Showing posts with label Boko Haram. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boko Haram. Show all posts
I Was Offered N200 To Detonate Bomb - Female Suicide Bomber Reveals
News Proof 8.2.17 No comments Edit Post
Simply identifies as Amina, a failed 18-year-old Boko Haram suicide bomber, Amina, who was intercepted by men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday morning, in Maiduguri, Borno State, confessed to security agents, she was given N200 for the mission.
She said her accomplice, who succeeded in detonating her bombs, also got N200.
Amina was one of two suicide bombers intercepted by NSCDC officials while attempting to detonate explosives around a long queue at NNPC mega station, along Damboa Road, in Maiduguri, yesterday.
Amina told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Maiduguri, that she was abducted two years ago by Boko Haram in Madagali, Adamawa, and taken to Sambisa forest.
“They gave us N200 each, which they said we should use to buy food for ourselves.
“ It took us three days to come to Maiduguri on a motorcycle. We were directed by the sect members to detonate our explosives any where we saw any form of gathering.
“They said if we press the button, the bomb would explode and we will automatically go to heaven.
“I was scared, so, I told them that I could not detonate any explosive. So, they said if Zainab detonated her own, it would serve the purpose. On our way to Maiduguri, we encountered the military and they were shooting. I was very scared and the people that brought us ran away.
“I am from Imam Shekau’s faction of Boko Haram, even though I have never seen Shekau. But, I hear about him in Gobarawa,” Amina said. She said her father, mother and younger brother, Umar, were all killed when they tried to escape from the Boko Haram enclave where they were held hostage.
“We came from Gobarawa along Damboa, Madagali and Algarno axis, in a community where a lot of us were held hostage and married off by the sect members.
“I also am married to a Boko Haram Commander known as “Amir.”
NSCDC Commandant in Borno, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said Amina has been handed over to the Garrison Commander, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, “ for proper investigation’.’
Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, confirmed that Amina was in custody of the Army and that she would be investigated.
“We are going to profile her as she would give us the lead to get to other insurgents,” Irabor said.
Abdullahi told newsmen that the attempted bombing occurred at about 6.45am yesterday.
“Our personnel at the NNPC station intercepted two female suicide bombers who were targeting motorists on the long queue at the NNPC mega petrol station at about 6.45am.
“One of the bombers got scared and threw away her bomb and was instantly arrested, while the other one began to run after people with her explosive but, luckily, she was shot on the leg by our personnel after he chased her to a safe place,’’ Ibrahim said.
Peace Rally: Coalition urges remnant of Boko Haram to surrender
News Proof 1.2.17 No comments Edit Post
Following the successes recorded so far in the fight against boko haram in the North east, the North East Coalition against Terrorism, NECAT has urged the remnant of the sect to surrender in the interest of peace.
The coalition also urged the backers and sponsors of the sect to sheath their sword so that peace can fullyreturn to the North Easy.
The National Coordinator of NECAT, kuanum Terrence who said this at the opening of a mega peace rally held at the ramat square Maiduguri to sensitize the resident and hand over the responsibility for winning the peace in that part of the country to them.
The coordinator said the mega rally was initiated because of the realization that each citizen has a role to play in bringing about lasting peace even in the aftermath of the terror that Boko Haram insurgents have unleashed on the country and the north east geo-political zone in general.
He said, "It is instructive that this mega rally is holding in Maiduguri today, Maiduguri is not just the capital of Borno state or the economic hub of the north east geopolitical zone, it was also the epicenter of the activities of Boko Haram terrorists.
"That this rally is holding here today is a testimony to the progress made in taking back our land from the grip of evil that had threatened to consume us but which has now been thankfully.averted.
"We have Our Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to thank for this feat of being among the few locations on earth where the evil of terrorism has been halted within such a short time. Only those that experienced the north east before Mr President's assumption of office can fully appreciate what has happened here; this, here, was the same area where residents had given up hope of ever returning to but today the process of rebuilding our lives has begun in earnest. It was all down to the resoluteness of President Buhari who gave the marching order to his trusted military chiefs to defeat Boko Haram within a stated time frame.
"We are grateful to these great military chiefs for turning the tide and winning the war. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok Ette-Ibas and the leadership of the other security agencies are warriors to whom we owe debt of.gratitude.
