21 min read
Abstract
The concept and nature of insurgency always invoke the spirit of terror, evil, and rebellion against a constituted authority by those who want to undermine the efforts of an incumbent regime. In fact, in its common meaning, they are terrorists. The Nigerian situation is a sterling example where a certain group called ‗Boko Haram‘, has unleashed mayhem that have shocked the very political, economic and security foundations of this country. The Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalist sect which has been declared as an international terrorist organization and described as having links with another terrorist group, the Al Queda by the United States of America was born following the 2011 general elections in Nigeria. There are insinuations and charges that the insidious Boko Haram terrorist organization was created by the northern political opposition with strong support from the Islamic Middle East terrorist elements to destabilize the government, national security and peace of the nation, Nigeria. The truth remains that this deadly group has unleashed a reign of terror that resulted in callous destruction of lives both great and small, most of whom are of northern extraction of various religious divides. The foreigners who came to invest were not spared as well and properties worth billions of naira have been destroyed. Hence, the aim of this paper is to appraise this insurgency group called Boko Haram and examine how it affects our national security.
Introduction
Insurgents are deadly groups that can never be conceived in no other way than terrorists. They reside among men in various countries of the world assuming different nomenclatures. Here in Nigeria, we never had any group that assumed a terrorists dimension like the one we have presently called Boko Haram‘. Other countries are experiencing their own plagues in the hands of terrorist groups with different names like Hezbollah, Hamas, AL-Qaeda Network, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Boko Haram. These groups perpetrate their evil acts from those countries they have the interest in attacking with the sole aim of over throwing the incumbent regime and install the one they are interested in.
Many regimes in the world have in the past been indicted for abating terrorist operations and such act has been tagged as ―State Sponsored Terrorism‖ which has never been received with ease by the United Nations (UN) because it could cause out-break of crises and endanger the peaceful co-existence and mutual interrelationships among the member states or nations. So, one of the major concerns of the world today is terrorism, emanating from one insurgency upon another and Nigeria as a nation is not being spared either. Ours is a nation facing the devastating heat or effect of Boko Haram. No country can thrive economically, socially and politically in a climate of insecurity. That is why the issue of Boko Haram as a threat to national security and development should be given serious attention and possible solution proffered.
This group called Boko Haram which in Hausa parlance means ―Western education is evil‖ is divided into factions and in 2011 was responsible for more than 450 deaths. According to Aljazeera news of 24-12-2011 quoted in March 14, 2012, Boko Haram has become a very blood sucking pest on Nigerian society as they strike with such ferocity that both Nigeria and the world beyond are drawn to the question of the emergence of this group and what they stand to gain after all. The origin of similar terrorist groups in the world may be examined briefly in this paper.
Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the genesis of this monstrous group and its heinous activities in Nigeria. Also, it would be pertinent to appraise the negative impact of this deadly group on the national security and proffer ways that would ensure a secured Nigeria.
Etiology of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria
Suffice it to say that just like other past insurgents, Boko Haram reared its ugly head in Nigeria in 2002 in Maiduguri. The term, Boko Haram, comes from the Hausa language. Boko means ―Western education‖ and Haram means ―Sin or evil‖. The name, Boko Haram, simply means that ‗western education is evil or sin‘. The insurgent owes its powerful resistance to everything western which it understands as humiliating Muslims decided to root out any attempt to westernized the north that is predominately Muslims (Chothia, 2012). Adesoji (2010), traced the origin of Boko Haram to the Yan Tatsine violent outburst of lawlessness close to the beginning of 1980s. He said that the aftermath of the Yan Tatsine riots was that a number of conservative Islamic groups began to emerge and gain popularity in Borno State. Amongst one of these was Mohammed Yusuf, a school dropout. He had undertaken religious studies in Chad and Niger Republics before returning to Maiduguri where he established a local mosque and religious school. Yusuf became the local head of one such group called Jama‘atul Tajdidi Islam before leaving it as a result of a dispute over its strategy and tactics. The followers of Yusuf assumed a very powerful name in Islam – The Jama‘atul Alhul Sunnah Lidda Wati Jihad which when interpreted means those dedicated to the spread of Islam and Jihad as fashioned out by prophet Mohammed. With stark hatred of western- schooling, Yusuf Mohammed criticized openly the so called Islamic scholars of his day in that they mixed up Islamic teachings with western education. As a result of this open condemnation of western education and the evil associated with it, Yusuf by his teaching was able to lure a lot of people in his area into joining his group to carry out the public censure of western schooling. It was reported in 2004 by the Newswatch Magazine that students of some technical colleges in Maiduguri and Damaturu tore their education certificates and dropped out of schools to embrace the teaching and lessons of Qur‘an (Danjibi, 2012). It reported that the position and pull of the insurgents rapidly grew to be clear to local authorities. It was alleged that Ali Modu Sheriff, the then executive governor of Borno State was wooed to be a member of this monstrous group by his then Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Buji Foi.
