It is the man that wears the shoes who knows where it pinches most as experience is the best teacher. There is nothing that has not been said or written in the on-going terror war or insurgency. The war continues to the despair and distaste of the afflicted and joy of the proponents of the war.
A decade on, the war is not abating and the indicators are pointer to this in spite of the resolve of the authorities to bring peace to the land, especially Northeast. It has therefore become necessary to look beyond the present efforts with a view to evolving a new strategy to ending this imbroglio. This is what inform this piece or article.
For clarity of purpose, I crave the indulgence of all or excuse to reproduce a portion of my article in The Point newspaper (Nov. 5 – Nov. 11, 2018) edition titled “End this war before the war ends us” and make brief comments to buttress the argument that, in spite of efforts to end the insurgency, this is not abating and the need for new strategy to ending the war has become inevitable. Here is the excerpts:
“Let’s read this news as contained in the Daily Trust of October 29, 2018.
“The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafia Dole provided air support for ground forces to repel a Boko Haram terrorist attack at Gashigar, Borno State. Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said in a statement yesterday that the operation was carried out over the night of October 27, and early morning of October 28, 2018, following a report from troops.
“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform that was on a mission at another location was immediately redirected to Gashigar, he stated.
“He said, in addition, a pair of Mi-35 helicopter gunships was scrambled to the location. He said the NAF ISR platform was joined by another from the Nigerian Air Force and they both were able to identify the location of the terrorists, in 13 gun trucks, as they advanced towards the camp from two different directions.
“He said Boko Haram terrorists were forced to retreat form the camp. Their attempt to regroup at a location outside the camp was also thwarted by the helicopter gunships, with several of them killed or injured in the process”.
Let’s read also another news story on the Daily Trust of September 7, 2018 where Senator Muhammad Ali Ndume expressed concern over what he called the resurgence and escalation of Boko Haram attacks on military formations and communities in the Northeast. In the words of the senator while addressing journalists in Maiduguri, “I am worried about the resurgence and escalation of attacks on military formations and communities by Boko Haram, especially within the span of two months, and this should worry the entire country”, the erstwhile Senate leader said.
“The military, I think, should concentrate their heavy operations at the black spots of Sambisa, Mandara mountains and the Dikwa/Gamboru axis where the insurgents still seem to be heavily concentrated”, he suggested.
“Military formations should be on permanent alert about any attack, I am not a military man, but I want to believe that if somebody attacks you in your own house, it means that you are not ready”.
What of similar frightening stories from other nooks and crannies of the state pointing to the restlessness and push of the terrorists! In fact, as I was writing this piece, I have just been interrupted with the sad news from TVC NEWS that the insurgents have just attacked three villages along the Maiduguri-Bama road with several people killed.
This has been the bane of Borno State, in particular of recent, in the war against the insurgency as the state continues to witness deaths, sorrow and blood-no thanks to the insurgents.
Who is to blame? Is it the military who accused some politicians and elite in the Northeast and Borno State in particular of trying to sabotage the war against the insurgency for self ends? Is it the military that was accused by some politicians of frustrating and prolonging the war on terrorism for self-interest of some of its members? Could the blame be laid also at the disposition of some elders of Borno with their “siddon look” posture and non committal attitude to the on-going war? The blame game continues as the terrorist are having a field day creating nightmare and despair for the people.
The atmosphere of uncertainty has raised pricking, probing and prodding questions? How come we got ourselves into this mess and state of despair when we were told that the insurgents have been degraded?”
Between November 2018 when the above article was published and now, attacks and suicide bombing have been on the increase. Military outposts have been attacked while various places, including mosques and markets are not spared, especially in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States with Borno taking the lion’s share of the tragedy. The latest tragedy occurred when Governor Kashim Shettima envoy on campaign trail to Gamboru Ngala was attacked. The ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which according to the terror group, claimed 42 lives, though three people were officially reported killed by the government spokesman. Disturbed by the upward prowl of the insurgents, Governor Shettima, some weeks back, summoned a stakeholders’ meeting in Maiduguri, where security challenges confronting the state were discussed, with observations and recommendations delivered to the presidency.
From all indications and the available evidence on ground, the military has been living up to expectation in spite of the numerous challenges. So also, the other genuine stakeholders. However, it does appears that all their efforts to tame the insurgency have not given the expected maximum output to put on hold the terror war. Hence, the need to look beyond the present efforts to evolving a new strategy to stem the shrew. According to Albert Einstein, “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” For the nation to move forward, we have to change our thinking. In the words of Malcolm X, “You’re not to be so blind with patriotism, that you can’t face reality: warning is wrong, no matter who does it or say it. “
Without any ambiguity or fear of contradiction, the need to review the present process of prosecuting the insurgency war has become inevitable as the present efforts of fighting the terror war have proved inadequate. The new strategy must be all embracing taking into consideration the input of the military, major stakeholders and the international community. The carrot and stick policy of the government must be critically examined as the carrot option appears being abused to the detriment of the people and government. Except this insurgency war is given what it takes to end the scourge, the nation might be bargaining for a disastrous journey it never envisaged.
