It is very difficult to believe any reasonable constituted authority anywhere would dictate to Nigeria which religious laws to proscribe. Though Nigeria inherited British laws from the Era of Roman and Judeo-Christian laws, Sharia laws are not the problem in Nigeria since they only apply to the Talikawa and hardly apply to the rich and famous. Imagine how many hands of kleptomaniac Northern politicians could have been cut!
The radical extremists pushing or trying to choose religion for any African country are only looking for ways to destabilize and polarize the country along religious lines. These are not serious Christians themselves. They do not belong or attend any church but are quick to misinterpret their own Bible to justify Slavery, abolition of Civil Rights for women and minorities and roll back of gains made by progressive sectors upon which their country triumphs.
People are very conscious about their very existence and are willing to take help from anywhere for preservation. Most of the time a helping hand always has a price in the face of existential threat. We cannot condemn those who feel so threatened that they become desperate for any salvation, even from the devil, believing that a temporary relief is better than none. Christians are crying for help but so are the helpless Muslims, facing real impending massacre.
Today, it is your neighbors that are being raided, tomorrow the same marauders would come for you. Unfortunately, people have a double standard between terrorists within and terrorists from outside. Though the consequences of mutilation and death are no different. Voices are growing louder against terrorist invaders. While fear of protest against domestic terrorists is obvious since they can pinpoint identified squealers, outside terrorists look for weak targets, regardless.
Since when have World Powers been out to defend the Economic interests of the African countries? When they think about Africans, it has always been about economic subjugation. Their ways of getting free resources and free workers is to cheapen what they see as products so that they can take it at bargain base price. If they don’t have their way, Gunboat Diplomacy of Mass Destruction to bomb you into ashes and reduce your country to rubble is their weapon!
The blessing in disguise of the threat of foreign invasion is that the Nigerian House finally came together to discuss openly without fear, an agreement on combating Boko Haram sponsors and enablers terrorizing communities throughout the country. One would think this is the first time they become aware of members and sponsors of Boko Haram. Of course, there are copycats who hold people to ransom in order to extort as much money as the so-called bandits.
Local Police and community vigilantes have become real again, now supported by the North and South of the country. These have always been a difficult sticking point since some powerful politicians and retired Generals want central control so that they could spill military intelligence and call off the Military and Police defenders whenever sponsors and members of Boko Haram are about to be exposed. There is no way these terrorists could become so bold parading themselves openly with impunity unless they have backers in the high places.
Nigeria has always been a secular state. The fact that a country that is about half Christians and half Muslims with the majority of the people still actively practising indigenous religions even as members of both religions. Those few leaders who joined organizations of Muslim or Christian states are evidence of abuse of power. The issue of joining one religious organization or another has always been controversial. Federal courts are based on European Judeo-Christian laws.
Nevertheless, Christian and Muslim regions are not indigenous to Africa, both were conversions by force or enticement, some claimed, in order to be educated in Christian and Arabic schools. Otherwise, one may wonder how foreign religions have come to the point of contention that foreign power from another continent with a long history of Civil Rights violation, is threatening any African country with Christian Crusade or even Muslim Jihad in the 21st century!
During the Niger Delta military campaign: Our Oil Our Money. Amnesty and contracts were offered to quell the agitations for justice. Their communities were impoverished by oil spill causing environmental degradation damages. Some people are demanding the same treatment for Boko Haram terrorists as alternatives to kidnapping for ransom. Rehabilitation of members and absorption into the Army to fight in the terrain they know better than regular soldiers.
The problem is that regular soldiers could not trust them because those still loyal to Boko Haram became informants and disclosed sensitive military intelligence and locations of the Army. Many Nigerian soldiers, including Army Generals, have lost their lives in the process. There is no way we can have a unit of soldiers looking over their shoulders, unsure if their battalion has spies of Boko Haram operating within them.
What might have worked under one administration with those who saw themselves as freedom fighters for their Oil resources that the country depended on for survival, may not work for Boko Haram fighters trying to actualize religious domination of an alien doctrine on an African country. There is no discernible similarity between those fighting religious wars to dominate and usurp land to feed their cattle, displacing communities of ethnic groups different from theirs.
Ransom may be common to all terrorists, but it is not sustainable in a country known as the world capital of Poverty. The ransom paid by the government to terrorists could be used to alleviate the suffering of displaced victims and the poor. It is ironic that politicians that cornered every allocation from the top and loot foreign earnings are willing to find money for ransom demands of bandits but cannot find money to improve the impoverished situation of the masses.
Forest rangers or community vigilantes under the supervision and support of local Police will go a long way in solving the terrorist problem in Nigeria. Once outside terrorists realize that the borders of Nigeria are no longer porous for nefarious activities, we may get some peace within Nigeria. Political importers of thugs and politicians who think their ethnic group have free access and citizenship in Nigeria must be put on notice.
Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa1
