Nigeria Times

By Gabriel Agibi

The metamorphosis and enlargement of Boko Haram terrorism into various interests is by no means surprising. The infusion of political, commercial and economic interests, aside its initial facade of religion has made Boko Haram terrorism a bigtime monster in Nigeria. And each of the piebald interests is driven by a different motive and ideology.

The COAS and helmsman of the counter-insurgency operations, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai declared after his recent parley with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa that 90% of terrorists and armed bandits terrorizing and tormenting the country are Nigerians. That’s an amazing figure. But it is nothing, but the painfully naked truth.

And this enervating and earthshaking figure is ennobled by the infusion of the disparate interests into Boko Haram which was formerly, a small assemblage of religious extremists and criminals. But now, Boko Haram has unimaginable veiled patrons, agents, sympathizers, investors and propagandists in the country. The nest is very wide and really unimaginable. It hints of the extent some Nigerians are not only unpatriotic, but sadists deeply excited with crimes against their own compatriots.

But that’s just a small fraction of the kernel of the problems of terrorism in Nigeria. One of the foremost actions embarked upon by Gen. Buratai in 2015 when he sauntered on the war theatre to lead the combats of anti-terrorism and other evils was to adopt measures to curb the recruitment of idle youths into the sect’s fold. Some of these youths exuded innocence because they were either charmed or hypnotized into initiation by the sect to embark on the destructive mission of heinous crimes against humanity.

Gen. Buratai’s foresighted action of blocking Boko Haram’s recruitment of Nigerian youths as foot soldiers worked perfectly. It was evident in the drastic decline in numbers and depopulation in the ranks of Boko Haramists. And coupled with the frequent casualties the sect suffered in the hands of the Nigerian Army, the surrender of top commanders of the sect and hundreds of already initiated foot soldiers, without replacements, the impact of the war was tremendous.

Nonetheless, by the beginning of 2018, the narrative changed. The political, commercial/business and economic interests of Boko Haram re-sprouted and increased its numerical strength. While it sounds incredulous that a parent could secretly and willingly give out his child for initiation by Boko Haram for a paltry fee or the offer of protection by the criminals, it is sadly, very true. It explains the monstrous resurgence of terrorism because the penetration is too wide and its shadows very difficult to trace.

Therefore, when Gen. Buratai proclaimed that 90% of terrorists and armed bandits are Nigerians, it’s easy to discern. And Nigerians must know, what has manifested as armed banditry is derived from an enfeebled Boko Haram in the Northeast. Insurgents who had a tough time operating in the Northeast like in the past, since Gen. Buratai took over the battle, relocated to the Northwest and resurrected the rested armed banditry and cattle rustling.

These criminals use same sophisticated weapons. The modus operandi of armed bandits with Boko Haram is the same. There is also a blend the heartlessness of the perpetrators in committing atrocious acts. Violence, killings, arson, abductions and looting of targeted areas also blend with Boko Haram in every exactitude. That’s why majority of insurgents’ victims are their brothers either in biological or religious links. Earlier in the year, President Muhammadu Buhari confessed that 90 % of Boko Haram victims are Muslims. It is the gospel truth.

It is natural that most Nigerians can hardly interpret their milieu or trend of events around them. An obsession with hype of half-truths or absolute falsehood blinds them to reality infinitely. Therefore, Gen. Buratai’s assertion that 90% of terrorists and armed bandits operating in Nigeria are Nigerians may sound strange to some ears. But the Army Chief is not alone in this thought or realization of this truth.

Incumbent Katsina state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari is also on same page with Gen. Buratai. A few days ago, Gov. Masari, a politician of enduring years of partisanship and former Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives accused enemies or opponents of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as responsible for the renewed attacks by bandits and Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria. It’s an insightful clue.

And when one recalls the timing of the resurgence of terrorism and banditry in the country at the commencement of partisan campaigns for the 2019 general elections, the excitement shall only be complete by crowning Gov. Masari with a medal for his rare insights. But how many Nigerians have the patience to explore these angles as reeled out by Gen. Buratai and Gov. Masari? Very few.

