WHAT happened in Baga, the border town of Borno State, on Friday, April 19th 2013 was very regrettable. A confrontation between the Nigeria-led multinational Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, led to the near-total destruction of the fish market town, reportedly leaving over 200 people, mainly vulnerable civilians, dead and about 2,000 houses burnt. It was a typical military expedition.
But unfortunately, it was not the first such expedition in this crisis-riddled nation. We saw something of this scale in Odi, BayelsaState on November 20th 1999 when over a dozen policemen were massacred by unknown hoodlums. There was another macabre military strike, this time in Zaki Biam, the Sankera axis of BenueState, on October 29th 2001. The Nigerian military had responded with vehemence to the slaughtering of nineteen of their colleagues sent to keep the peace there. They left in their wake over 300 civilians dead and the town completely flattened.
There have been other military forays, especially in Gbaramatu kingdom in DeltaState, just before the amnesty programme was proclaimed for repentant Niger Delta militants in 2009. Another military mission was witnessed in Aba and Ngwa areas of AbiaState to liquidate kidnap networks, which led to the elimination of Obioma Nwankwo, alias Osisikankwu, the kidnappers’ generalissimo.
It was after the Niger Delta and AbiaState expeditions that Joint Military Task Force (JTF) Commander, Major General Sarki Yakin Bello, earned his promotion to Lt General and eventually became the presidential assistant on counter-terrorism.
It is instructive the glaring differences in the reactions of the federal government after each of these bloody adventures. When Obasanjo thrashed Odi and Zaki Biam he virtually went on the rooftops to beat his chest over his “feats”. In fact, he boasted to the Niger Delta people that the federal government went to war against Biafra because, according to him, the secessionists’ real motive was to control the oil weath of the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria. He warned that the federal government would not hesitate to do to the Niger Delta militants what it did to Biafra.
Even when he was politically pressurised to apologise for the human casualties in Odi and Zaki Biam, Obasanjo did so, but boldly restated that any person or community that violently targets our security forces must be prepared to pay a heavy price. His message was clear: never attack the Nigerian armed forces. It is not good for you.
When Governor Theodore Orji of AbiaState eventually got the President to deploy the military to tackle the kidnappers I applauded on this column. While at it, the JTF under General Bello spare no effort. Villages were flattened, and innocent bystanders lost their lives. But in the end, the situation was brought under control.
Just like in the Odi, Zaki Biam, Ngwa and other instances, the indigenes of Baga allowed enemies of the nation, the Boko Haram terrorists, to live comfortably among them. They worshipped in the same mosques. In fact, some of those mosques were used as armouries to stock the arsenal of the Jihadists. And it was from one of these “armoured mosques” that a Nigerian soldier sent as part of the multinational effort to eliminate the terrorists, was shot and killed. The terrorists resorted to using the locals who harboured them as human shields.
Much as we regret the human tragedy in Baga, let what happened be object lesson to any other community that decides to hide terrorists and so-called militants. You attack Nigerian security forces on duty to your own utter peril. Before you decide to harbour criminals, terrorists and militants who seek to destabilise the nation, be reminded that you are setting down conditions that could lead to a severe military action. You are inviting tragedy upon your community.
I am happy that the Presidency has reacted in a manner different from Obasanjo’s gloating after Odi and Zaki Biam. He has set up a committee to investigate whether some elements in the military violated the rules of engagement. If it is found out that the people of Baga were not hiding terrorists as alleged or that they did not allow their mosques to become armouries for terrorists, or that the deceased soldier was not a victim of unprovoked attack by terrorists or anybody, then those responsible for what happened in Baga must pay according to law. But if the information in the public domain is correct, then I am afraid we are wasting our outrage.
We must support the military forces to safeguard our lives and property and secure the country. We must also encourage them to do their work professionally and responsibly. We must not make them feel they are on a thankless assignment. We must openly express our gratitude for their sacrifices and see them for the heroes of the nation that they are. If Nigeria is to remain one united nation, the military, being the last man in defence, must be esteemed rather than made an object of ridicule.
We must beware of the growing trend of Boko Haram supporters who noisily blame and blackmail the President, the Federal Government and the Nigerian military for every firm response to the terrorist threats. These noisemakers never see anything wrong in what the terrorists are doing even to them and their people. They want the government to abdicate its constitutional responsibilities and withdraw the armed forces to allow Boko Haram take over. Then, they would turn around and accuse President Goodluck Jonathan of failing to protect that country as the constitution mandates him.
These people are simply implacable. They must fail. The best answer is to ignore them and do what is right and in the overall interest of the nation.
We must stay the course in the effort to reassert totally the sovereignty of Nigeria over all its territories.
Chief Clark, please don’t
CHIEF E.K. Clark is quoted as saying that at 85 years old he is free to say whatever he likes. Well, the Ijaw Leader has been living it up lately. He even married another wife recently and was photographed putting a piece of cake in the bride’s mouth! Enjoy your old age, baba. Na God give you.
But don’t say anything you like. You could set the nation ablaze. Since it is unlikely anyone would arrest an 85 year-old for what he says, that is the more reason not to say it. Let your long life be a blessing to Nigeria, not a curse?.
No comments:
Post a Comment