"The General Buratai led Nigerian Army, notably troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole has our thanks. These gallant Nigerians made sacrifices, with some paying the supreme price, for us to be here today. We thank their families for the great thing their breadwinners and loved ones have done for us to be alive and dream of a better future.
"We crave your indulgence to specifically and most respectably single out the COAS, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai for particular mention. This recognition is for the gallantry and leaderhip style of General Buratai who saw to the effectual relocation of the Crisis and Control Centre of the war on insurgency to Maiduguri. Nigerians were proud and had their hope in the system restored when we saw Lt. General Tukur Buratai with his troops in the theatre of war coordinating the strategies that led to the eventual defeat of Boko Haram. One can also not forget to mention seeing the COAS in the theatre of war with officers and men during Sallah and Christmas throughout the dark era to prove to us and all Nigerians that the Nigerian Army is not only a congregation of "talk and do men" but men who keep their promises to the fatherland. These gallant and patriotic officers have written their names in gold and posterity will not forget them in a hurry. Let me add that these are the true heroes of our nation, the pride of the African nation.
"We thank the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who has done much to dispel the propaganda mounted by Boko Haram backers who usually attempt to paint the picture that is over for us in the north east while equating our situation to places like Libya, Iraq and Syria. The Honorable Minister has done much in organising tours and visits for media and activists. This has done much to prove to people that as Nigerians with resilient spirit the of the north east have weathered the storm and are rebuilding their lives to make the area an even better economic and tourist.destination.
"We salute the Executive Governor of Borno State, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, who has done much to provide the corresponding civilian component to match the military determination to end terrorism in our land. His Excellency has come up with many initiative and as the leader of the state he has shown the direction needed to return us to an era that is better than what existed before the mindless destruction of Boko Haram was visited on us. The governor has seen to it that persons that are displaced by the crisis are not abandoned and this is critical to restoring peace.
"We acknowledge the efforts of the Civilian JTF, other stakeholders and elders that have worked with Governor Shettima and the federal authorities in regaining peace for us. Their efforts have made meaningful impact. They have shown the extent of what is possible when a people unite for a common cause.
"It is in recognition of these notable contribution that we have organized this rally in the aftermath of the defeat of Boko Haram in Samibisa Forest with the capture of the terror group's Camp Zero. We were all personally in Sambisa to see for ourselves. We realize that Boko Haram fighters are fleeing after their loss in Sambisa Forest. We also know that instead of accepting their defeat they are attempting lone attacks that they intend would be misconstrued for their group still being potent. This is why we believe that it is time to activate the citizens' component in the war on terrorism and this is because we believe that the population should step in now that the military has done the larger part of the work. We realized that after being blocked from buying vital military equipment for fighting the anti-terror war, our military was able to adapt homegrown solutions and still went on to have the upper hand over Boko Haram. Other countries are now studying the Nigerian approach in their quest to defeat terrorists.
"Our thinking is that Nigeria can further blaze the trail by evolving more homegrown approaches to winning the peace now that Boko Haram has been routed. We should find solutions without waiting for people who do not know better to come and lecture us on how to stabilize our own society that had existed before they even knew us.
"We therefore know that these fleeing Boko Haram fighters are not ghosts – they have relations among the population, they have neighbours, they have persons with shared ancestry and some must have had interactions with members of society before the terror group recruited as indoctrinated them.
"This rally is therefore to enlighten the people, especially our community leaders and clerics, start urging the fleeing Boko Haram fighters to surrender and present themselves for rehabilitation and reintegration into the society. They have to be told that there is space and opportunity for them in a peaceful and harmonious north east Nigeria contrary to what they have been brainwashed with.
"The rally is also to sensitize people that it is in their best interest to provide the military with information that will help take in the fleeing Boko Haram members since there is documented evidence that those captured are being rehabilitated and returned into the society. It would be a lose-lose situation if they continue on the run where they will kill others and themselves get killed over a group that has been defeated. People must therefore see it as their national duty when they give the military and security agencies the information that will help apprehend Boko Haram terrorists.
"Not to be overlooked is the fact that we are using this event to send a clear message to the backers of terrorism and sponsors of Boko Haram that the north east remains unbroken and unbowed. The machination to make Nigeria into a failed state has collapsed and will never succeed irrespective of what part of the country they relocate their business of war mongering to. To the terrorists, we unequivocally say to them, SURRENDER NOW OR BE CRUSHED like biscuits bones by our soldiers.