Almost all the times you encounter some Nigerians, there is the glaring attempt to interrogate the renewed insecurities in Nigeria on the periphery. There is usually, an unfounded excitement of propagating lies and everything that serves to destroy Nigeria’s interests, in alliance with external allies.

It is also undeniably the trademark of opposition. Its in their culture to celebrate any odd news against Nigeria; but somewhat feel some internal pains to applaud positive news about the country. It is inexplicable; but that’s what is happening to Nigeria. So, no one is concerned to assist security agents unearth the masked faces behind the acts of renewed terrorism assailing the country; rather, majority protect and shield the sponsors and perpetrators. What a people!

But security agents are not magicians or voodoo merchants. And Nigerians must know the peculiarity of Nigeria. This country has no absolute control over its communication apparatus and the reach is limited. And that’s why the human effort is crucial in adding security agents to fish out terrorists and bandits.

Disappointingly, while Nigerians renege on this moral responsibility, the easiest thing to do is to mouth how President Buhari is incompetent or the Service Chiefs have overstayed their tenures and should resign or be sacked. That’s outright claptrap! And those who complain loudest about “inaction” of government are the same suspected Nigerians who raise hideous planks for the progression of terrorism and survival of terrorists.

All hopes not lost, in spite of the dicey situation! Nigerians have a chance to get back on track by retracing their faulty steps and making the necessary adjustments to act appropriately. Nowhere in the whole wide world is the issue of security abandoned to the leaders or Security Chiefs alone. There must be a synergy between the government and the people to overcome threats of insecurities. Citizenship patriotic roles are very important in surmounting insecurity challenges. The consistent neglect of it by Nigerians is to their peril.

Therefore, and like Gen. Buratai, the fearless and the ever-undistracted soldier counselled, the Nigerian Army will continue to do its very best to secure Nigerians and their properties. But when the yoke of terrorism and armed banditry would pass away is strictly the decision of Nigerians. So, its foolhardy to keep blaming Mr. President or security chiefs, while the citizens withdraw vital support; but rather massively embolden acts of terrorism.

Further interrogating the statement by Gen. Buratai, a brave soldier and goal-getter in counter-terrorism by all standards, one would see the sincerity of a good leader who is not ready to deceive his country with mere propaganda.

The Army boss hides nothing in the service of Nigeria. He is one leader who says it as it is and typical of the life of soldiers who do not dread to tell the truth. Buratai is always blunt. His statement that overwhelming majority of the bandits and terrorists are Nigerians is one bold solution to the problem bedeviling the country. This is the gospel truth that Nigerians have been waiting for a courageous person to voice it.

Therefore, Gen. Buratai and Gov. Masari have let the cat out of the bag. Now that the terrorists are known; the bandits are known and the criminals tormenting the country have been revealed, it is high time Nigerians begin to identify ways which can proceed to the second stage of solving the problem of terrorism. Massive exposure of the suspected culprits. It is the English people who say in an adage that a problem known is partly solved.

There is every need now for all Nigerians to expend more energy by unanimously calling on all those who know the veiled forces tormenting the country to stop it now or expose them to security agents for apprehension. It’s the only potent way citizens can demonstrate patriotic participation for the success of the stiff war Government has mounted against terrorism and armed banditry.

And Nigerians must also necessarily remember that a few days ago, the Defence Headquarters (DHTs) disclosed something crucial in a public statement. Defence spokesman, Gen. John Enenche said, the task of exposing sponsors or agents or sympathizers of Boko Haram/ISWAP or armed bandits is outside the briefs of the Military.

It is a job for the intelligence arms of Nigeria’s security agencies. Therefore, the Nigerian public should be guided accordingly. Nigerians must begin to rise up in our communities to expose the bandits and their sponsors, the terrorists and their promoters and just everything possible to support our military. Sane Nigerians are not interested in their evil ways and therefore, the crimes against Nigerians and the country must cease now unconditionally.

Agibi is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja.

