Northerners in Jonathan’s govt have failed

By Emmanuel Edukugho, Ishola Balogun, Ebun Sessou, Osa Amadi

The latest in the series of grisly and gruesome execution by Boko Haram terrorist group was the  shooting at close range of about 20 men in civilian clothing with their hands tied behind their backs lying by the roadside.

They were allowed some minutes to say their prayers. Some others were beaten to death with shovels and their bodies dumped into a trench. Many Nigerians will never forget the barbaric slitting of throats of armless Nigerians, killing of women, children and innocent people by the Boko Haram group while explosions and gunfire on people, public institutions and market places go on ceaselessly.

No one knows exactly the condition of the over 200 Chibok girls abducted over four months ago except their captors. As hope seems to have been lost, their parents held a symbolic funeral rites for the girls recently.

Now, the dreaded sect has taken over part of Borno State, declaring a caliphate ruler ship therein. Yet we pretend that everything is in control. To many Nigerians, if after nearly a decade of violence, government still does not have effective strategy for dismantling the group, then the terrorists are in control.

The questions on the lips of many Nigerians, are where are our military while Boko Haram insurgents almost easily have a field day from time to time and now hoisting their flags in their captured areas?

Why has it taken so long to dismantle the Boko Haram even with a steady annual increase on defence budgets? What with the recent 20 per cent increase of the defence budget? Why and how did we allow a local terrorists group to gradually but progressively develop into such a monster that is even overpowering our military who now flee into neigbhouring countries for safety? What with the efforts of the heavily publicised foreign forces? Or have they said ‘to your tent O’ Israel’, and many more?

Alhaji Shettima Yerima, an activist and president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum attempted to answer some of these questions. The youth leader described the Boko Haram, declaration on Gwazo as their territory as another national embarrassment, adding that it portends a great danger to the nation.

“It has become a threat to our national unity and it is obvious that they have gone long to demonstrate their capacity and the weakness of our military. And this is an embarrassing moment in our national security. To me, I can say government is not being sincere because it is not proper to put a woman in a man’s position. A situation where we have the Northern sons as the security adviser, minister for defense, Inspector General of Police, yet terrorism has taken over the country, is a huge embarrassment to our national root.

“That our Nigerian forces do not have the capacity, they are running away, is a proof that over the years, they have been pretending and we have refused to tell ourselves the truths. To me, it is so unfortunate that we have South-South President who is surrounded by weak officers. These people should be replaced because they have clearly demonstrated that they are not capable in tackling insurgency in the country.

To me, they have no business in government. They have clearly demonstrated that they have nothing to offer. Rather than the President taking all the blames, that he is not capable to rule the country, he should reshuffle the cabinet and bring people who are competent to do the job. People are dying everyday at the expense of the weaknesses of these people. It is an embarrassment for insurgents to make statement and military makes their own and one would find it difficult to tell which is the truth, it is embarrassing.

The youth leader maintained that President Jonathan has a responsibility to contain the problem. “Jonathan is a civilian and it is perceived in other African countries that  Jonathan is to blame for this atrocity. And I find it difficult to explain to a  layman that  Jonathan is not enjoying what is happening. But I can’t understand why he put incompetent  people there.

People believe that Jonathan has what it takes to make change and that is why he needs to live up to his duties.”
“I have no doubt in my mind that Nigerian military has the capacity to curtail insurgency if given the wherewithal. These are soldiers who have engaged in different battles and conquered. So, it is ridiculous to subject the military to what it is today.

Somehow, someone is sabotaging the peace of this country. The truth of the matter is that you can not fool the people all the time. President Jonathan should prove his mettle and reshuffle his cabinet rather campaigning for 2015. The Nigerian military has the capacity to work.”

On why the efforts of foreign forces have not yielded any result, Shettima said; “We tend to wipe out history easily and  concentrate  on things that are not realistic. Before Nigeria’s case, there were other African countries that went through the same thing, yet nothing happened. Their intervention is nothing to write home about. I am afraid, we may end up like Libya. We don’t need external force, the Nigerian force, if given the necessary support, will deliver.
On what collaborative effort the Northern leaders are taking against the insurgents and in the rescue of the Chibok girls, Shettima said

“I don’t know if the Chibok girls are still alive because after four months, there is nothing to write home about”.

He lampooned the northerners who are in the present government, saying that they have no business in the government if they cannot influence the fight to put an end to terrorism in the country.

“They have all failed. The Northern sons should be challenged on how they are helping to solve the problem in the country. Are they working to give this government a good image? Are they in touch with their constituents? Do they interact in town hall meetings with their people? The truth is that they are not in touch with the people. Abuja is neither the whole Nigeria nor is it their constituency.

They should all go back  to their constituencies. I speak as a Northerner because I know what is obtainable here. It is painful that the people in government are far from the people.”

He surmised that there was need for a new constitution that will be people oriented but added that the just concluded national conference was a total rubbish as recommendations would only end up in Jonathan’s office.