In the work of Farrel, it was accepted that the origin of Boko Haram can be traced to a local dispute in Borno State between the police and followers of Mohammed Yusuf who started this sect as a religious sect over the enforcement of a relatively insignificant motorcycle law which led to riots and eventually to the burning down of police stations. During this period of uprising more than 700 people were killed in clashes in Bauchi Maiduguri and Potiskun. It led to the death of Yusuf and Foi while they were in police custody.
In reaction to this, Johnson (2011) pointed out that the major objective of this group was to establish a Sharia government in Borno State under Governor Ali Modu Sherift. The founder of this Jihadist group by name Yusuf Mohammed established a religious group that built Mosques and schools here and there in the city of Borno where a good number of indigent children from across Nigeria and neighbouring Niger and Chad got inducted in core Islamic tenets that resisted any effort by the state to suppress them. The main aim of this faction was to form a completely Islamic state in Nigeria in order to execute to the full the Sharia laws. Numerous scholars considered this group as a fall out of Maitatsine Violence of the 1980s as well as the religious/ethnic forces that emerged at the end of 1990s.
What was discussed above concerning the main reason why Mohammed Yusuf formed this monstrous group is in line with what Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said in his excerpts on the paper he delivered at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He accused religion as the remote and immediate cause of the Boko Haram Security challenges. He quoted the Quran by saying that in Sura 9:123 the Quaran says that, ‖believers make war on the infidels who dwell around you let them have firmness in you. Know that Allah is with the righteous‖ But it is in verses 29, 30 and 31 of the same Sura 9 that the Quran is emphatic on the eternal nature of the relationship between the Muslim faithful and his Christian brethren. It puts it thus: Fight against such of those to whom the book was given as believers neither in Allah nor the last day, who so not forbid what Allah and his Apostle have forbidden and do not embrace the true faith until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued. The question here is how can Muslim by the act of providence become our brothers in one nation, in ethnic nationality, in town and in professional body justify the above injunction in the context of our collective desire for love, peace and stability in one united Nigeria? How come they make us believe that the present Boko Haram insurgency is not justified in the context of the above injunction of Qur‘an? Pastor Ayo went further to say that in Qur‘an, Sura 5 verses 17 and 73 aptly explains who the unbelievers are. In verse 17, it states inter alia ―unbelievers are those who declare ―Allah is al-Masih (Jesus Christ) the son of Mariam (Mary) but the most intriguing aspect of this relationship is that if the average Muslim in this country is to abide by the tenets of Islam, the question of mere friendship between him and his Christian brother becomes a nullity. In verse 57 of Sura 5, the Qur‘an goes further to state again that believers (Muslims) as they say should take as supporters neither those who were given the book before you, who have made of your religion as jest pastime, nor the infidels (Daily Sun, Thursday January 1, 2015 pg. 34.
The above Scenario vividly inform us why Boko Haram that claimed to champion the true tenets of Islam is hiding under the cover of the stipulated Qur‘anic injunctions to perpetrate their evil deeds to the nation of Nigeria. Funny enough, they contravene the Qur‘an in that they also unleash mayhem on their so called Muslim colleagues. Possibly they started from the point they claimed above according to what were stated in few Qur‘anic quotations but they eventually metamorphosed into a terror group in Nigeria.
Some Local Incidences of Boko Haram Menace in Nigeria
Space would not allow us relate one after the other the nefarious activities of this deadly group called ―Boko Haram‖ in the north eastern part of Nigeria and other surrounding areas. The most acclaimed onslaught of this group that attracted international outcry was the abduction of over 219 students of Government Secondary School Girls who were writing WAEC test in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria on the night of April 14, 2014. As said earlier, this singular act by the terrorists has made people of this country to be aghast and millions of people joined them in asking: How was it possible for this terrorist group to act with such impurity? It took nearly two weeks before the government even commented on the crime (Daily Sun, April 15 2015 Vol. 10 page 15).