By Leonard Aluor

Too many Nigerians speciously think, Government business is as simplistic as opening the gates of their houses, as masters, whenever they come back to the house after late nights. But Government is peculiarly different in this clime.

The uninfringeable truth in this country is that getting off the ground, a newly created ministry, with maximum functional impact and a very sensitive one which oversees the welfare of the distressed or poorest of the masses in Nigeria is not an easy task. In Nigeria, the problem is even more complex; a complexity induced by the “normalized” red-tapism of democratic bureaucracy.

Whoever emerges the Minister of a new ministry has the challenge and a burden hung on the neck more than the ancient Greek Sisyphus imposed on him by the gods. The very first assignment is to grasp, domesticate and functionalize the vision and mission in consonance with the overall agenda of Mr. President and his administration propelling the creation of the Ministry.

There are also other issues, such as office accommodation, internal re-organization of departments and sections and struggling for the release of budgetary votes for the new ministry in an economy stressed by paucity of resources to meet all Government demands. Those who have traversed this path before or privy to it know the workload and frightening experiences.

This was the situation, the Minister of one of Nigeria’s newest ministries’, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq found herself in 2019, when President Muhammadu Buhari created the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHADM& SD) in 2019. But the extensively acclaimed administrative amazon faced the challenges fearlessly and with the nimbleness of a knowledgeable public servant aligned to her fame in public service.

It never escaped the attention and awareness of Minister Sadiya that President Buhari attached great premium on issues affecting poor Nigerians, the distressed, the less privileged and the vulnerable citizens. She knew, these cumulatively defined the core mandates of the new ministry in the #NextLevel.

Therefore, the minister hit the ground running and matched on with the force of administrative tornado; concretized and operationalized the new ministry in less than two months on assumption of office. Since then, Minister Sadiya has continued to blaze the trail in various aspects of the mandates of the ministry. She has combed and dusted even forgotten matters and given them fully official attention.

The scope of the new ministry is unarguably large. There is the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North-East Development Commission (NEDC) , National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons ((NCFRMI), and, National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), with extended branches like the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), and a legion of other agencies incorporated under the supervision of the ministry.

The signposts of Sadiya’s operations in the ministry, which by every interpretation are very demanding and tedious justifies her appointment by President Buhari to nurture the nascent ministry to maturity. And by every indication, she is innately horned for the manifold jobs on her hands with the easiness and near perfection. The day, anyone knows, she is in the Northeast to supervise disbursement of relief materials to IDPs; the next day, Minister Sadiya is sighted in Lagos personally and her team attending to distraught Nigerians, who are victims of natural disasters or Nigerians whom society/fate has not been kind to them from Septuagenarian ages.

Known for the traits of a compassionate mother, with an enduring passion to come to the aid of distressed humanity and render assistance to the less privileged, they have been her potent weapons, making the very difficult jobs easier for her.

Her efficacy on the job is further enhanced by the enriching experience she gathered while serving as federal commissioner, National Commission For Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons ((NCFRMIDPs) and as a Senior staff of the National Assembly Service Commission, Abuja. These experiences have observably strengthened her over the years.

Famously, Minister Sadiya assigned to herself the task of ensuring NEMA launched the abandoned National Emergency Management Policy document in compliance with the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction declaration in the very few months in office. She goaded NEMA into this necessary action because of the realization of the policy as accelerating a wide range of proactive capacity-building measures on disaster risks reduction and humanitarian disaster management in synergy with government and communities prone to such catastrophes.

Minister Sadiya is the first government official to reposition the N-Power scheme under the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) window, in accordance with guidelines and directives for the programme, as issued by the FGN. She has disengaged Batches A and B, enrolled between 2016 and 2017 which have overstayed their terminal period of two years for almost same period and depriving others.

She just did an audit of the beneficiaries in batches A and B, only to discover that by the statistics on her table, more than 16, 000 of them had other pensionable Government paid jobs. Yet, they enrolled and collected stipends for the N-Power jobs these number of years in shameless deprivation of other Nigerians. No thanks to FGN’s IPPIS payment system by those caught in the act.

