BY VICTOR IZEKOR
Just about to conclude the presentation of his 2013 budget speech to the Borno State House of Assembly in Maiduguri in December 2012, Governor Kashim Shettima broke into tears and before the shout of Jack Robinson, drops of water came down his cheeks.
The marvel no one perceived or anticipated and when it happened, no one could comprehend.
Though he struggled to end his budget presentation, he left the hallowed chamber, leaving all in state of wonderment or “Alice in the wonderland”
It was a year later in 2013 at almost the same time, the same place for similar occasions, that Shettima let the cat out of the bag.
He told members of the Borno State House of Assembly while reading the 2014 budget proposals before the members that in 2012 he perceived an elusive hope with dark heavy clouds of immense magnitude hanging over Borno State as a result of the insidious onslaught of Boko Haram sect.
However, in 2013, Shettima saw the sudden emergence of brave and courageous youths, traumatized and intimidated and many killed by the ravaging Boko Haram insurgents on one hard and humiliated by some members of the security agencies fighting the insurgency in Borno on the other hand, conquered their fear not with machine guns, but with bows, arrows, sticks and in rarity dane guns.
With these (local weapons) they moved into the lion’s den calling for a fight.
Governor Shettima described the youths who he defied death as “Our Heroes” before the hallowed chamber.
He said, “Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, my visit to this hallowed chamber today is at variance with my visit at about this time, in 2012. When I was here in 2012, Mr. Speaker, I must confess that I was a very distressed Governor who only held on to the stubborn strength of hope. Perhaps, that was the reason for my emotional disposition. I was full of aspirations and wishes, yet my spirit was very low. Though I persistently believed it was coming to pass; l wondered when Borno State would begin to witness real and sustained peace; I wondered how and when insurgents would move out of our communities and let us be. While I was here in 2012, I wondered when Maiduguri, the capital, the worst affected and the heart of our dear state, would overcome the security challenges that were very well within and around us; I was a critically traumatized governor when I came here in 2012. I was very unhappy even though I was full of hope and anticipation for the future of Borno State.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, unlike 2012, when I solely relied on hope, today, I have inside me what is far beyond hope, I have a guarantee, a firm assurance created for all of us, by a brave, patriotic, confident, committed and tough youth population who have defied fears and threats and rose up in defense of our land. I am not yet a happy governor because of pockets of challenges we are still battling with, not unlike when I was here in 2012, when Borno’s future seemed more uncertain, today, we have collectively as a people, by one form of contribution or the other, reclaimed our land and we are on the very sure way of making the entire Borno, peaceful and great again.”
Honestly, the sudden emergence of the youths from nowhere to confront the daredevils was indeed a marvel. They ventured into the scene when there was deepened distrust between the military and the civilian populace with each side taking the other as suspect.
Cashing on the public acceptance of the youth’s venture and its impact in the fight against the insurgency, Governor Shettima’s administration moved in the speed of a meteor to streamline the function of the body and give incentives to its members. At first it designated the group as the “Vigilante Group” which metamorphosed into the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) assisting the security agencies in the prosecution of the insurgency war.
The state government initiated through the military some basic training for the boys. While in training members were each paid N10, 000 and after the training they were given monthly stipend of N20, 000 each. The state government planned to train 20,000 members under its first phase scheme.
The trained members of the CJTF were expected to be the first port of call for the state quota with regards to future recruitment in the security agencies especially, the army.
And this proved to be so later as the Senate directed the Federal Government to recruit more soldiers as a result of the insurgency. The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly specifically directed that in the exercise as it affected the North East, premium or consideration should be given to members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.
The former Army Chief and later Chief of Defence Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai described the Civilian JTF as an “invaluable asset” to the military.
According to him they are the locals who understand the terrain and acted most of the time scouts to the military. With the emergence of the Civilian JTF, the hitherto trust deficit between the military and the civil populace was greatly minimized as understanding and trust between the two were enhanced. For example, when the insurgents attacked Giwa Military Barracks in Maiduguri with the aim of capturing the state capital, members of the Civilian JTF responded instantly in hundreds to give a helping hand to the soldiers despite the risks involved.
