By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo
In recent weeks Boko Haram has renewed their attacks in the North East. May we never go back to the era where the group consistently carried out attacks on daily basis. It is not a matter of prayers and wishes only, but also that of proactive measures such as intelligent gathering, formidable tactical approach and consistent military appraisal of the situation.
I am not a military man but a conscious and patriotic Nigerian who wants the best for my country at any given time. No nation can prosper in the absence of peace; hence need it to flourish and grow.
The recent attacks on Geidam town on 2nd November ,2023 where about 37 villagers were killed is depressing and mindboggling. At first they short 17 people and killed 20 other mourners through land mine according to an eye witness. I know Geidam town a bit because during my NYSC days in Yobe 2007/2008 Batch A, I visited Idris Aloma Polytechnic for our MCAN rural Da’awah. I was the State Public Relations Officer of Yobe Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN) at that time. Earlier last week or there about Boko Haram attacked Custom House and killed a custom officer in the same Geidam town.Meanwhile, Geidam is usually a peaceful town where one can find comfort with nature and tranquility.
It would be recalled that Boko haram started their mindless attacks in 2009 to establish their ideology that centred on “Western Education is forbidden” Many lives were lost.Villages were deserted and that was the reason for the emergence of IDPs camps till today.
President Good luck’s administration did his best to curtail the activities of Boko Haram, but it wasn’t successful as suicide bombing were heightened. Of course his regime made several efforts but it doesn’t put a stop to the bombings .On the whole his administration didn’t fail as much as his adversaries had painted it on the issue of Boko Haram.
In 2015 when president Muhammadu Buhari came onboard he identified the fact that our military needed more equipment and fighter jets.That was why he invested hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase Super fire fighter equipment including Super TUCANO. Frankly speaking Buhari’s administration decimated Boko Haram, because there were no suicide bombings though there were still some killings. One of the successes of Buhari’s administration on Boko Haram was that,he restricted them to Borno and some parts of Yobe State.
In September this year Boko Haram killed 10 farmers and abducted several others in Mafa Location Government Area of Born State. During the same time the insurgents also obtained 4 million naira from a business man in Zannari ward as ransom. Kudos to our military for they have been doing great jobs to wipe out insurgents both in the past and in recent times.We have lost many officers in the fight against insurgents and banditry.
It is imperative to say that I have never written any piece about the insurgents, but I had to write this time because there seems to be renewed audacity on their part. Our security operatives should intensify their efforts to stop the menace as they have done in Kano today, 3rd October,2023.Here is what the military joint taskforce said as monitored via Daily Trust newspaper:
“The Joint troops of the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services (DSS) say they have averted an imminent attack on Kano by insurgents”
According to the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, a dawn raid operation was carried out on the terrorists’ hideout on Friday”.
More Importantly,the Governor of Borno state Professor Babagana Zulum lamented recently that Boko Haram and ISWAP are recruiting young men into their fold and warned that if such is not checkmated there would be danger ahead. Here is part of what he said “We have to stop the younger ones from being recruited into Boko Haram and ISWAP, otherwise, in the near future, the entire Nigeria will be wiped off the map”.
The Governor said this while hosting the reconstituted Management Board of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) at the Council Chambers of the State Government House in Maiduguri.
President Tinubu’s administration should leave no stone unturned to securing our Nation. Bandits have also renewed their kidnappings and attacks. In September about 24 students of Federal University, Gusau were kidnapped including construction workers.Though some of them had been rescued.
A secured Nation is where there will be prosperity, progress and hope.Let us join hands with the Government to secure our country
