While efforts were deployed to defeating the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents, suddenly, another brand of criminality emerged at the scene; banditry and kidnapping for ransom.
Commendable efforts were made over the years by security agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute sponsors of the lingering insurgency, when suddenly another set of sponsors birthed banditry and kidnapping for ransom to overstress security efforts by adding salt to injury.
Today, we fear more of banditry and kidnapping for ransom than the degraded insurgency. Banditry and kidnapping for ransom has assumed a worrisome situation that disturbs sleep, no community is safe nationwide while ‘sponsors’ of the deadly act smile to the banks with pride.
Recently, there were strong allegations of sponsorship of banditry/kidnapping for ransom dominating the media space targeted at a certain serving senator from one of the north-eastern states believed to be a migrant to the state he claims to be its indigene.
Some of the reports have it that the said senator was a close associate to one of the renowned Kaduna based religious preachers who at the peak of the craze of kidnapping for ransom along Kaduna-Abuja road, chose to be a mediator between kidnappers and parents/guardians of the kidnapped until the group was busted by security agencies with arrests made.
It was reliably gathered that before he became a senator, he had neither a known legitimate source of income other running errands for politically exposed persons nor legitimate known state of origin other than the state he was born and disclaimed before migrating to the present environment he claims.
The allegation revealed that the senator lobbied extensively to chair a very sensitive senate committee to provide him protection and cover against exposure and subsequent arrest while his trade booms across the country.
This may be the second time in history that a public figure is alleged to sponsor deadly acts against Nigerians for pecuniary interest. First, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was alleged to be the brain box behind Boko Haram insurgency. We are yet to be convinced of his innocence.
We are yet to recover from Boko Haram madness we are receiving signals of a serving senator sponsoring banditry/kidnapping for ransom and still allowed the misuse of the exalted position he occupies. In unison, Nigerians are appealing to security agencies to unmask the senator.
Looking back into the remote causes of the insurgency is paramount in the journey ahead to peaceful co-existence and tolerance. Security agencies should look back and dig deep down into the remote causes of the madness we are running from coast to pillar to defeat.
At the outbreak of the insurgency, to the average Southern Nigerian Christian, Boko Haram was a Northern Muslim conspiracy against the then federal government led by a southern Christian.
To a typical Middle-Belter, it was a creation of the predominant Muslim north to wipe out Christians for their overwhelming votes for former president Jonathan spiced with ethno-religious sentiment. Same view was shared by other Christian tribesmen in states like Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Yobe, Gombe,Kwara, Niger and Kaduna.
In the core Muslim Northern states of Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, opinions were deeply divided on Boko Haram. Some Muslim northerners had a grudging admiration for Boko Haram. To this minute group of people, Boko Haram was a perfect solution to the alleged scandalous corruption and mal-administration that afflicted the country. People in that category although in physical support but wanted Boko Haram to deal with both the alleged corrupt government officials, compromised security agents and the equally corrupt State and Local Government officials. The Muslim enlightened liberal group rated Boko Haram as a complete disgrace to Islam that deserves counseling and proper Islamic education possibly through dialogue or as government wishes.
The unfortunate situation remained as assessed with the then government erroneously believing at the beginning of the insurgency to be a Northern conspiracy against it. Former president Jonathan appeared to have relied more on concocted security reports tailored to disuniting the country and hatred to the Muslim north.
But with time, the former president came to terms with the reality after series of investigations and reports on the unfortunate situation.
The intention of this discourse is to proffer suggestions to those in control of government apparatus which were probably earlier ignored based on past experience and desire to see that peace and unity return to the Nigeria.
The dreaded Boko Haram sect was enmeshed in disagreement on Shekau’s actual knowledge of Islam to have warranted his stay as their leader which was a clear opening to the government to have penetrated the sect and disband it systematically but that was done.
Several members close to the late founder Muhammad Yusuf, Shekau’s precursor opted out on account of Shekau’s hastiness, ruthlessness and uncompromising posture that caused the North-east several collateral damages.
Aggrieved Boko Haram members joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Libya and other turfs in their obsession of dying as martyrs than in a multi-cultural society.
Before the sack of the late Gen. Andrew Awoye Azazi as National Security Advisor (NSA), a war was declared for the defeat of Boko Haram. As soldiers intensify attacks on targeted areas of the insurgents, the sect members smartly relocate to join the larger society for safety without exposure which is more dangerous and another strategy of regrouping for continuity that deserve a well coordinated intelligent investigation by security agencies.