We can‘t forget in a hurry the dastardly act of December 25, 2011 where the Boko Haram terrorist group under one of their leaders by name Abubakar Dikko (A.K.A. Kabiru Sokoto) bombed St. Theresa‘s Catholic Church Madalla, Niger State near Abuja. About 48 persons died in the attack while over 200 Christians were hospitalized. On Friday January 6, 2011, members of the sect struck in Mubi, Adamawa State and killed 20 Igbo men and women. At the end of such massacre this deadly group issued a three-day ultimatum to southerners mainly Christians to leave northern Nigeria. Some of the efforts made to track down these sects produced weak results, the reason being as opined by Falana that in the case of Kabiru Sokoto‘s escape from detention in police net and as a result could not come up to make some useful statement that could expose their sponsors who are with the Nigerian Security Agencies and those in top positions in government (Newswatch magazine January 30, 2012 pages 12-15).
In another development, in June 17, 2012, three Churches in Kaduna were bombed by Boko Haram causing havoc in that environment. That particular case of bombing marked the beginning of a new dimension to the security crisis in the country as some reprisal attacks by Christians who have hitherto endured losing relatives and properties to Boko Haram bombings could no longer bear these targets against them. Christians in Kaduna this time spontaneously took up arms against Muslims as a result of the multiple bombings in the State of Kaduna where the Shalom Church in Irikaniya at about 9.am experienced serious bombing of the Church with scores of Church members killed. As if that one was not enough, another blast hit the roof of Christ the King Catholic Church, Sabon Gari, Zaria in Kaduna State. At almost the same time, another bomb exploded at the ECWADCC Church also in Zaria and as at press time, a good number of people were left dead as a result of this bombing. This irked the Christians to barricade the Kaduna/Abuja road and on the process sort out Muslim passersby and executed all they could lay their hands on.
Newswatch gathered that no fewer than 70 persons died and more than 130 severely wounded in the reprisal attacks that happened in June 19, 2012 in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The funny part of this matter is that the police and army JTF ordered to curtail the serial killings by Boko Haram could not match force with force with this deadly sect as the sect seemed to have more sophisticated weapons and even appeared to be more trained in warfare than those sent to scare them from their areas of operation. It was truly a bloodbath in Kaduna according to Newswatch of July 2, 2012 pages 12-15. What a security threat to the Nigerian nation! Kano State in the north-western region of the country also witnessed another orgy of bloodbath when this sect unleashed mayhem as one Joshua Jegede, 25 years of age, a staff of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) main branch along Murtada Mohammed Way had in December 2011 got married and looked forward to a fruitful married life only for his life to be cut short by Boko Haram. On that fateful day that he closed work and was heading home only to meet this group who had blocked the road. He was ordered out of his vehicle together with his friends and they were shot on a close range. In another part of Kano on the same day, Segun Tijoni, 20 years of age from Sabon Gari was attending evening class and on hearing about gun shots from Boko Haram wanted to run back home for safety only to be shot by this deadly group and his corpse was found the next day with gun wounds on his body.
In fact, hundreds of people were killed in similar circumstances in Kano as the city practically became a war zone from the evening of Friday, January 20, 2011, to the day multiple bomb blast rocked different parts of the metropolis. The government at the end of the killings put the figure of those killed at 185, but a source told Newswatch that more than 200 people were killed (Newswatch Magazine February 6, 2012, pg 25.
Another North-eastern state of Nigeria under siege by Boko Haram is Yobe State. In Damaturu the Yobe State Capital, a neighbourhood called New Jerusalem is a popular abode for Christians. Most Christians consider it a safe heaven to reside because many Churches are also located there. It has the highest concentration of Christians and non-indigenes. It was therefore not surprising that it was one of the targets of Boko Haram, when they unleashed mayhem on Damaturu and Potiskum on Friday November 4, 2011. It was one of the deadliest attacks ever carried out by Boko Haram, the Islamic fundamentalist sect which has become a thorn in the flesh of the nation. The deadly strike claimed more than 150 lives and rendered thousands of people homeless. Churches like St. Mary‘s Catholic Church, Living Faith also known as Winners Chapel, All Saints Anglican Church, Cherubim and Seraphim Church and the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) were all razed down.