"To our people and every other Nigerians, we advice that the responsibility of winning the peace for our country lies with us as citizens. There is nothing romantic or heroic about allowing evil people take over our country, whether they are acting as foreign agents or as local franchises that manifest as NGOs or masquerading as media. We must learn from Libya, Iraq, Syria and Yemen where they allowed foreign interference destroy their countries and today they have found out that those that helped destroy their countries are not willing to be their hosts. Even those that thought they were making material gains from sabotaging their own countries have found out that they are not welcome by the people whose interest they served against their own people"
Read the full version of the speech
BEING THE TEXT OF A SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR OF THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM {NCAT} AT THE NORTH EAST MEGA RALLY FOR PEACE HELD IN MAIDUGURI ON FEBRUARY 1, 2017.
Protocols,
Dear Compatriots,
You are welcome to the North East Mega Rally for Peace, which is an initiative to hand over the responsibility for winning the peace in this part of the country over to the citizens; it is a movement that came about because of the realization that each citizen has a role to play in bringing about lasting peace even in the aftermath of the terror that Boko Haram insurgents have unleashed on the country and the north east geo-political zone in general.
It is instructive that this mega rally is holding in Maiduguri today. Maiduguri is not just the capital of Borno state or the economic hub of the north east geopolitical zone, it was also the epicenter of the activities of Boko Haram terrorists. That this rally is holding here today is a testimony to the progress made in taking back our land from the grip of evil that had threatened to consume us but which has now been thankfully.averted.
We have Our Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to thank for this feat of being among the few locations on earth where the evil of terrorism has been halted within such a short time. Only those that experienced the north east before Mr President's assumption of office can fully appreciate what has happened here; this, here, was the same area where residents had given up hope of ever returning to but today the process of rebuilding our lives has begun in earnest. It was all down to the resoluteness of President Buhari who gave the marching order to his trusted military chiefs to defeat Boko Haram within a stated time frame.
We are grateful to these great military chiefs for turning the tide and winning the war. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok Ette-Ibas and the leadership of the other security agencies are warriors to whom we owe debt of.gratitude.
The General Buratai led Nigerian Army, notably troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole has our thanks. These gallant Nigerians made sacrifices, with some paying the supreme price, for us to be here today. We thank their families for the great thing their breadwinners and loved ones have done for us to be alive and dream of a better future.
We crave your indulgence to specifically and most respectably single out the COAS, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai for particular mention. This recognition is for the gallantry and leaderhip style of General Buratai who saw to the effectual relocation of the Crisis and Control Centre of the war on insurgency to Maiduguri. Nigerians were proud and had their hope in the system restored when we saw Lt. General Tukur Buratai with his troops in the theatre of war coordinating the strategies that led to the eventual defeat of Boko Haram. One can also not forget to mention seeing the COAS in the theatre of war with officers and men during Sallah and Christmas throughout the dark era to prove to us and all Nigerians that the Nigerian Army is not only a congregation of "talk and do men" but men who keep their promises to the fatherland. These gallant and patriotic officers have written their names in gold and posterity will not forget them in a hurry. Let me add that these are the true heroes of our nation, the pride of the African nation.
We thank the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who has done much to dispel the propaganda mounted by Boko Haram backers who usually attempt to paint the picture that is over for us in the north east while equating our situation to places like Libya, Iraq and Syria. The Honorable Minister has done much in organising tours and visits for media and activists. This has done much to prove to people that as Nigerians with resilient spirit the of the north east have weathered the storm and are rebuilding their lives to make the area an even better economic and tourist.destination.
We salute the Executive Governor of Borno State, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, who has done much to provide the corresponding civilian component to match the military determination to end terrorism in our land. His Excellency has come up with many initiative and as the leader of the state he has shown the direction needed to return us to an era that is better than what existed before the mindless destruction of Boko Haram was visited on us. The governor has seen to it that persons that are displaced by the crisis are not abandoned and this is critical to restoring peace.
We acknowledge the efforts of the Civilian JTF, other stakeholders and elders that have worked with Governor Shettima and the federal authorities in regaining peace for us. Their efforts have made meaningful impact. They have shown the extent of what is possible when a people unite for a common cause.