Members also help in traffic control, involved in mounting security checkpoints and other social functions though under the watch of the military.
The recognition and support accorded the CJTF by the state government and approval of the body by the Federal Government to join in the fight against insurgency no doubt livened the youths as they came in hundreds and thereafter in thousands ready to be part of the struggle to liberate the people from the shackles of man’s inhumanity to man.
Ever since the entry of the CJTF, attacks on the major cities or urban centres by the insurgents reduced drastically because the militants no longer had anywhere to hide.
The coming into the volatile scene by the CJTF was indeed a watershed. Its entry broke the myth that Boko Haram insurgents are not assailable as the youths demystified the militants and proved themselves capable of giving Boko Haram a good fight. It showed clearly that when a man is driven to the wall, he will fight back with whatever he could lay his hands upon, notwithstanding the strong fist of his adversary.
It brought hope to the people that were already being dismayed or helpless at the perceived inability of the security agencies, especially the army, to give the insurgents a good fight.
However, in-spite of the merits of the CJTF, there are some negative indicators from within the outfit that are disturbing.
Like any organization no matter how good, there must be bad eggs within who are ready made tools for evils. Such selfish ones could be instigated from within or out using some unpatriotic members of the outfit as ready-made tools.
There are allegations against some members of the outfit being used by individuals as debt collectors, settling personal scores, intimidation of opponents, recklessness and unruly behaviour of some members of the outfit who drive on the highway carelessly.
There are also allegations of over zealousness, high handedness and brutality by some officials of the security outfit against members of the public.
For example, in a recent news report by Borno Radio Television, Maiduguri, the station in an interview with the Borno State commissioner of Police, Muhammed Aliyu disclosed of an arrest of three persons brutalizing two under-aged boys over alleged theft of N30, 000 in Maiduguri.
“There are also allegations of over zealousness, high handedness and brutality by some officials of the security outfit against members of the public”
Aliyu said in the interview that of the three suspects arrested for brutalizing, two of them were members of the CJTF. The Police Commissioner who did not disclose the names of the suspects pointed out that they were apprehended by other members of the CJTF following a video which went viral showing the CJTF officials allegedly beating up the boys whose hands were tied backward.
Reacting to the incident, the CJTF Legal Adviser Jibril Gunda, said the two CJTF members who were from sector 10 formation had been dismissed from service adding that the security outfit has zero tolerance for acts of indiscipline and professional misconduct especially, in relation to violation of human rights.
In an earlier related development, the former state commissioner of Police Abdu Umar in a press conference announced in Maiduguri that 76 suspects have been paraded by the command for various offences.
Commissioner Umar said the offences included criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, possession of dangerous weapons and forgery.
The police boss stated that among the suspects were two members of the CJTF, Saleh Mohammed and Umar Suleiman attached to sector 9 who were arrested for allegedly stabbing one Abubakar Ahmed on his stomach who died on the spot.
The deceased, who was the Head Teacher of Asheikh Jarma Model School, Bulumkutu, Maiduguri was killed on October 11, 2021.
No doubt, the CJTF has come to stay as one of the effective measures to check crimes or rebellion. It has paid its dues. With better understanding and cooperation with the security agencies a lot has been achieved in the on-going insurgency war.
Besides, the organization has been of innumerable and immeasurable benefits to the society in various aspects.
However, there is need for the authorities concerned to keep eyes wide open and ears to the ground for effective monitoring of the activities of this security outfit for the good of the society and the good image of the Borno State government that has invested and continues to invest in the security and well-being of the people.
The sacrifice of our Borno heroes must never be compromised, bearing in mind that they put their life on line for the survival of Borno from the clutches of the insurgents. There might be a need to clean the perceived Augean stable.
*Izekor is a journalist and analyst and writes at Victorizekor@gmail.com
