it is pure evil. In certain reported cases, kidnappers demanded for ransom to release the corpse of a victim they had already murdered.
As if that is not enough wickedness to contain, those who risked their lives to deliver the ransom were also kidnapped. The criminals demanded for more money in exchange for the release of the new captives. The worrisome issue is no longer kidnapping.
This is barbarity. This is moral collapse. This is organized cruelty operating without fear in the absence of a serious government. Demanding ransom for the release of a corpse shows how low these criminals have sunk. Kidnapping those who came to negotiate the release of others shows total lawlessness.
Where then is the deterrence? Where went the intelligence gathering? And went the overwhelming security response? Bauchi State has traditionally been relatively peaceful and calm compared to other states in the federation.
If that level of terror is allowed to develop roots in such a peaceful environment, then nowhere is safe within the federation, from the look of things.
That cannot be treated as just another headline. When hardened criminals begin to dictate terms they way they like, the state must respond with decisive force as directed by Governor Bala Muhhamed. If not, law-abiding citizens will continue to live in total fear and frustration that may create migration to other environments.
Nigeria should not be seen normalizing that level of brutality. It’s exactly the pattern Boko Haram is familiar with. The same attitude they barged on the villagers rudely and awkwardly interrupted innocent lives and living styles. With time and seasons, it becomes a frightful monster in our tenuous, vulnerable hands. That same storm is wearing a new toga, ravaging with Bauchi in its red eyes.
The beasts are ever at work, no rest or reprieve for the swine. The brutes are restive and restless. The barbarians are getting hungrier and thirstier to spill more blood in whatever form.
They have a vision and an evil mission to accomplish against humanity. Looking back to past memories, it started this manner.
The trend is the same. It surfaces almost unnoticed and intentionally disregarded. That smoke that emitted out of Bauchi State was disgusting enough.
A state traditionally considered peaceful and progressing steadily. Digging deep into a, smog of ruin was what spoke into the state, and upturned its peace. And charging the optics of the Pearl of Tourism as we know it, for the worst and terrible, what a Great Pity!
The situation mustn’t knowingly walk over. It must be consciously catechized. Why is the news still crawling within media houses and grossly under-reported despite the efforts deployed by the Governor’s media handlers? It never made monumental waves as if there exists, a selective coverage of security challenges. Its kind would have gone ferociously viral.
Attracting unrestrained chaos to our already choked-up space, and before the beasts make good their threat, we must act immediately and boil them to their despicable game. They should not be allowed to dictate the tunes, and we must collectively change the tune for them fast.
The only language they understand and listen to best is violence, and sure, they don’t have the monopoly on that. We can all decide to be stupid and go crazy! We can confidently walk into the jungles for the real fight.
This is doable but only if our leaders have the sincere will and courage. Honestly, we cannot build meaningfully on emptiness except for nothingness. Government should involve all stakeholders in the fight against the marauding beasts for the better.
Peace shall definitely return to the embattled areas through the collective efforts of Governor Bala Muhammed and security agencies with the cooperation of the people.
To God Be The Glory!
Muhammad is a commentator on national affairs