It is in recognition of these notable contribution that we have organized this rally in the aftermath of the defeat of Boko Haram in Samibisa Forest with the capture of the terror group's Camp Zero. We were all personally in Sambisa to see for ourselves. We realize that Boko Haram fighters are fleeing after their loss in Sambisa Forest. We also know that instead of accepting their defeat they are attempting lone attacks that they intend would be misconstrued for their group still being potent. This is why we believe that it is time to activate the citizens' component in the war on terrorism and this is because we believe that the population should step in now that the military has done the larger part of the work. We realized that after being blocked from buying vital military equipment for fighting the anti-terror war, our military was able to adapt homegrown solutions and still went on to have the upper hand over Boko Haram. Other countries are now studying the Nigerian approach in their quest to defeat terrorists.
Our thinking is that Nigeria can further blaze the trail by evolving more homegrown approaches to winning the peace now that Boko Haram has been routed. We should find solutions without waiting for people who do not know better to come and lecture us on how to stabilize our own society that had existed before they even knew us.
We therefore know that these fleeing Boko Haram fighters are not ghosts – they have relations among the population, they have neighbours, they have persons with shared ancestry and some must have had interactions with members of society before the terror group recruited as indoctrinated them.
This rally is therefore to enlighten the people, especially our community leaders and clerics, start urging the fleeing Boko Haram fighters to surrender and present themselves for rehabilitation and reintegration into the society. They have to be told that there is space and opportunity for them in a peaceful and harmonious north east Nigeria contrary to what they have been brainwashed with.
The rally is also to sensitize people that it is in their best interest to provide the military with information that will help take in the fleeing Boko Haram members since there is documented evidence that those captured are being rehabilitated and returned into the society. It would be a lose-lose situation if they continue on the run where they will kill others and themselves get killed over a group that has been defeated. People must therefore see it as their national duty when they give the military and security agencies the information that will help apprehend Boko Haram terrorists.
Not to be overlooked is the fact that we are using this event to send a clear message to the backers of terrorism and sponsors of Boko Haram that the north east remains unbroken and unbowed. The machination to make Nigeria into a failed state has collapsed and will never succeed irrespective of what part of the country they relocate their business of war mongering to. To the terrorists, we unequivocally say to them, SURRENDER NOW OR BE CRUSHED like biscuits bones by our soldiers.
To our people and every other Nigerians, we advice that the responsibility of winning the peace for our country lies with us as citizens. There is nothing romantic or heroic about allowing evil people take over our country, whether they are acting as foreign agents or as local franchises that manifest as NGOs or masquerading as media. We must learn from Libya, Iraq, Syria and Yemen where they allowed foreign interference destroy their countries and today they have found out that those that helped destroy their countries are not willing to be their hosts. Even those that thought they were making material gains from sabotaging their own countries have found out that they are not welcome by the people whose interest they served against their own people.
Kuanum Terrence
National Coordinator
National Coalition Against Terrorism (NECAT)
HAPPENING Now: Maiduguri Agog For Peace Rally As Peace Truly Returns To Northeast
News Proof 1.2.17 No comments Edit Post
The peace synonymous to the northeastern Nigerian have eventually returned as Ramat square in Maiduguri city, is currently agog as thousands thronged to partake in an ongoing Peace Rally organised by the North East Coalition Against Terrorism (NCAT)
The Peace Rally which is aimed at celebrating the return of normalcy to northeast as well as begin a campaign for the rebuilding of the region.
The mega rally according to Abubakar Mohammed, the media officer of the organisers said the rally is part of the coalition's enlightenment on the need for the people to come together to win the peace for the region which was once the economic hub of northern Nigeria.
He said while the efforts of the military which is restoring peace to the region by decimating the once dreaded Boko Haram terrorists are well appreciated, the coalition's position is that military might not bring about peace without contributions from the people for whom the peace was won.
According to him, hence the rally, which is meant to enlighten the populace, is part of the groups contributions in restoring peace to the region.
Mohammed said the defeat of the terror group must not be allowed to leave a vacuum that its fighters may again attempt to fill, saying no other evil group must be allowed to fill it as well.
He therefore urged stakeholders in the north east project irrespective of political affiliation or religion to come out en mass to show their solidarity and support for peace in the north east region .