Newswatch gathered that before Boko Haram members did the bombing of New Jerusalem neighbourhood, they first attacked the office of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) along Maiduguri road near NNPC mega station at about 4.30pm on that fateful day. They were in a Posh Honda CRV Jeep loaded with explosives and attacked the force building where both the suicide bomber, Aluju Kabir, ATS constable and many children including the building were razed down (Newswatch November 21, 2011).
However, the ugly scenario of these serious events in Nigeria is that in Maiduguri in Borno and Yobe States that have become killing fields, soldiers and other members of Joint Military Task Force (JMF) are themselves being bombed and killed. On Tuesday July 19, 2011, as peace keepers patrolled the town, a gang of men suddenly threw bombs at their van about 7.40pm where three escaped death and some of the JTF were seriously wounded. Attack of such kind is not restricted to the army alone. The blast according to Newswatch killed several people including visitors, drivers and members of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) on stand-by at the force headquarters as well as several people and contractors who milled around the vast parking lot. Another surprising security threat by this deadly sect called Boko Haram (Newswatch July 4, 2011 pg 14-16). Another dark day was experienced in Abuja, in 2014 when a Sharan Volkswagen car was loaded with deadly explosives and was parked at Nyanya Motor Park pretending to load people for a meaningful journey only to explode and killed over 110 people that had visited the park that early morning for a journey. The insurgents put the Sallah festival of the Muslims in three villages in Adamawa State on October 4, 2014 in a sorry state as they attacked and killed about 70 persons in Michika Local Government Area in a renewed attack. The Islamic insurgent group also destroyed their houses and farmlands. Among the villages attacked is kuborshosho, the village of former governor of the state and minister of youth development, Mr. Boni Haruna, one of whom was a 99-year-old man, who was slaughtered by the dreaded sect. The other villages they attacked were Kubi, Garta and others. In the course of the attack, the family house of the former governor was razed down, four of his uncles, aged aunties, nieces and their siblings narrowly escaped death by the whiskers as good Nigerians evacuated them from the war-torn zone of Michika and its environs to Yola, the state capital. Many villages were attacked and the insurgents carried these attacks from Thursday night through Friday as those that escaped ran to the mountains. Warehouses, shops were all burnt down. The question that remained unanswered is, during this period of attack that lasted for more than one day, where were the Nigerian Military and other law enforcement agencies posted to Adamawa? (Saturday Sun, October 4, 2014 pg. 7).
More so, Jos bombing on Sunday 5th July, 2015 as Muslim worshipers were breaking their Ramadam fast at Yan Taya Mosque Dilimi Street off Bauchi road Jos and Shagalinku restaurant along Bauchi road Jos led to the death of 48 persons and several others injured and properties worth millions were destroyed was another ugly incident that is very chilling to hear. On Tuesday 7th July, 2015 14 persons were gunned down at Sho village in Barkin Local Government Area at noon when the victims were being escorted by the police. This was in addition to situation when a suicide bomber on the same day killed 26 persons at the venue of verification centre in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Zaria in Kaduna State. This situation made the current governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Ahmed El-Rufai give an order that no street beggars and hawkers should be allowed to operate in Kaduna metropolis as most of the suicide bombers camouflage as beggars and hawkers to carry out their wicked acts (Sun Newspaper, Thursday 9, 2015 pg 5).
Few Terrorist Groups across the World
a. Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)
This group emerged from the Islamic brotherhood during the first Palestine intifada of 1987. Hamas became a religious opposition to the Israelis in their occupied territory and was mainly known for its suicide bomb attacks. It condemned American policies which favoured Israel to justify its attacks on the U S and other Western countries. It is based in Gaza and certain areas of the West Bank (Emesowum, 2008).
b. Radical Religious Group, Hezbollah
It is a radical Shia Islamic religious group founded in Lebanon in 1982. It became closely allied with and often directed from Iran. The group claimed responsibility for some of the numerous terrorist attacks on the U S and other Western countries for protecting Israel and for which in one of its statements said ―our sons are now in a state of ever escalating confrontation against the enemies (Isreal, America and France) until the following objectives are achieved; Israel‘s final departure as a prelude to its final obliteration from the entire earthly existence (Maric, 1997). What a hydra of carnage! The group‘s operational bases are in the Bekaa Valley, Southern Suburbs of Beruit and Southern Lebanon. It also established terrorist cells in Europe, Africa, South America, North America and Asia. It reportedly receives financial training, weapons, diplomatic and organizational aid from some Arab powers.