Second republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said there was a grand design to fracture Nigeria.

“It is part and parcel of the plan to destabilize Nigeria for political purpose. There are already groups of two insurgents in the north – Boko Haram, the cattle thieves and the suicide bombers. The so-called cattle thieves and suicide bombing, in the North-East, North-West, North Central, and FCT are part of the plan, starting with the north, to extend it to the whole country. All these insurgencies are politically motivated.

This is because of the sophistication and the equipment used. They are part of the grand design to destabilize Nigeria starting from the north to the rest of the country, probably in a different way but it is all insurgency for the purpose of destabilizing Nigeria and making Nigeria uncontrollable for a political purpose,” he said.

In the same vein, The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins said that the dreaded Boko Haram sect constitutes a major threat to the nation’s unity and continuous existence, adding that the situation needs urgent and drastic measures to combat the activities of the sect.

While condemning, in strong terms, the continuous blood-letting that has constituted the hallmark of their activities in the country, he described as even more alarming the current trend whereby the sect members seem to attack police stations and other security apparatus in the country and cart away their arms and ammunition.

“By the recent attack on one of the nation’s Police Academies, and the sacking of a Gwoza community, the Boko Haram sect has shown once again that they have little or no regard for human lives. Indeed, it is now clear to the people behind these atrocities do not mean well for this nation. Their mission is to violate the territorial integrity of our country Nigeria. It therefore behoves on the government to stop the insurgents.”

Archbishop Martins, while urging the Federal Government not to rule-out the possible involvement of some foreign forces in destabilizing the country through their terrorist activities, advised government to thoroughly investigate the group activities to unravel their sponsors and bring them to book, no matter who they are.

He expressed deep concern about the similarity of the activities of the Boko Haram to that of the ISIS in Iraq.

“Their lust for territorial conquest and the declaration of Caliphates is a worrisome development that should be taken with the seriousness that it deserves. As the ISIS is a threat to Iraq, the Boko haram is also growing in that direction and should not be treated with kid gloves so that we do not have to start looking out for US to intervene as in Iraq.”

“Many believe the group activities thrive because there is no cohesive strategy for combating the group.

“Lack of adequate weapons for troops sent to fight the well-armed rebels has hampered the counter-insurgency and some soldiers have refused to be deployed to Gwoza without better gear in an apparent mutiny.

CORRUPTION

Many analysts however believe the military still has the capacity to reverse the insurgents. There are those who opine that despite huge budgetary allocation to security and defence, the efforts would not yield any result unless the pandemic corruption is tackled.

On Islamic Caliphate

For anyone who has good grasp of Islamic history Shekau and his Boko Haram do not in any way represent Islam. A number of Islamic teachers who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, have have condemned Shekau. A particular Imam who did not want his name in print questioned the sanity of Shekau in declaring Gwoza, a southeastern town of about 300 000 residents in Borno state a Caliphate. “Does he know what a Caliphate is? A Caliphate is an empire.”

Shekau, however. feels those condemning him are infidels. . His war against Nigerians and the world is well guided by faith in a brand of Islamic fundamentalism that embraces terrorism.

He said: “Allah is going to use Islam to rule (not only) Gwoza, (but also) Nigeria, and the whole world.”

Since the collapse of the Islamic Caliphate in 1924, when the leader of Turkey, Kamal Ataturk, pulled Turkey out of the Islamic world, the hurt Islamic radicals have been scheming to re-establish a global Islamic authority called the Caliphate. There are three stages involved in this scheme, according to experts in terrorism:

First, establish Islamic states. Second, join these states together under a caliphate. Third, use the caliphate to submit the entire world to Islamic authority.

Last month, in July, Abubakar Shekau had announced his support for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State armed group which had similarly seized part of Iraq and Syria declaring himself “the caliph” and leader of Muslims everywhere.”

On why the Nigeria military has not been able to dislodge Boko Haram, a retired top brass of the Nigerian army told Saturday Vanguard that there is more to it than what the people are told. Fighting Boko Haram is big money to some people. They have infiltrated some places. “Or who do you think helps the members of

Boko Haram members to escape arrest? The military is aware of all these. There is more mutiny going on in the army than they let out to the public. Some want the trouble to end but they lack the wherewithal to fight on. There are those who lack the guts to fight on. They are divided and that’s a problem.

Asked whether the claim by foot soldiers that they were not well equipped and motivated was true, the ex-soldier said it was true.

Complaint about poor equipment of Nigerian military is not new. The last time governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state brought it up, Presidential Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe hit back, playing more politics than addressing the reality.

He said, “We state categorically that the Nigerian military is one of the best equipped in Africa and that in 2014, the Federal Government made budgetary provision in excess of N1 trillion for the military and other security agencies, an amount, which is about 22 percent of our entire national budget for this year. This definitely belies the suggestion in certain quarters that the Federal Government is not doing the needful in prosecuting this war.” Where are the weapons? He may want to answer too.