According to him, Nigerians therefore owe it as a duty to begin rebuilding the northeast region.
He said, "the bombing and shooting of us innocent people by the terrorists might have waned but the scars they left on our collective psyche are in need of healing. We must use this healing to send a strong message to the Boko Haram members – militant, intellectual or political wing – that we remain unbowed in spirit.
"They must see that we will not just return life to normal but we will make our lives better than what they destroyed.
"This message is meant to tell Abu Shekau and his minions that nothing they did would detract from the faith we have in the secular Nigeria and the country's competent institutions like the Army.
"We want them to know that there was never going to be a time when the will of a few, even with guns, bullets and bombs, would trump our collective resolve to live in peace."
He said "the North East Mega Rally for Peace and we shall be calling on the fleeing terrorists and their agents that the battle has been won and it's time for them to surrender without any further delay. No one needs to keep running like a homeless child as healing must come at the end. Everyone without exception is invited to be part of this rebirth and regeneration process in the land.
He said it is obvious that the agenda of Boko Haram has failed through the collective will and sacrifices of men of the Nigerian Armed Forces and no one should be allowed to continue living with the delusion that terrorism can achieve any objectives.
He said, "We know there may be concerns on the part of some people but it is also about time that we stop running from the truth like the defeated terrorists. The message of peace is one that must be preached and it cannot be publicized in secrecy. Join the Mega Rally for Peace and watch normalcy return to our town and cities in the northeast with rapidity."
See More Photos From Ramat Square, Maiduguri:
See More Photos From Ramat Square, Maiduguri:
Boko Haram: 3 Sponsors Arrested; Powerful Politicians, Islamic Cleric Involved
News Proof 1.2.17 No comments Edit Post
Government’s clampdown on Boko Haram symphatisers has paid off. The military has arrested two prominent politicians and a traditional ruler duying a raid in Borno State. Their identities were withheld.
The politicians, who are known in government circle,were arrested early this week by detectives and troops from Operation Lafiya Dole, the counter-insurgency military team. One of them who is also an as Islamic spriitualist, had fled the state when he learnt military men were on his trail. He was fleeing to one of the North Central states, but was arrested along Maiduguri-Jos Road, another source claimed.
The second politician was said to be a thug often called ECOMOG in Borno and an aide to some politicians in the state. “He is in military net now,” the source disclosed.
A traditional ruler from a Borno community and two popular Islamic clerics were among those arrested following intelligence about their alleged link with Boko Haram. “More revelations are coming and more people may be arrested in days to come,” a military personnel claimed.
Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, confirmed the arrest, but did not give further details. He also would not confirm the identities of the arrested persons, insisting that doing so will jeopardise investigation. “It is true we have arrested some people. They may be known faces. We started picking them one by one. We’re taking them now and we are still investigating them so I can’t give you any detail,” he told Daily Sun.
This Photo of Rev. Father Carrying Rifle In Church Has Got Everybody Talking On Social Media
News Proof 29.1.17 No comments Edit Post
In a shocking dramatic manner, a photo of an unnamed certain Reverend Father carrying a rifle in a church has gone viral on social.
The photo which was posted by a facebook user named Achike Onwuazo shows the clergyman dressed in a purple-and-white cassock with a rifle cradled in his arms .
The photo was apparently taken in a church.
He appeared to have posed for the camera, maintaining a sombre mien, close to an altar bedecked in white and purple clothes and a pair of glasses sitting on it.
In the post, Onwuazo alluded to the priest’s readiness against any Boko Haram or herdsmen attack.
Onwuazo wrote, “Carry go, my blessed Rev. Father. He who is surrounded by his enemies (Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram) is always alert.
“That’s the latest way forward.”
North East Groups to hold Mega rally for peace in Maiduguri
News Proof 24.1.17 No comments Edit Post
Following the success recorded in the war against Boko Haram terrorism by the Nigerian Army, the North East Coalition Against Terrorism (NECAT) have concluded plans to hold a mega peace rally tagged "North East Mega Peace Rally" at the Ramat Square in Maiduguri on Wednesday, 1st February 2017 to celebrate the return of normalcy to the north east as well as begin a campaign for the rebuilding of the region.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, the Media Officer, North East Mega Peace Rally Abubakar Mohammed said the rally is part of the coalition's enlightenment on the need for the people to come together to win the peace for the region which was once the economic hub of northern Nigeria.
