Why War Against Insurgency May Linger
SHORTLY after taking over the reins of federal political power, President Muhammadu Buhari gave the Nigeria military three months to degrade and defeat the insurgents troubling the North eastern part of the country. For nearly six years, the murderous Boko Haram fundamentalists have waged a war of attrition against Nigeria, killing, maiming and destroying civil life with reckless abandon. In the light of the change of government and the new impetus given to the military, many Nigerians are wondering whether the Boko Haram, which at the height of their bloodletting declared allegiance to another terrorist group threatening world peace, would ever be history. In the midst of the general apprehension, the military came up with an outlandish claim that some elders from the area considered as the hotbed of the insurgents do not want the menace to end, thereby suggesting that some people are actually benefitting from the madness. That similar allegations were made during a former regime makes the latest claim to deserve some attention.

Genesis
IT began much like a joke; some perceived it as the attempt by idle hands to spread a message of social reform. But from 2009 what became of the former Yusufiya Islamic movement troubled Borno State. The killing of Mohammed Yusuf, it could be argued, opened the movement for radical elements to take over. A new fashion of proselytisation began leading to thoughts about carving out an Islamic caliphate.  And in the frenzied attempt to contain the onslaught of the movement, which had initially primed its attack on Western civilisation, dispersal set in. Cells were created while arms and ammunition were procured. On top of these, government both at the state and federal levels could not put a finger on how to tackle the developing cancer. By the time the 2011 general election was won and lost, a political mix came into the calculation. A power rotation arrangement that was instituted in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which did not envisage the death of a president in office was breached. In the clash between constitution, party dictates, morality and ethnic balancing, some elders from the northern part of the country, trumpeted the claim that it was their turn to complete the tenure of the president from their area, who kicked the bucket midway into his first term.

Could it be that these northern leaders, who threatened to make the country ungovernable for the president from the South, are behind the brutal transformation of Boko Haram into a treasonable gang? This consideration did much to parry serious inquiry into the basic elements driving the terrorists. While the confusion persisted, the hoodlums kept perfecting their ignoble designs against the state. With time and more daring use of improvised explosive devices, suspicion of possible sabotage within the military reigned. At a point the inability of the security agencies to tackle the menace was blamed on inter-agency schisms. Fears that Boko Haram may have come to be heightened, when the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, announced that Boko Haram has infiltrated his government. Each passing day and with every bomb detonated as well as the attendant massacre of innocent civilians, the government was torn between evoking pity that it was being conspired against, the lack of decisive strategy by the military to contain the menace and a political opposition that seemed to exult in the barbaric carnage across the North Eastern frontier. When it was becoming obvious that the security agencies were helpless over the carnage, the idea of offering the insurgents, amnesty was mooted. In fact, it was no less a personality than the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who made the call during the 2013 annual conference of Jama’atul Nasril Islam. President Jonathan, who was pursuing a subtle policy of appeasement to the north, set up a committee to set out the modalities of an amnesty programme. Feeling that the government was coming on the basis of weakness, the insurgents rebuffed the offer and escalated their murderous campaigns. Not long after, they shepherded more than 200 female students away from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State. The nation was in shock while the federal government found it hard to believe that such number of Nigerians could be taken from an educational facility without the local or state government knowing. Feeling that there was an underground plot to make the federal government look bad and lose the goodwill of the people, nothing concrete was done to go after the abductors. As it were government disbelief facilitated the completed processing of the girls as the prize of their ingenuity by the insurgents. Bringing back the girls became a swan song. Aghast, the international community mobilized efforts to track the missing young women. After much noise, an eerie silence took over: nothing was said about the girls. Attempts by the government to procure sophisticated military equipment to tackle the Boko Haram menace became a subject of international diplomacy. Was there a conspiracy against Nigeria? May be; but many believed that a change of baton would help address the problem.
Respite From A New Regime

PART of the issues that dominated the 2015 general election was insecurity. Expectedly the opposition latched onto it, promising that if voted into power the Boko Haram menace would be a thing of the past. But four months after President Buhari took over, the situation has continued, despite the fact that many people did not think the war against Boko Haram insurgency would be prolonged after President Buhari came into office. Weighing the continued collateral damage by the activities of BH against the campaign promises of Buhari and his party, it is pretty amazing that BH still has this amount of capacity to kill and destroy. Yet, in the midst of public amazement, the Military cried out recently that some leaders in the Northeast are actually frustrating the war against Boko Haram. The whole thing becomes perplexing when viewed against the background of the movement of military command to Maiduguri. Many military experts expressed reservations about the place of the Chief of Army Staff in a war operation alongside a commanding officer.  Whatever could defeat Boko Haram was welcome. The President also embarked on shuttle diplomacy to build confidence among neighbouring countries so that the insurgents could be isolated and their supply routes cut off. The Multi-National Joint Task Force, was also invigorated and funded to join the fight.