Prior to its allegiance to ISIS, and ISWAP, Boko Haram was on the verge of extinction as it ran short of arms and ammunitions and several of its occupied territories were recaptured by Nigerian soldiers. As a way for continuity of the madness, it reached out to ISIS which has superior power fighting mechanism for support. Despite the solicited support, Boko Haram is presently suffering series of defeat from well coordinated military attacks but to assume that despite the successful attacks, Nigeria’s international borders in the north-east overlooking Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republics are still porous that need prompt and urgent action of monitoring.
Nigeria’s Para-military institutions at international borders are weak, allegedly corrupt and poorly equipped to stand challenges of Boko Haram, smugglers and other criminals into Nigeria.
There are several unmanned pathways from Cameroun, Chad, Nigeria and Niger Republics to northern Mandara Mountains that forms part of the notorious Sambisa forest which we are told has been the fortress of Boko Haram survival.
An assessment shows a sharp difference between recapturing territories from Boko Haram and defeating its alleged sophisticated network without reliable intelligence report. Those with proper and genuine knowledge and reliable information on the sect no matter how small should be engaged for vital intelligent reports to government. The practice of relying on cook and bull stories seem to have been discontinued. Government should appoint a Special Anti-Terrorism Committee headed by a tested security officer to proffer a bail out mechanism against the continuation of war. As civilians, we subscribe more to dialogue than war in critical situations.
Alleged concocted stories from some security agencies sourced from disconnected sect members languishing in detention camps should be ignored and discouraged for proper planning. Government should understand that majority of those captured and in detention, were errand boys with little knowledge of where the leaders are or ever met with them. Before now, Boko Haram was becoming a flourishing business for those heartless citizens and in some cases, a source of witch-hunt and blackmail for politicians and few security agents.
Some concerned agencies frustrated genuine informants with threats to deal with them just for business to flourish and achieve a hidden economic agenda. In the dark days, accessibility to those saddled with the responsibility to proffer solutions cost a fortune or impossible. Some government agents were demanding for a fee before facilitating a meeting with anyone of those, in-charge on issues of national importance. That has been scuttling several genuine efforts of proffering solutions to several lingering problems.
Another aspect worth a thought is that it is one thing to defeat Boko Haram at the battle field and it is another thing to convince the sect to accept defeat for peace unless through sincere and genuine dialogue superintended by sincere persons trusted by both parties as was the case with the release of some Dapchi abducted students. What Boko Haram desires to have from Nigeria is a deep, strategic and consistent institutional framework to defeat it not necessarily the on-going conventional war that seems to have no end.
While the military recruits new hands to contend the situation, we should not forget that Boko Haram also recruits new hands through abduction and forceful participation in their madness including the recruitment of mercenaries from other climes to train and fight for its cause.
The other point of apprehension to Nigeria is that Republics of Chad and Niger that also carry out offensives against Boko Haram share direct borderlines with Libya which hosts one of the most powerful wings of ISIS after Syria and Iraq. However, despite the alliance between ISIS and Boko Haram, the sect is still recording heavy casualties and losses in the on-going war. ISIS as an ideology we all know operates in Iraq, Syria and Libya and may be found in other unexpected places.
According to a report by an American based Nigerian analyst, Jacob Zenn published in Sentinel magazine of Washington DC-based Jamestown Foundation, there was an estimated 80 – 200 Boko Haram fighters in the Libyan city of Sirte while Algerian security forces believe Boko Haram fighters had joined other militias in northern Niger.
“The openness of migration routes from Nigeria through eastern Niger to Libya makes travel ……fairly straightforward, and the Islamic state can easily afford to pay smugglers to carry militants (and weapons) along that route”.
The deadly Ansaru in Nigeria is suspected to be an affiliate of ISIS also. There should be growing concern on the capabilities of Boko Haram to have sustained the war for over ten (12) years since it was declared. That declaration of war to some analysts that had an inkling of the offensive capacity of Boko Haram was an abrupt decision without adequate preparation for a guerilla war not conventional war. Boko Haram had prepared for the war long before it was declared. The sect was said to have stockpiled arms and ammunitions, recruited and trained over 300 suicide bombers, snipers and informants waiting for the war declaration.
A visit to some Boko Haram prone areas within Nigeria and Cameroun shows that the terrorists are unrepentant and more determined to actualize a dream. Penultimate Saturday in 2014, the group arrived Sueram village in Cameroun of about 17 kilometers away from Fotokol its other stronghold then with tanks and pick-up vans to take over the territory and recruit prospective fighters.
