Since the eruption of violence in the North-east sub-region and other States of the federation in 2009, a lot was said and heard including various federal and states committee reports on the dreaded Boko Haram sect but the menace seems to thrive, defying solutions leading to the abduction of over 250 innocent girls in GGSS Chibok on April 14, 2014 which exposed the incapacitation of the federal might to defeat the guerillas.
The truth remains that the burning issue at stake is not handled rightly. In my opinion, the only viable solution to the insurgency not exploited is dialogue and negotiations. Several tactics were employed and each has been matched with devastating consequences and calamities. What this means is that the most viable, option to end the problem has not been applied.
Another troubling aspect is that our leaders and people including security agencies tend to view the grave problem from wrong perspectives.
We have collectively narrowed the menace to ethnic, political and religious perspectives. Mischief makers trade all sorts of dangerous insinuations to achieve a hidden agenda against selected northern leaders and Islam that is not adding value to the solution.
Our leaders are shy away from the main issue which is the fact that perpetrators of the crime are aggrieved and disgruntled by the socio/political and economic situation bedeviling the country including several cases of extra-judicial killings and mistrust of the Nigeria police to dutifully protect lives and property. Acts of corrupt practices take the largest portion of the blame as the fourth tier of government.
Most worrisome with the present trend is that if decisive decisions are not applied and corrupt practices reduced to the barest minimum with culprits severely punished, there is possibility that more militant groups may spring-up in the near future as 2015 approaches.
It is becoming more and more clear that majority of the youths will be forced by poverty and threats of bleak future to take up arms to fight for relevance and sustenance in the face of uncertain future.
This should not be allowed to happen as the government should genuinely put things in the right perspectives to assure Nigerians of a brighter and reliable future.
Be as it may, one expects well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with leaders to proffer solution on how to tackle the menace through peaceful resolutions devoid of deceit and pretence as whoever advised government to engage the sect in battle, remains an enemy to Nigerians. Security agencies are at least expected to know better that the best language a terrorist understands is violence and to engage such a heartless mind in any violent encounter is wrong.
The fact remains that we have not really done much to support the government in resolving the problem even though the government may be blamed for not making desired efforts to reach out to those that have contact and connected to the insurgents but keeps a distance from those with genuine information to assist. Instead of making efforts for information collation, government seems to rely on reports concocted from stale information of detained insurgents and outdated security reports that have not impacted positively.
While religious leaders of other divides trade blames and castigate a particular religion or belief as architect of the menace, they are also guilty of fanning the embers of hatred and disunity than proffering solution to the lingering problem. Comments from some self-acclaimed religious leaders, has over the years contributed to escalation of the problem that should not be ignored.
Some prominent and influential citizens that can be of assistance to government keep mum over the destructions either because they are not affected directly or for fear of possible attack by the insurgents.
Traditional rulers and community leaders in some parts of the country have maintained silence simply because their domains are not affected from their wrong perceptions.
Some of the traditional rulers are busy prostituting with politicians and depending on the gains of ruler ship with pride just as majority of the people trivialize the issue with the fervent belief that it has nothing to do with their existence while other parts of the federation are under siege.
Most public statements from government on the insurgents are misleading but perhaps intended to cool tempers while innocent lives are lost on daily basis.
In as much as no one can claim to have monopoly of knowledge, government should adopt a peaceful approach to resolving the issue. Peaceful resolution here means resolutions guided by the principles of ‘No victor, no vanquished’. That means genuine reconciliation through dialogue and sincere negotiations. In the present situation, threats are dangerous and retrogressive that should be discouraged and discontinued. Government should not say ‘Drop your weapons, release our girls and embrace dialogue or you will be forced to surrender’.
Such words are not tailored to genuine peace and reconciliation but encourage more deadly attacks in self-defence and prove of superiority to remain in action.
Majority of Nigerians expect politicians and those that matter in the scheme of affairs including members of opposition parties to be regular visitors to the seat of power to brainstorm on how to end the insurgency than trading accusations and counter accusations spiced with ignorance and stupidity.
Leadership of the various religious beliefs should at least meet regularly to fashion out solutions instead of accusing one another of complicity. That can be done if truly those parading themselves as religious leaders are believers in the unity of Nigeria or are mere political merchants operating under the guise of religions.
While the federal government maintains its security operation in the troubled areas in defence, it should also strive to reach out to those with genuine contacts with the sect leadership for possibility of genuine dialogue. Intelligence report collation should be intensified to achieving the desired results if carefully implemented. The Jonathan administration should x-ray its security agencies to fish out the possibility of fifth-columnists and understand their shortcomings for possible solution.
— Muhammad was the editor of Bauchi based Trumpeter/Kakaki newspapers
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