The Maitatsine example

There are obvious similarities between the Maitatsine insurgency which broke out in the late 1970s to early 1980s and Boko Haram insurgency which started in 2002 but whose terror has intensified in past five to six years.

The leader of the Matatsine Islamic sect was Mohammed Marwa, born in a town called Marwa on the border of Nigeria with Cameroon. He was said to have started preaching in 1945 trying to cause trouble at that time which compelled the British colonial government to exiled him. Claiming to be a prophet and Mujahid in the mold of Usman Dan Fodio, founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, he preached against radios, wearing wrist watches, cars, bicycles and possession of wealthy things including excess money. He had growing follower ship especially in Kano drawn from both Almajiris and some middle class youths who absconded from home.

His adherents refused to interact or mix with other Muslims, living in their own enclave as a result of which their practices and activities conflicted with the authorities. At first, the Islamic religious leadership did not know how to contain Mohammed Marwa and the message he was preaching. When however, he travelled to Mecca in 1975 for the hajj, it seemed he was to be accepted.

But in 1979, when the military quit power for a civilian dispensation, he rejected the prophet-hood of Mohammed (SAW) and the Hadith and Sunnah.

Consequently, he was also rejected. Instead of dealing decisively with the Maitatsine sect, it was treated with kid gloves by both Kano State government under late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) founded by late Mallam Aminu Kano which was in opposition to National Party of Nigeria (NPN) then ruling the country with Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the President of Nigeria. While the two sides were playing politics, often arresting Mohammed Marwa and releasing him, Maitatsine sect grew in leaps and bounds.

As people began to disappear in Kano especially when they entered the compound of the sect and never came out again. The Emir of Kano at that time (Ado Bayero) was very worried, more so, as the sect members, unlike other regular Muslims, did not respect his authority. They owed allegiance only to their leader.

In subsequent years leading up to 1980, violent confrontations between Maitatsine members and the Police increased just as membership of the sect rose. Kano was sitting on a keg of gunpowder, which later exploded. The inevitable happened on a Friday after the Jumat prayers. Unknown to the authorities, Maitatsine members had been stockpiling weapons with more of the sect followers from outside Kano coming in. When the onslaught began, they overran the mosques, churches and police stations. At the end of several days of sporadic attacks, thousands of people were killed. Reports of Maitatsine sect members impregnable to bullets, members having a gaze that paralysed people instantly who confronted them became rife in the media. It was the army who moved in and overpowered the sect, killing Mohammed Marwa, the leader.

After his death, a certain Musa Makaniki, who took over the sect’s leadership and fled to Yola with other Maitatsine members, causing another mayhem there in which nearly 2,000 people died and several, thousands rendered homeless. The sect members caused riots again in Bulum Kuttu near Maiduguri and in Kaduna, leaving thousands dead.

All these riots were quelled by the military the military. Troops chased them to Gombe, then finally into Cameroon. The sect had spread its deadly incursion not only into Borno State but also to the old Gongola State, unleashing violence in Jimeta, Dobeli Zango, Yelwa, Runde and Nasarawa before security forces successfully battled to restore order.

But not after thousands of people lost their lives while properties worth millions of naira had been destroyed. The military chased them into neigbhouring countries and even went their killing them. It was very decisive. Maitatsine were deadlier than Boko Haram but they were dealt with.

“Maitatsine,” which literally means “One who curses,” attracted massive followers among tallakawa (commoners). It was referred to as yan Tatsine (those who curse). The activities of Maitatsine were destructive and a source of worry to the federal and state governments. They launched attacks on police formations, government establishments, churches, Christians and moderate Muslims.

The same way NPN/PRP initially played politics with Maitatsine before they were dealt with may have similarities with what’s happening with Boko Haram.

Members of Maitatsine led by Mohammed Marwa, shot their way into notoriety when they took to the streets of major cities in the north, proclaiming their brand of Islam to be superior to every other one, thereby igniting widespread violence that claimed lives and properties. Between Maitatsine riots and Boko Haram insurgency there had been several ethno-religious disturbances which claimed over 20,000 lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira. Boko Haram had been exceptional with several military casualties, equipment losses, brazen suicide bombers including girls and even fleeing of a large number of soldiers from battle into Cameroon. It has been so bad for the Nigerian military although the government has continued to be optimistic that it would defeat Boko Haram.

The whole of Africa has been blighted by Boko Haram’s horrifying acts of inhumanity. The terrorist attacks on Nigeria have been devastating of which our response needs to be equally sharp. Said Stephen Omare, an engineer: “We cannot take our personal safety for granted. People must take active part in the vigilant protection of our country. Civilians must assume roles in our civil defence as block watchers, neighobourhood police, campus security and informants to military authorities and security operatives about those who act suspiciously.

“It’s easy enough to say Boko Haram insurgents represent pure evil, but it’s also pertinent to ask: What is it in Nigeria that led them into such bestiality, wanton killings, abductions, bomb attacks and so on?.”