However, despite such concerted efforts to safeguard the nation and its frontiers from felonious insurgents, the military came up with the claim that some leaders use antics such as those used by marabouts to discourage their efforts. This is not the first such claims were made, but during the former regime, it was seen as part of the geopolitical battle for political power. But in a swift reaction, the Borno Elders Forum, (BEF) pushed the responsibility back to the military saying that by nature of their training they ought to fish out those collaborators and saboteurs. In a statement signed by Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, BEF stated: “Within the last four days, this forum has noted with great concern comments coming from the social media over a critical statement emanating from the Nigerian Military high command. In the said statement, the leaders of the North East, particularly Borno State; were accused of not only aiding the Boko Haram insurgency, but are also beneficiaries of the horrific carnage. While we recognize and acknowledge with the deepest sense of gratitude the tremendous efforts of the Nigerian armed forces in crushing the insurgency, we wish to state that the statement coming from the army is a generalized one. The military police and DSS are in charge of security and are therefore privileged to find out those who pose security threat to the nation. We therefore expect them to, after having identified such persons or groups, promptly bring them to justice. A generalized statement such as was made may not be the solution to such serious problems. The BEF will give its maximum support and cooperation to our law enforcement agencies in this regard. Indeed apprehending those identified to be involved in this devilish endeavor will be most welcome by all Nigerians.”

Sacred Cows Beyond Trial?
UNLESS the military could be accused of false claim, the idea that certain notable individuals must be benefitting from the insurgency should not be dismissed. As the fight progressed, certain persons had been fingered for lending assistance, logistic support and being in contact with Boko Haram. From divulging battle plans to operational frustration by combatants, as well as renting of equipment to the insurgents, various hurdles have been raised to hinder the war against insurgency.  The claim by the Military amounts to a sort of throwing up arms in exasperation. It appears that the life blood of Boko Haram runs deeper than present military action could stanch. The situation therefore calls for greater seriousness, including unmasking those levying war on the corporate existence of the country. Who are these sacred cows? That is the question on the lips of Nigerians. For instance, an Islamic group that goes by the name, The Muslim Congress (TMC), charged the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari to use intelligence to engage captured Boko Haram members so as to distill from them the masterminds of insurgency in the country. Head of TMC, Dr. Luqman AbdurRaheem, who made the call during a lecture organised in Osogbo to mark this year’s Independence Day; declared: “We want a far-reaching probe into the Boko Haram saga by unveiling the elements behind the calculated attempt to dismember this country by declaring a terrorist war on the North East.”

In the past certain names have been mentioned as possible sponsors of Boko Haram. Phone numbers of very important persons were mined from Boko Haram operatives during interrogation. What happened to these contacts? How was information gathered from captured Boko Haram commanders processed? The illegal arms and ammunition including rocket launchers, seized at Apapa Port that originated from Iran, what happened to the suspects? It is also recalled that a serving Senator, Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South Senatorial District), has been facing trial over allegations of sponsoring Boko Haram. Also former Borno Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, was linked to the Islamist sect. What is standing in the way of diligent prosecution of these suspects? Under this regime that has taken up the fight against corruption, these cases ought not linger further to show seriousness in the fight against insurgency. Some people have suggested that since these insurgents have taken up arms against Nigeria, instead of taking them to civil courts they should face court martial and dispensed with instead of according them the respite from slow sailing court processes. Such radical prescriptions have been recommended by some, especially given the alacrity of the insurgents to attack security facilities where their men are detained.

Error Or Caution?
SOMETIMES, tactical errors help to prolong the war on insurgency. Within the past six years the turnover of military officers had been rapid. Almost four COAS have bowed out, while the war is going on. And with every change of guard comes a change of tactics. At one point the Borno Elders laid a complaint against one of the COAS saying that he was prosecuting genocide. Even the current president was once quoted as saying that the fight against Boko Haram was against the north.