But the central philosophy and motivation for stamping her foot on implementing the government guidelines is to ensure fairness, equity and justice. Her decision will allow the special FGN social poverty alleviation programmes spread to other Nigerians.

And in line with Minister Sadiya’s promise to Nigerians, she has long commenced the process of the enrolment and onboarding of N-Power beneficiaries Batch C. And millions of Nigerians have applied on the official online portal of N-Power to also participate for the skills acquisition and job creation initiative And in accordance with her compassionate nature, she is talking to “private sector bodies to absorb some of the beneficiaries after the completion of psychometric assessment to determine competency and placement into various opportunities.” Though the N-Power baches disengaged have already known the duration of the scheme and aware that they are overdue, but Minister Sadiya has perceived the sudden disengagement as a personal nightmare and therefore scouting for their placements. Its commendable, to say the least!

Therefore, within a year alone, Minister Sadiya initiated the Road Map and Action Plan that will descend and enhance cooperation framework with the ministry, civil organizations and security agencies interactions in Nigeria’s Northeast, where the volume of humanitarian crisis is appalling because of years of a devastating insurgency. The essence is to foster a seamless and collective confrontation and management of disasters and humanitarian crises throughout Nigeria to give immediate succour to troubled Nigerians.

The ministry under Sadiya’s leadership has extended its partnership with international bodies on improving civil-security cooperation (CISEC) in Humanitarian interventions in Maiduguri, Northeast and other parts of Nigeria under the siege of disasters. In the South-South, her binoculars are permanently fixed on the resettlement of the displaced and helpless peoples of Bakassi Peninsula abandoned to their fate over a decade.

In her time, she was in America to also anchor a dialogue with the US-Nigeria Bi-national Commission in Washington DC. The discussions renewed the expectation of partnership with USAID and the World Bank to fund an empowerment programme for persons with disabilities and women in Nigeria.

And in the year, 2020, the ministry is vigorously pursuing the pledge of the United States Government on humanitarian assistance to Nigeria in 2020 worth US$40million. These are novel manifestations which the relevant agencies now fused into the ministry never had the strength and thoughts to pursue.

And in the last 10 years, it’s the first time, Nigeria has contemplated and working towards the comprehensive resettlement of IDPs in the Northeast in 2020. In the pursuit of this agenda for the comfort of IDPs, Minister Sadiya has seen to the foundation laying ceremony for 10, 000 units of housing projects in Ngom, Mafa LGA of Borno state. It is one of the series of President Buhari’s special intervention projects under the North East Development Commission (NEDC). It is spread across the most severe nine LGAs of Borno state with huge numbers of IDPs. While no one prays for these conditions, to affect any Nigerian, but it is exciting that Minister Sadiya has shown care and focus to exit the aftermath of the humanitarian problems.

In addition, the ministry has acquired lands in Abuja and environs for the relocation and reintegration of some IDPs in the FCT and Nasarawa States, targeting several families. Furthermore, it is also new that the management of personal health of IDPs is not abandoned to their devastated lives and circumstantially, wretched souls anymore. Minister Sadiya is aggressively working on their enrolment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) across Nigeria and also, the provision of basic amenities in their resettled abodes.

It also astounded many Nigerians that Minister Sadiya, devised a dexterous method of feeding school children during lockdown at homes at the initial strict period of Covid-19. The ministry also provided other palliatives to the less privileged and vulnerable Nigerians, including cash payments to cushion the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The formula she adopted reached out to the targeted Nigerians right at their doorsteps and vicinities without hitches.

The workhorse Minister Sadiya inaugurated the Federal Government National Steering Committee for the restructured Multi-sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) designated for Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States about two months ago. It’s a foundation for the effective implementation of the Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC), sponsored by the World Bank for the cost of $200 million dollars to support the recovery of the Northeast region devastated by Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. These are not only laudable initiatives or steps forward, but breath-taking indiscriminate reliefs to all distraught Nigerians all over the country. #

Aluor is a public affairs commentator and wrote this from Oduduwa University, Ile Ife.