Here in Nigeria, one of their members by name Moustafa Reda Darwish Fawaz who owns a vastly patronized Amigo Super Market in Abuja was arrested by the State Security Services (SSS) for using his financial outlets in collaboration with Iran to run and finance terrorist acts both in Nigeria and other countries suspected to be anti- Islam (Tell, June 17, 2013: 21-22).
c. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
This group began more than two decades ago as a fervid fantasy in the mind of a Jordanian named Abu Musabal Zargawi. A onetime street thug, he arrived in Afghanistan as Mujahedeen Wannabe in 1989 too late to fight the Soviet Union. He went back home to Jordan and remained a fringe figure in the international violent Jihad for much of the following decade. He returned to Afghanistan to set up a training camp for terrorists and met Osama bin Laden in 1999, but chose not to join Al Qaeda (Ghosh, 2014).
The fall of the Taliban in 2001 forced Zargawi to flee to Iraq. There his presence went largely unnoticed until the Bush Administration used it as evidence that al-Qaeda was in cahoots with Saddam Hussein. In reality, Zarqawi was a free agent looking forward to creating his own terror organization. Shortly after the U S –led invasion of Iraq in 2003, he set up the fore runner to today‘s Islamic State; Jama at al –Tawhidwal –Jihad (The party of Monotheism and Jihad) which was made up mostly of non-Iraqis.
However, Zarqawi started using his group to send dozens of Suicide bombers to blow themselves up in Mosques, schools, cafes and markets usually predominantly Shiites neighborhoods or towns because they considered the Shiites as heretics in Islam. By 2004, Zargawi‘s campaign of suicide bombings across Iraq had made him a super star of the international Jihad movement and won the endorsement of Bin Laden himself. The situation in Syria now gives ISIS a safe haven to operate. Already ISIS has proclaimed that they and their leader are the leaders of all the Muslims in the world and have accounted for the deaths of over 5000 people including women and children while 1.2 million people are driven from their homes. Their style of killing mostly is execution through beheading of their victims (Essam, 2014).
Boko Haram: A Real Threat to National Security
The news of terror and activities of Boko Haram exploits in the north-eastern Nigeria are no longer making headlines. The reason is that it appears Boko Haram has come to stay in Nigeria. But God forbid! Clearly, it is certain that the emergence of this deadly group like Boko Haram and a lot of these imbroglio claim religious or ethnic identity from the start, but no doubt they escalate to touch political, economic and social lives of the people adversely.
However, the questions that remained unattended to are: what constitutes the danger of this group called Boko Haram? What is the security situation in the country in reaction to this ugly incidence, and what can the government and people in general do to arrest the situation? Among the major conditions Boko Haram gave the government of Nigeria for them to cease fire were the resignation of the governor of Borno State Alhaji Kashim Shettima, trial of Ali Modu Sheriff, the then governor, and imposition of Sharia legal system in almost the 12 muslim – controlled states of the north. This sect, in addition, asked for the trial of a good number of politicians, traditional rulers and security personnel who in one way or the other orchestrated the extra-judicial killings of their members in Borno State (Daily Eagles, March 17, 2012). While the then-president was trying to identify the faces of these monstrous group who appeared to negotiate with Mr. President Goodluck Jonathan in faceless condition, they unleashed another disastrous action on the people of Adamawa and Borno communities respectively. In what appeared like a breach of ceasefire agreement between Boko Haram and Federal Government some insurgents have unleashed more terror on two communities of Adamawa and Borno killing not fewer than 15 people, while rendering thousands homeless as they were driven away from their communities. The Dzur village witnessed a serious orgy of violence by this deadly group where shooting and burning of houses become the order of the day. They also slaughtered eight while the residents flee into the bush for safety.
The suicide bombing at the force headquarters Abuja is a testimony that this sect is a serious security threat to Nigeria. The sect claimed responsibility also of bombing the UN building in Abuja and threatened to launch further attack during the Ramadam fast for the Muslims.