He said while the efforts of the military which is restoring peace to the region by decimating the once dreaded Boko Haram terrorists are well appreciated, the coalition's position is that military might doesn't bring about peace without contributions from the people for whom the peace was won.
Accordoing to him, hence the rally, which is meant to enlighten the populace, is part of the groups contributions in restoring peace to the region.
Mohammed said the defeat of the terror group must not be allowed to leave a vacuum that its fighters may again attempt to fill, saying no other evil group must be allowed to fill it as well.
He therefore urged stakeholders in the north east project irrespective of political affiliation or religion to come out en mass to show their solidarity and support for peace in the north east region .
According to him, Nigerians therefore owe it as a duty to begin rebuilding the northeast region.
He said, "the bombing and shooting of us innocent people by the terrorists might have waned but the scars they left on our collective psyche are in need of healing. We must use this healing to send a strong message to the Boko Haram members – militant, intellectual or political wing – that we remain unbowed in spirit.
"They must see that we will not just return life to normal but we will make our lives better than what they destroyed.
"This message is meant to tell Abu Shekau and his minions that nothing they did would detract from the faith we have in the secular Nigeria and the country's competent institutions like the Army.
"We want them to know that there was never going to be a time when the will of a few, even with guns, bullets and bombs, would trump our collective resolve to live in peace."
He said "the North East Mega Rally for Peace and we shall be calling on the fleeing terrorists and their agents that the battle has been won and it's time for them to surrender without any further delay. No one needs to keep running like a homeless child as healing must come at the end. Everyone without exception is invited to be part of this rebirth and regeneration process in the land.
He said it is obvious that the agenda of Boko Haram has failed through the collective will and sacrifices of men of the Nigerian Armed Forces and no one should be allowed to continue living with the delusion that terrorism can achieve any objectives.
He said, "We know there may be concerns on the part of some people but it is also about time that we stop running from the truth like the defeated terrorists. The message of peace is one that must be preached and it cannot be publicized in secrecy. Join the Mega Rally for Peace and watch normalcy return to our town and cities in the northeast with rapidity."
There is a moment that is gathering momentum that I totally subscribe to wholesale. It is the concept of winning the peace in Nigeria's northeast following the sacking of Boko Haram terrorists from Sambisa Forest. The terrorists' half a decade of madness left behind devastation beyond what those living in the areas have ever witnessed in their living memory.
In the wake of the Nigerian Army capturing Sambisa Forest, the last stand of the terror sect, which is effectively winning the anti-terror war, people begin to talk about winning the peace in that region and by extension the country.
There are also those that are talking about how it is impossible to defeat terrorists. When given the chance to further articulate their assertion, it turns out that they are fixated on dealing with terrorism using models that have been tried without success elsewhere. These groups of people fail to reckon with the unique approach adopted by the Nigerian Army, under Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai as Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Whatever the arguments that these sets of people want to come up with, it is better to be innovative in dealing with the challenges of terrorism, which has its peculiarities in Nigeria. If the Army captures or kills the last of the terrorists and we decide to remain in mental shackles then terrorism would remain a problem. This is what makes it imperative that we begin to think as stakeholders about how to come in and make impact now that the Army has done the larger part of the work.
This is what makes the idea of winning the peace an attractive one that we must pursue to a logical conclusion if the ravages of Boko Haram terrorism must be put behind us especially for the younger ones, who must face the rest of their lives without carrying around too much of the scars of what they have been through.
The task of winning the peace and stamping out the last vestige of Boko Haram lies on the people and their leaders in the region, particularly in Borno state where the terrorists' scourge is worst. They must consequently acknowledge that the task ahead for them is to win the peace if only for their people.
A good starting point is for northeast political stakeholders to prevail on the factional Boko Haram leaders, Abubakar Shekau and Abu Musab al-Barnawi as well as their fleeing commanders and fighters to surrender now. The additional leverage offered by the intensified global onslaught on their major franchises in the middle east should be brought to bear since security experts have predicted that it is weakening – so Shekau and al-Barnawi should be made to realize that no help would come to their decimated numbers from the previous sources.
