At the tempo or the speed meteor at which this is happening or taking place in the University of Maiduguri and its environs, one cannot predict that more suicide bombing of the institution by the terrorists would not occur between the period of writing this article and its publication, which is a matter of days. For some time now, UNIMAID has been an unwillingly host to suicide bombers, whose actions have caused incalculable damage in terms of human and material resources, and trauma to the staff and students of the institution. Within the past five months, UNIMAID has witnessed the baptism of fire from about 10 suicide bombers with casualties of a university professor, some security personnel and the bombers themselves who were all killed, and some valuables, including a mosque.
Without equivocation or fear of contradiction, one can say with the air of certainty that if UNIMAID is in trouble, security-wise, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital is in trouble
Before now and since the inception of the insurgency, UNIMAID was regarded as one of the three safe zones in the state capital: free, even from possible Boko Haram attack. The other two being Government House and the barracks. Even on most occasions when Maiduguri was brutally attacked by the insurgents, UNIMAID was at peace. Similarly, at the peak of the insurgency, some educational institutions in the northeast were attacked and several students killed but UNIMAID was untouched. For example, on July 6, 2013, 24 pupils, a teacher and an Islamic preacher were killed when gunmen suspected as Boko Haram members attacked Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State.
Also, on October 1, 2013, Boko Haram militants murdered about 50 students of Yobe college of Agriculture, Gujba, when they invaded the students’ hostel in the night. Also on February 25, 2014, Boko Harams suspect attacked Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, killing 29 students and injuring several others. April 15, 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno state. Official records showed that within this period, over 1,500 school were destroyed in the northeast, including 524 in Borno State. Though there were subsequent reported atrocities meted out by the insurgents on other educational institutions, but as stated earlier, there was sanity at UNIMAID until of recent when the insurgents turned coat and unleashed terror at the institution.
The question that continues to rattle many is why the sudden U-turn of the sect with its fangs and claws on UNIMAID that had been on holidays from the onslaught or harassment of the terrorists for years, even at a time when the influence of the sect has been weakened? Individuals and some security experts advanced different views on the sudden turn of event. While some individuals advanced political motive for the present predicament prompted by alleged internal squabbles within the university community, some accused some politicians and the elite, especially from Borno, as the masterminds. It would be recalled that in two separate statements, the military had accused politicians in the northeast and Borno in particular, of frustrating the efforts of the military to ending the insurgency for self-motives. On the other hand, there is the allegation that some individuals within the military are not disposed to ending the insurgency for selfish reasons.
According to some security experts, the sudden attack in UNIMAID should not surprise anyone as the insurgents would always cash in on any opportunity to hit. The porous nature of UNIMAID, coupled with its huge unprotected massive land could be an invitation to the insurgents. Others are of the view that the strategic position of the institution couldn’t be ignored by the terrorists who were always looking for a loophole to strike.
Established in 1975, UNIMAID is located on the outskirts of the state capital along Maiduguri – Konduga – Bama road leading to the main entrance of the Sambisa forest, at Kawuri village, where the insurgents had their sanctuary for almost six years.
Besides, some security analysts pointed out that since Sambisa forest was becoming uncomfortable for the insurgents, they must look elsewhere for relevance and possible impact. The withdrawal or reduction of troops from some parts of Borno, including Maiduguri, on the grounds that the insurgency has gone down is equally attributed to the current predicament of the university, as it was affected by troops’ reduction.
Without equivocation or fear of contradiction, one can say with the air of certainty that if UNIMAID is in trouble, security-wise, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital is in trouble. It spills to the Northeast and from there, to the entire nation.
The return of the unmitigated attacks on Maiduguri as a state capital, the incessant suicide bombing of UNIMAID and some insurgency-infested areas of the state, is instructive. This goes to show that the boys are still very much around and it is not yet time to sing the “Uhuru” song.
What we must not forget is that after all, Sambisa forest was never conquered; yes, the unbearable military onslaughts by both the ground and air forces of the nation forced the terrorists to abandon Camp Zero, their headquarters in Sambisa forest. They forcefully relocated to other places, including parts of the massive forest and they did so with their members, arms and ammunition. Hence, their present guts and impunity in the constant harassment of various places in Borno today, despite the popular opinion that Boko Haram’s fighting power has been degraded and decimated by the Nigerian military. No one would contest the fact that Boko Haram’s fighting power has been in the downward trend, at least of late. However, before the shout of Jack Robinson, the recent sudden emergence of the fighting spirit of the insurgents is not only frightening, but
puzzling.
*Izekor, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes at The Pointing.com.