By Philip Agbese

Around the world, many people find it unacceptable the decisions political leaders take at their convenience. So, they kick and protest against it. It is more common in democracies around the world and Nigeria is no exemption. Here, the assertion of citizen-rights is penetrative, except that on any matter, hardly do one sight national coherence and objective. Everyone appears to approach national issues and problems from ethnic, religious or political point of view.

Most times, the protests are not spurred by altruistic reasons. What ignites the resentments for decisions of leaders, tagged “unpopular” by these elements is basically because some personal interests are injured somewhere and it instigates massive resistance, with an influenced clan of minions goaded into it. And they always seem louder.

In Nigeria, the game is played very dangerously and most times unconscionably. The reigning singsong in the country now are the gospels about the resignation of Service Chiefs or their sack by President Muhammadu Buhari. No one cares to know why Mr. President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces has decided to retain the security chiefs beyond times some Nigerians consider abnormal.

It is not ironic that in Nigeria, the heads of the various arms of the Armed Forces are called “Service Chiefs in military terms. It is the general world order anywhere. These are patriots who have given out their lives in defence of fatherland. So, their death in the line of duty does not attract whining from the citizens, but heroic songs.

The laws of Nigeria have vested the final authority on determining the fate of Service Chiefs in the hands of the Commander-in-Chief and in this case, President Buhari. These Service Chiefs value their lives no less than the rest of Nigerians to risk it in the battlefield every minute. They are human beings with lives, which can also be brutally terminated by terrorists, armed bandits and the rest. They have families too and cherish them infinitely.

On a lighter note and within the African context, a chief is someone who is like a King; who issues directives and wait for the results. His only most authentic role is supervision. And it trickles down the ladder. A chief sits in the comfort of his palace to reel out orders and directives to subordinates even in wartimes because his death or even injury at such times is symbolic of victory for the enemy.

Anytime, a chief deems it fit to adjust his team in war, he does with a few trusted members of council of elders. He does not call out or seek the advice or opinions of the entire community, on whose throne he presides to teach him fresh wisdom, enact new philosophies and laws to navigate the path of their leadership.

A dedicated followership prefers to sink or swim with their king in hard or good times for reasons that if he succeeds and leads perfectly or fails, the history books are there to record the period of his reign. Its sardonic that subjects should constitute themselves into a clan of differing cacophonic noises and very dictatorially in the case of President Buhari.

Lumped together, the wisdom, luxury and protective shield of a king is not something prone to the inquisitiveness of every subject. Even in the borrowed and modernized western concept of kings or chiefs modified as democracy, the laws permit some leverage to the king in leadership or the President to act or take certain independent decisions based on his discretion. So, it is very unlawful and unwise to stampede the President into decisions he has exclusive rights to determine in the guise of the liberties of democracy.

Unfortunately, this is not a reflection of what happens in Nigeria in the case of President Buhari and his Service Chiefs. Hence Nigeria practices democracy, the a few disgruntled citizens think these appointees are dunces and are not capable of any thought of their own.

It pains infinitely that the present Service Chiefs are mere unlucky servants and victims of circumstances who bear the baggage and fallouts of societal failures to address its own varied social contracts with the citizenry. But the tantrums are hurled at them from all angles disparagingly by selfish elements . No one spares a minute to look at the sacrifices they have made for the country, including paying the supreme price.

And each time, one hears the utterances of some Nigerians, it is simple to discern the concealed voices of these unpatriotic citizens and sabs pushed by external forces to torment their own country and the leaders. Truly, these Nigeria’s serving Service Chiefs are very unfortunate in the hands of paid activists and political jobbers whom they have stopped from truncating our democracy !

The Service Chiefs should not be depressed because overwhelming majority of Nigerians believe in their sacrifices to the nation. The greedy hunters for favourites in the Military to be anointed Chiefs in order to reverse the gains President Buhari has recorded against insurgencies and insurrections in the country under the Service Chiefs, should proceed with the seemingly sponsored and senseless campaigns.

