I was about to make some notes on the above subject when the news came that another batch of the abducted Chibok school girls, this time numbering 82, have been left of the hook by the insurgents.
No thanks to the Boko Haram sect who since the abduction of the girls continued to use this as a hard bargain to take a pound of flesh towards securing the release of its helmsmen under the detention of Nigeria’s Federal Government.
However, it is indeed another fitting feather to the cap of President Mohammadu Buhari who in spite of the challenges and tortuous journey to free the girls from the clutches and grip of these “criminals and terrorists” (apologies to General Tukur Buratai) he remained focused, unintimidated and ever ready to bolster through the debris of catastrophe, as the salvation of Nigeria and it’s people is the ultimate golden fleece. The same applause goes to the military which demystified the myth that the Boko Haram sect was unassailable. Today, the fighting power of the sect is fast evaporating – thanks to the heat put on the sect by the nation’s military might.
Similarly and in particular, the security agencies, the international community and especially the government of Switzerland, the Red Cross, local and international NGOs deserve kudos for facilitating the success of the operation that saw the release of the girls in exchange for some Boko Haram prisoners.
As pointed out earlier, my attention was briefly diverted on the subject, ‘Unmask the sponsors of Boko Haram’, with the breaking news of the 82 abducted school girls. Even before the release of the latest batch of the abducted school girls, authentic report had it that the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, met behind closed doors with the Service Chiefs over the Boko Haram insurgency, more so on the recently intensified intermittent attacks on some communities, especially in Borno state. The issue of bombing by the insurgents or their recruits of civilian and military formations was also considered.
The recent onslaughts by the terrorists have suddenly brought back the sad memories of the nightmare and sleepless nights that traumatized the people, many who were sleeping with only one eye closed.
Let it be made abundantly clear here that, no matter the success of all the efforts made at getting rid of the Boko Haram insurgency, failure to trace the identity of its sponsors who are indeed the masterminds of the various heinous acts, is synonymous with scotching a snake and not killing it.
Identifying the brains, backbones and the plutocrats behind this heinous crime that has sunk deep and inflicted injuries on the nation, is the beginning of wisdom.
The children, the old, the young and even the media have consistently asked for the whereabouts of the sponsors of this terrorism to no avail.
For example, during the launching of the Victims Support Fund in Abuja in 2014, by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the Nigerian children that performed on the occasion reminded us of our past and present, our travails and triumphs, the Boko Haram saga, the abduction of the Chibok school girls and asked the question to the bewilderment of all present: are there no sponsors of this Boko Haram?
Even, the military that heavily bears the brunt of this crisis has repeatedly warned the masterminds of this terrorism.
For instance, in September, 2015, the Army issued a statement, signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kushasheka, part of which read: “The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public and send a very strong, serious (and) final warning to some prominent individuals and political groups, who hail from Borno State in particular and North-East generally, that there is information on plans by some highly placed individuals and political groups to undermine and scuttle the fight against insurgency in this country.
They are employing every means to see that our operations do not succeed in order for them to continue to enjoy certain benefits.
They are employing the services of marabouts and other unethical means in order to frustrate our efforts and the operations, in addition to (launching) campaign(s) of calumny.”
Reacting to the statement, the chairman of Borno Elders Forum, Ambassador Gaji Galtimari, charged the military to unmask the culprits with a view to bringing them to justice, as they pose serious threat to the nation’s security.
In the same manner, Ambassador Galtimari indicted those implicated in the on-going arms deal investigation, describing them as sponsors of Boko Haram insurgency. It would be recalled that even President Goodluck Jonathan admitted that there were members of the Boko Haram in his administration; while the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, pointed out that “there are political Boko Haram, criminal Boko Haram and religious Boko Haram.”
When the Al-Shaba sect attacked Kenya sometime back, President Friday Uhuru of that country went straight for the sponsors in the country. Within few days after the attack, over 80 prominent citizens were arrested and their accounts frozen for further investigation.
In the process, it was discovered, among others, that a son of a prominent member of the Kenyan government was even a culprit that led the sect attack against Garassa University.
To identify the sponsors of Boko Haram and put them in fetters for which they deserve is the beginning of wisdom, towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency.
