Yemi Adebowale
Terrorists control almost the entire Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State. They run a government of their own and this has been on for almost seven years. Communities in this area are in shambles because of the activities of these criminals. Many can no longer go to their farms. Some frustrated residents have relocated. Efforts by the military to recover the Nigerian territory last Sunday ended in a heartbreak. The terrorists, obviously with better intelligence, ambushed Nigerian soldiers, killing no fewer than 25 of them.
Sadly, a military helicopter that went to evacuate dead and injured soldiers crashed, killing another 11 soldiers. It is shocking that the military, in this modern era, embarked on the mission without air coverage. What about the military armoured attack helicopters that would have been useful for this kind of mission? Well, I will return to this later.
The truth that must be told is that nothing has changed regarding carnages nationwide, almost three months after Bola Tinubu assumed office as President. Terrorists are still roaming unhindered across beloved Nigeria, killing and maiming innocent countrymen. In this same Niger State, terrorists dominate three other local government areas – Shiroro, Munya and Wushishi. Tinubu’s promise to tackle deteriorating insecurity inherited from calamity Muhammadu Buhari and reform Nigeria’s “security doctrine and its architecture” is fast turning into a ruse. He said security shall top the priority of his administration “because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.” Honestly, I have not seen any reform in this country’s security doctrine and architecture in the last eighty days.
The only thing we have seen is the sack of service chiefs and appointment of new ones. Yes, Tinubu was quick to mourn the soldiers killed in the catastrophic Rafi operation, but he has to go beyond this in line with the leadership expected of him as Commander-in-Chief. This is not what he promised Nigerians in terms of security. The era of issuing rubbish condolence messages after killings by terrorists as exemplified by former president Buhari must end. Tinubu has to provide a leadership that will swiftly end the slaughtering (daily) of innocent Nigerians across our cities, towns and villages. This is the meaning of effective leadership. It is what it means to be Commander-in-Chief.
Is Tinubu even aware that he has spent 81 days as President? In the last 81 days, terrorists have slayed no fewer than 1000 innocent Nigerians. These are just the reported cases. A comprehensive count will reveal higher figures. Plateau, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger and Kaduna states are the biggest killing fields. Three weeks back, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, was in Plateau State with a promise that things will change. Nothing changed. Eight local government areas are under the servitude of terrorists in Plateau State. Nine days back, the terrorists struck in Heipang, Barakin-Ladi LGA, killing no fewer than 21 people, mostly women and children. A man identified as Dung Mark, his wife, and three children were among those killed.
The terrorists controlling Mangu LGA of Plateau State struck in Nchya village on August 7. No fewer than 10 people were killed during the attack and many injured. They also burnt scores of houses. Men of Operation Safe Haven were nowhere to be found while the killings lasted. Last May the terrorists attacked residents of 22 villages in Mangu and Riyom LGAs, killing no fewer than 140 people.
In Zamfara State, majority of the local government areas are dominated by terrorists. They unleashed pain in Bungudu LGA last week, killing one person and kidnapping six others.
As I pen this piece, Abadam LGA, on the western coast of Lake Chad, remains a stronghold of terrorists. ISWAP has its headquarters at nearby Kamuya village, which is its largest camp in Lake Chad, about eight kilometres from Malam Fatori. All the previous attacks on Malam Fatori were launched from Kamuya, a village ISWAP has fortified with mines and heavy weapons. The Nigerian military knows this. To destroy ISWAP, Kamuya must be taken.
Guzamala and Kukawa LGAs in Borno State are also dominated by Boko Haram and ISWAP. Gwoza and Chibok LGAs experience intermittent attacks.
Borno State, the epicenter of Boko Haram is clearly still bleeding. The blood stains across Borno represent the crux of the matter. Nine days ago, five persons were killed by Boko Haram during an attack on a convoy of vehicles carrying goods and passengers very close to the Nigeria-Cameroon border town of Banki. Seven women were abducted in that attack.
In the South-east, IPOB and ESN are still a menace. This nonsense must not continue.
A country that wants to increase production in the agricultural sector must efficiently tackle this raging insecurity. Unfortunately, I’m yet to see any seriousness in this direction as highlighted in the long list of killings above. I Just laughed when Tinubu in his July 31 address to the nation, talked about ensuring that staple foods are available and affordable to Nigerians, without addressing raging insecurity. He also said he was providing 225,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, seedlings and other inputs to farmers who are committed to the food security agenda of his government. Where are the farmers Mr President is talking about? It seems he has forgotten that many farming communities in Zamfara, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger states are deserted because of unending killings by terrorists. Security agents that should be inhibiting the terrorists are not doing too well.
Tinubu must fix insecurity. He must fulfill the commitment he made to Nigerians in his May 29, 2023 inaugural address to frontally and courageously tackle insecurity. Mr President must lead in coming up with a comprehensive and well-planned strategy to end the killings across the country. In this modern era, a good government should be talking about protecting its people with drones from a preemptive and properly staffed control centre. Use of drones for intelligence gathering and attacks is vital.
Technology, intelligence, quality equipment and quality manpower are modern necessities for taming terrorists. Our security agencies lack these. They obviously lack the capacity to effectively monitor the movement of terrorists. This is why these guerrillas move around in hundreds undetected. Our gallant soldiers are doing their best but they need to be assisted to tame terrorism. So, this country needs help from climes that can provide these military necessities and manpower. Nigeria needs to seek help from abroad. A people-oriented government will seek help from anywhere to protect the people against terrorists. We should look towards Israel and Canada for this. A Canadian firm helping Ukraine in its war against Russian aggressors is doing a wonderful job. This is why Russia cannot infiltrate Ukraine.
ThisDay