The anti-Service Chiefs campaigners and activists and sponsors of violence and killings, including their protegees in the National Assembly are free to intensify their evangelism against the security chiefs. They are at liberty to contrive more devilish plots, cause greater degrees of destructions, killings and thereafter, embark on the familiar blame games of “Buhari is not doing anything on insecurities,” or “the Service Chiefs have overstayed in office,” and so forth.

And the excuses by these debased souls and their conspirators are in abundance. They spurn them anytime and play on national psyche gleefully. Therefore, when any government fails to pay salaries; does not engage youths in endeavors that support decent livelihood, but sustained violence and bloodshed, it is the fault of the President and he must sack the Service Chiefs or Nigeria will continue smouldering with flames of killings and blood shed.

When these supposed political leaders fail to provide jobs for the teeming unemployed graduates and job seekers in their domains; corner every presidential poverty alleviation intervention package to themselves and families, thereby triggering anger, violently expressed in widespread killings, communal clashes, terrorism, armed banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other assorted criminalities, it is the fault of Mr. President and his Service Chiefs. Leaders with such mindsets and their acolytes hardly see whatever efforts our patriotic Service Chiefs are making in quelling the conflagrations they have ignited.

When politicians arm youths to rig elections and unable to retrieve these weapons and same are used for killings and destruction of properties then, Nigerians turn to the Service Chiefs. Those who secretly maintain a clan of armed youths as political thugs and ethnic militias et al, and these youths turn to uncontrollable crimes, it is the fault of the President and they gladly turn to the Service or Security Chiefs for succor.

More confounding, these are not isolated cases. State governors are left without any probe of what happens to the monthly security votes. Buhari is the first and last destination because he is the President of Nigeria. Agreed that the rate of insecurity in Nigeria is appalling, the evident presence of the Nigerian soldiers in at least 33 out of the 36 states of the federation, outside Abuja, means civil security alone has been overpowered.

The efforts of the castigated Service Chiefs are underestimated by those salvaged. If Nigerians wish, let them continue until the Military on special Internal Security (IS) assignments are also overwhelmed, while those who mastermind these abominable acts blame President Muhammadu Buhari and preach the rule of law.

What is Nigeria’s collective national defining agenda for peace and peaceful co-existence? There is none! So, when Nigerians fail to mediate over mutual differences in communities, ignore amicable settlement of minor disputes, display of unfriendly , yet potential crises, embolden armed youths into violence with stipends and it generates into Boko Haram terrorism or banditry, then it is time to turn to the Service Chiefs when it becomes an uncontrollably explosive in destructions.

The Service Chiefs are the problem according to the verdict of these few criminally minded Nigerians, when parliamentarians at all levels make legislations in breach of the constitution of Nigeria, and public interest; do not support peaceful co-existence and cause violence and killings, it’s the shortcoming of the Service Chiefs and so, they must quit. When state governors pocket federal allocations for salaries, pensions, capital projects, stifle development and exacerbate the anger in the land violently, it is the fault of the Service Chiefs.

Like President Buhari proclaimed recently, anytime Nigerians are ready, insecurities will cease in the country. In any case, he will continue to do his very best and the critics should also continue chasing shadows. The current state of insecurities in the country is the creation of some Nigerians, which the military didn’t handover political leadership in May 1999. These people have expanded their nest of powerful adherents and many of them are in leadership positions at lower rungs sponsoring and fueling the bloodshed.

These blinded persons under the delusion that orchestrating violence and killings all over the country would aggravate public push for sack of Service Chiefs successfully for the appointment of minions which they can penetrate and manipulate to disrupt Nigeria’s democracy. It is a dreamy adventure.

Nigeria was a peaceful nation and the majority who believe in this country must come together to ensure a collective battle to bring violence to a standstill. Unless this is taken as a collective resolve and action, crucifying the Service Chiefs is not a panacea. #

Agbese is a public affairs analyst based in the United Kingdom.