Continued from last week
The fight against the insurgency, has been very challenging, herculean, full of frustrations, intrigues, bloody backs, sabotage, deceit and blackmail. The fight has witnessed victories and failures. However, the expected ultimate triumph and liquidation of terrorism is still a journey yet unaccomplished. Sadly, there are self centered negative forces within and out that are hell bent to sustain the insurgency war come rain come sunshine. These retrogressive groups are in the military, government, politics, public and private sectors.
Though the military is supposed to be apolitical, this sounds in theory as there have been instances where some members of the men in uniform were partisan on issues. This group of unpatriotic ones debased the military profession for self-attainments. Some in the name of want or agreed leaked information to the enemies, act as spies for the enemies and even sell arms to the opponents. Some have turned the liberation mission to commercial venture. The disposition of this betrayal group is no doubt a minus for effective operations of the military who unfortunately and innocently discover to its dismay in defect to expected victory over its enemies. It would be recalled that Ahmed Sakilda, the journalist and federal government negotiator, expressed his views on the release of the abducted Chibok School Girls. He pointed out on his twitter handle that the Nigerian military is fighting an enemy (Boko Haram) it did not understand. He similarly stated in his report that though the Nigerian military is well groomed to defeat Boko Haram, but wondered how about 70% of the arms used by the insurgents are from the Nigerian military armoury. It is therefore imperative that the military must look inward to clean its augean stable if this war on insurgency or any other war is to be won.
With the fever of the 2019 elections gripping the nation daily, it is imperative now to stamp the nation’s feet on ground to end this war now as continued procrastination and playing the ostrich will not augur well for Nigeria
On its part, the military, in statements, had stated on many occasions, that there are deliberate attempts by some elite and politicians in the Northeast, especially Borno, to frustrate efforts to end the insurgency for their own selfish ends. The statements pointed out that , in doing this, the concerned employed the services of marabouts, some non-governmental agencies and others to accomplish their ill motives. With the arrest of Colonel Ibrahim Dasuki, the former Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, on the arms deal, the Borno State Elders Forum called on the Federal Government to get to the root of the matter, alleging that those involved are the sponsors of Boko
Haram.
Neither has the allegation and counter allegation of groups or individuals of the natives against one another with regards the sponsorship of this dangerous sect helped the situation. Such allegation is heating the body polity, creating suspicion and acrimony among the people instead of facilitating a united front against the terror war. There is this erroneous view that this war is Borno State Government’s war or Kashim Shettima’s war. Better still, is the wrongly held view that this is Muhammadu Buhari’s war or that of federal government. Certainly not. Boko Haram assault has no boundary. It cuts across all divides – religion, politics, economy, ethnic and all that as evidenced from abundant evidence of the victims on
ground.
Boko Haram insurgency is a multi-dimensional war of varied interests declared on the nation and this calls for a holistic approach to curtain the menace that is
becoming cancerous. The scattered remnants of the sect in villages, bushes and even in the cities are causing more damages and nightmare than hitherto envisaged, thereby creating among the people the doubt of the capability of authorities to tame the monster as promised and expected. One of the strategies of the terrorists is to sustain this doubt in the minds of the people to facilitate loss of confidence in the authority. This must not be
allowed.
If Northeast is to survive and Nigeria will live in peace, this is the time to call a spade a spade and not a digging instrument. With the fever of the 2019 elections gripping the nation daily, it is imperative now to stamp the nation’s feet on ground to end this war now as continued procrastination and playing the ostrich will not augur well for
Nigeria.
It is time to tell ourselves the home truth. Time to go back to the drawing board and see where things went wrong and amend. Time to set aside politics and take and act Nigeria first.
For now, there is no enduring peace in Northeast, especially Borno. And if Northeast does not survive this insurgency, forget about the peace in Nigeria.
Concluded
Victor Izekor, a journalist and public affairs analyst is a member of Board of Advisers, The Point Newspaper.