A second approach is to cut off all uncanny support for those connected to Boko Haram in any capacity – fighters, strategists, financiers, pursers, propagandists, recruiters, sympathizers and just anyone whose association with the terror sect helped to make it deadly. What recent events revealed is that people unwittingly keep Boko Haram in place because of filial considerations that means people protect the group's members whom they first see as being family before being terrorists. But cutting off support for such errant family or clan members may help them see the folly of their association while depriving the terrorists the resources needed for regrouping.
Once people can talk their relations into jettisoning the terrorists' ideology it should help isolate Shekau and al-Barnawi and further pressure them into giving up on any thoughts of regrouping. That should heighten the likelihood of them either submitting for processing and reintegration or they will look for other places to ply their evil wares but definitely not in Nigeria.
Winning the peace further entails dispensing of the less than desirable behavior and sentiments that provided the fertile soil for terrorism to take root. Stakeholders in that geopolitical zone must accept the reality that any gain from exploiting Boko Haram as a tool for any purpose would be short term while the backlash would be even more devastating now that the terrorists have had the taste of defeat.
Those in position of trust have roles to play. At the height of the insurgency, poverty was widely blamed for providing Boko Haram with tens of thousands impoverished youths as a pool to recruit from. The pressure on the economy from several factors has making poverty a more pressing issue than ever. The political class must therefore for once apply funds for what they are meant for so that by tackling poverty they starve terrorists of recruits.
We must also dispense of the culture of political correctness that makes it possible for people to preach extremist views without fear of repercussion. Clerics that teach hate should be sanctioned and that works only when "powerful people" in government are not providing cover for such Boko Haram recruiters.
Even coming up with fresh ideas on how to finish off the remnant of Boko Haram will contribute to winning the peace. It is something that stakeholders in the northeast cannot afford to leave for others to do for them. Boko Haram was a national plague but the horrors of its destructive days were felt most in that particular region for which the stakeholders were blamed either for not doing enough when it mattered or for being part of the problem for petty reasons. This is what makes it imperative that stakeholders drive the process of winning the peace while repudiating any form of backing to Boko Haram and other Nigerians will pitch in their support.
It is therefore inimical to the collective interest to seek political, religious or even economic capital by supporting Boko Haram to regroup. That would not be winning the peace. If the capture of Sambisa Forest can be likened to cutting off the head of the serpent now is the time to incinerate its carcass just to be doubly sure it will not play any hydra trick on all of us.
ABUBAKAR is Chairman, Planning Committee of North EAST Mega Rally for Peace, Writes from Damaturu.
BREAKING: Military Jet Crashes, Top Army General, Others Die
News Proof 23.1.17 No comments Edit Post
Authorities in Cameroon say a helicopter fighting the Boko Haram insurgency has crashed on the border with Nigeria, killing six people including the commander of this central African nation’s troops.
The a top general in charge of Cameroon’s fight against Islamist militant group Boko Haram died in the crash on a patrol mission, the government said on Monday.
Midjiyawa Bakari, governor of the far north region of Cameroon, confirmed that General Jacob Kodji died on Sunday evening near the village of Bogo while on an inspection mission. Three other top officials and two crew members also died.
The crash happened on Sunday evening in the Bogo district of the Far North region, where Cameroonian troops and a regional task force have been fighting the Islamist group for two years.
A multinational force has been fighting Boko Haram extremists who have expanded their deadly insurgency beyond Nigeria and into neighboring countries in the Lake Chad region.
General Jacob Kodji was commander of the 4th joint military region and head of a counter-Boko Haram unit called Operation Emergence 4. Three other officers also died in the crash, the cause of which was unknown, the government said in a statement.
Boko Haram is based in northern Nigeria and launches frequent cross-border raids in a bid to carve out an Islamic caliphate. Its eight-year insurgency has killed more than 15,000 and displaced two million people in the Lake Chad region.
Boko Haram’s six-year insurgency in North-eastern Nigeria has led to the death of some 20,000 people, destroyed more than 1,000 schools and displaced more than 2 million people.
The insurgency has kept about one million children out of school in Nigeria, forcing more than two million people to flee their homes, particularly in the three neighbouring states, according to the UN children’s agency.
Boko Haram has frequently targeted crowded areas — such as markets, places of worship and refugee camps — in suicide bomb attacks across northeast Nigeria and in neighboring Cameroon and Niger.
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