By Lateef Adegbite
Between 2009 and now, Nigerians have never peace during the activities of the Islamic Fundamentalist Group, BokoHaram , Islamic State of West African Province,ISWAP, a 2015, breakaway faction of BokoHaram Bandits Group and the Ansaru Group, another break away faction of BokoHaram.
Initially, the terrorism activities was concentrated in the north east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe but in 2011, it was exported to the north west of Zamfara , which gave birth to the Banditry Group and lateer spread to other north west states, Sokoto, Kaduna and Katsina, Presidident Muhammadu Buhari , home state . Now, Banditry is gradually spreading to the south east states of Anambra Enugu, Imo and the south west state of Ondo with the occasional attacks on Owo town..
Bulama Bukarti, a security and Lawyer , mat have alluded to the fact that Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder when he reveled that BokoHaram, which has been exporting terrorism to other parts of Nigerian have established a presence in Niger, a neighbouring state to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, and the country’s Seat of power. Bukarti, who made the disclosure, had described it as a ‘’worrying evelopment’’. He noted that that the BokoHaram Insurgents could easily Launch attack on the Kuje, Correctional centre and the 7 Guards Brigade , which protects the FCT, and the President, was a clear evidence of their presence in the north central state despite the Katsina state born Nigerian President promise ‘’to restore peace across the country’’.
Bukarti, who could not understand how the north east state of Borno based BokoHaram terrorists in the recent time have established a presence in Niger state , close to the FCT, noted that even in its heyday , between 2014 and 2015, which was during the Administration of Former President Good luck Jonathan of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, now an Opposition party to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, the Insurgent Group never had a residence cell in the north -central or north west geo-political regions. He noted that the Late Abubakar Shekau, led BokoHaram were only sending members from the north- east ‘’to detonate bombs in Abuja, Kano and other places in the north.
Bukarti, who could not hide feelings while responding to questions on Channels Television on Thursday, July 28, 2022, had said ‘’what is happening in the country today where all the three factions of BokoHaram , are having cells residence in the north central state of Niger, home state of Ibrahim Babangida, a retired Army General and former Nigerian military President, Nasarawa, home state of Abdullahi Adamu, National Chairman of the APC and the north west state of Zamfara, described as home state of the Bandits Group, is very worrying’’, notig that they are getting deadlier on a daily basis’’.
Going by the recent attack on the Kuje Custodial centre, 7 Guards Brigade , Abuja, which had stopped them from heading to the Nigerian Law school , Bwari, which was their target but the two adjoining villages to the Law school, were not lucky as they were touched and the attack on the military checkpoint in Zuma Rock Madallah along the Abuja-Kaduna High Way where one soldier was said to have been killed and another two critically injured on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, was a clear indications that Abuja, is under siege, Bukarti, the security expert had said,
Appealing to Nigerians to wake up to confront the security challenges to avoid giving room the Terrorists who have threatened to abduct the Nigerian President and Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state to carry out their plan that may mockery of Nigeria in the comity of nations. Although Lai Mohammed, miniter of Information and Culture, had described ‘’the threat as Laughable’’ but the service and intelligence agencies Chiefs and their men have to wake up to their responsibility to curb the excesses of the Terrorists , before they throw he country into darkness or frustrate the conduct of the 2023, general elections in the flashpoint point states of Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and Niger.
The Nigerian government may have to beam its searchlight on Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Muslim Cleric ad Tukur Manu , his Media Aide , who has direct link with the terrorists and Bandits in their enclave and forest hideouts because of thei mediatory role to facilitate the release of abducted victims.
Gumi had described the Buhari Administration as a ‘’failed government’’ have spent over $16 billion over the last seven years without any commensurate result on security’’.
He had described as a frightening development now that BokoHaram terrorists who have infiltrated the ranks of the Bandits Group operating the north west geopolitical region and are gradually indoctrination the Fulani Bandits to their religious belief and mission, confirming what Bukarti, a security expert had said that situation where the three factions of BokoHaram are having cell residence in Zamfara, Niger and Nasarawa is worrisome.
In spite of the fact that all three factions of the Islamic Fundamentalist Group, Bokoharam have established cell residence in Niger and Nasarawa, neighbouring states to the FCT, Daniel Oko, Most Reverend and General Overseer of Christ Holy Church, CHC, popular, Odozi Obodo, and who is incidentally the new president of the Christian Association of Nigerian President, CAN, has urged the Nigerian President’’ to do everything within his powers to end the bloodletting, kidnapping and general insecurity in the country , that had been necessitated by the activities of BokoHaram,, ISWAP, Bandits Group and other criminal elements across the country.
He may have taken advantage of giving his acceptance speech as the CAN president in Abuja, to speak out the mind of Christians across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria on the ruling APC, Muslim-Muslim Faith ticket, describing it as a’’ deliberate plot ‘’ to make Christians second class –citizens in Nigeria’’. An elated Most Reverend Okoh had said that since the General Assembly of CAN, had validated his election as the Association new president, which had come at a time ‘’ some section of the country political Leaders are not sensitive to the diverse nature of the country’s population when certain decisions are being made’’, ‘they have resolved ‘’to make a positive impact on the country’s political, economic and social systems’’.
While new CAN president is in search of peace for the country, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano state and Presidential Candidate of the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP, the political wing of National Association Government Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, founded by Bonniface Anniebonan, a Lagos based Clearing Agent, has urged members of the National Assembly not ‘’to be in a hurry to impeach the Nigerian Preset over the worsening insecurity situation in the country in order not ‘’to rock the boat’’.
The Minority caucus of the National Assembly had given Buhari six-week ultimatum to resolve the country’s security situation which is getting worse on the daily basis or they will initiate impeachment proceedings against him . The former Kano state governor who is sympathetic to the Daura born politician, had spoken his mind during a recent visit Abdulrahman Abdulraq, the Kwara State governor in Ilorin, the state Capital.
He is optimistic that’’ the Nigeria military are capable of winning the war against terrorism and Banditry in the country but advocated for ‘’wider consultation irrespective of the political divide to do so’’.