The case of a suicide bombing at the St. Theresa Catholic Church Madala in Niger State and Nyanya bombing where hundreds of lives were just lost is very chilling to hear. The
major one that stares in the face of Nigeria now which the international community had made several remarks on poor security situation in Nigeria is the missing of over two hundred Chibok Girls Secondary School in Borno State. It is a case where students in a broad daylight were carted away in the face of Nigerians and their whereabout is still unknown.
Actually, northern states have witnessed annals of violent crises similar to Boko Haram in Nigeria. We cannot forget in a hurry the violent of 1982 in Bullem Kutu, the Maitatsine of 1980s,, Kaduna 1982, Jos crises and the likes. What is unique about Boko Haram which has made it difficult for our security men to apprehend is their modus operandi. They are really terrorists. Those who commit the crime are unknown, their plans not recognized and their exact places not known also.
Moreso, the nature and scope of their killings really exposed our national security weaknesses. Supporting this assertion, Desert Herald writes: ―The well-coordinated siege of the capital of Yobe State in Damaturu by the dreaded members of the insurgent has raised serious concerns about the ability, professional and technical competence of the Nigerian security agencies to contain the threat to national security and human lives being posed by the members of the audacious sect.
The Yobe incidence is a clear indication of lack of security, intelligence and well- organized security personnel to manage crisis situations in Nigeria (This Day July 14, 2011). It also shows lack of sincerity on the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan and his security Chiefs to contain the mayhem of Boko Haram amidst assurances.
In fact our security men lack directions and commitment to counter the tide of Boko Haram activities. The above statement can be authenticated by the president Goodluck Jonathan‘s speech that those who aid and abet Boko Haram are with him in the cabinet. And that he has Boko Haram members in his government. Quoting him, he said‖ a number of those involved are in the decision-making division of the government at the same time, some of them are in the judiciary. A number of them are as well in the armed forces, the law enforcement and other agencies.
The former military administrator of Ekiti and Gombe States, Col. Mohammed Inuwa Bawa (Rtd), reiterated that lack of commitment and corruption on the part of government, porous borders between Nigeria and neighboring Chad, Niger and even Cameroon have aided the activities of Boko Haram that thinking of combating them to a finish might be a mirage (Sunday Sun of December 14 2014 Pages 31-32). Well as the heinous crimes of Boko Haram keep staring Nigeria in her face, there was a recent report that seemed to be good news that the held Chibok girls have been released as the military had combed the Sanbisa forest releasing on hostage over 300 persons. The army still asserted that they are still screening them to see whether they are really the Chibok girls that had been missing for some time now (Daily Sun of Wednesday April 29, 2015: 12). In all ramifications, the wake of violence witnessed in Nigeria by this deadly group really exposed the porosity, weaknesses of our military and lack of commitment and corruption on the part of the leadership in tackling insurgency of this nature in Nigeria and ensure a safe Nigeria.
Conclusion
From the foregoing, it can be understood that just like other terrorists or insurgent groups that came before Boko Haram, the menace of Boko Haram to national security is very alarming. The ugly security situation in this country provided a safe haven for Boko Haram to operate for a very long time. And from their mission statement, they have asserted that any resistance in achieving the goal of Islamizing Nigeria would be met with serious confrontational attack. Just like other Islamic sects mentioned earlier, Boko Haram insurgency is sending shock waves to the entire Nigeria in the North East and beyond.
With the awareness created through several media networks, the tireless effort of the Nigerian military in spite of all odds would go a long way in curtailing the obnoxious and nefarious activities of this monstrous group to an end some day. We pray their commitment will meet with success.
Recommendations
- Even though the advent of Boko Haram is not a welcome development, our military is encouraged never to rest on their oars when it comes to the issue of national security.
- The leadership of this country should learn how to be committed seriously in tackling the issue of security without seeing it as an avenue for politicking.
- It is recommended that our porous borders that have proved to be a hide out for all these insurgents should be under strict control by the agencies concerned.
- The issue that brought about the emergence of this dangerous sect should be examined properly by the government so that we don‘t have a repeat of such in the nearest future.
Our Take: Boko Haram has caused devastating impacts on Nigeria’s economy, striking with such terror that has resulted in the destruction of properties and lives, the majority of whom are of northern origin and belong to various religious groups.
There is need for security agencies should be given as much support they need to fight insecurity. when it comes to the issue of national security. The government should rededicate their commitments to the fight against terrorism rather than seeing insecurity situations as avenues to meet their interests.
Source: African Journal Online