With the hitherto deep seated distrust amongst the multinational forces and the near absence of a reliable command structure to streamline their activities, it was a major challenge to police the expansive border territories effectively. These borderlines host same ethnic groups living across two imperceptible boundaries. Let’s think of it, if people can successfully escape sophisticated air and sea ports security checks from advanced countries to ferry arms and ammunitions to Syria, Libya, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq etc, how difficult will it be for people from Europe, Mali and other North African countries to troop to poorly manned borders in a poverty devastated region?
Lately there has been progress in the recapture of territories by the militaries of Niger, Cameroun, Chad and Nigeria but with little headway to rescuing the over 3,000 prisoners excluding over 200 girls and women in Boko Haram custody.
Nigeria made moves for negotiation with the terrorists, but it should not forget that they are now affiliated to ISIS. Who was the government going to negotiate with? It could have engaged those with the knowledge of the modus operandi of the sect before going for any perceived negotiation. Key Boko Haram leaders still roam the streets planning strategies of evils. Government officials expected to support the efforts of government to crush the insurgents are hypocritical and afraid. Those of assistance were discouraged and in some cases tagged as fraudsters and tricksters. Take the case of Senator Shehu Sani, Ahmed Silkida, Sanusi Muhammad and former president Obasanjo. Former president Jonathan preferred to engage politicians to serve on committees on Boko Haram for obvious reason than engaging the right people for the job. Reports of the various committees added no value with funds wasted on the jamboree. Many claimed access to Boko Haram kin pins using all available means to send their messages with false determination to effect the needed changes. Former president Jonathan hurriedly subscribed to the falsehood and appointed some of them to serve on the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki presidential committee for the needed changes that Nigeria is yet to see. There was no positive result than the bogus claim. The Amb Galtamari committee was same and several others.
In the absence of any vital intelligence breakthrough that may reveal the slightest clue on the following: identity of Boko Haram leaders. Population and actual names, location and how decisions are taken within the group, their actual sources of funding, number of operating cells outside the main war combatant, any corporate headquarter and location and how the group procures arms, ammunitions and other basic requirements.
Then identities of those who nurtured the sect and the remote cause of the insurgency must be investigated. For now, there are wrong perceptions as from where Boko Haram coordinates its activities that should be further investigated to reach the root for further action. But if Nigeria prepares the on-going war that it was dragged into unprepared, there seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
Boko Haram was grossly underrated at the beginning. Government ignored vital information proffered by those with adequate information. The military high command and other security agencies declared a war which turned to be an alleged conduit pipe of draining resources with little efforts to commensurate then.
If the security agencies for years were repeatedly confused as to whether Shekau was alive or not and misled to believing bogus ceasefires and false alarms over the release of the abducted Chibok girls, how can Nigerians trust the same security agencies to defeat Boko Haram although now under a more focused and determined leadership? When he took over as Chief of Defense Staff, the late Air Marshall Alex Badeh promised to rescue the abducted Chibok girls alive and unhurt, “we know their location and we shall rescue them alive and unhurt”. The story continued to change without the rescued girls until he vacated the scene.
Col Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) as NSA, promised before the 2015 elections to crush Boko Haram. He was removed while Boko Haram was waxing stronger. The whole system was polluted and piloted by highly incompetent personalities that indirectly encouraged the insurgency to flourish.
As President Buhari intensified efforts to defeat the insurgents, there were several vital issues that were not addressed: Security agencies were not reorganized to meet the challenges of the time. A Presidential Intelligence Gathering Committee independent of the various security agencies was overdue. The committee’s main assignment was to carry out an in-depth investigation on Boko Haram and report directly to the President for urgent solution. The committee could have been charged with the responsibility of identifying those that could assist the government to either broker truce with the dreaded sect, or proffer a workable solution to defeat them. But anything short of what is feasible and, the war seems to have no end as Boko Haram is unrelenting.
Nigerian soldiers are bombarding Sambisa, Boko Haram fighters are relocating to safety to fight as once experienced on Friday, October 2, 2015. There were bomb explosions in Kuje and Nyanya all in Abuja while the sect was being bombarded in Borno and other prone areas in the north-east. But for how long will Nigeria continue to fight this minute group of impoverished extremists? Let us shudder to think.
The whole of the North-east and other parts of Nigeria were not at peace with the activities of the terrorists. Their first shot was in Bauchi in 2009. Through concerted efforts that I may not say here, the sect was chased out of the state. No part of the North-east was spared by the lunatics. They had cells in virtually all the six states in the sub-region. Today, we are grateful for the intervention of the Almighty God that only pockets of the terrorists remain in action. With determination and sharing of vital intelligent reports and immediate implementation, the situation will soon be part of history. But we need to be more serious and determined to defeat the lunatics collectively.
That Senator sponsoring banditry/kidnapping for ransom must be exposed!
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues
