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Boko-Haram: After of System Failure By Abbas A. Dikko
Though, Boko-Haram could be regarded for now, a history, but, the lesson drawn, if any, and to a level, the seeming problem left behind, would remain for quite a time, in our daily life. The leadership in their characteristic nature may wish to continue with their window dressing and forum shopping in other to justify their action(s) as well, shy away from their constitutional responsibilities. The security agencies established by law to protect life and property of the citizenry, would want to continue with their lawlessness method of handling violence in their desperation to protect the interest of the authority so as to justify their legitimate/illegitimate take.
The media though, divided into two fold: pro/anti establishment would want to continue with their bidding, the former for monetary reason while, the latter, for the cause of just and egalitarian society where equity and fairness is the supreme. Which was principally, the concept and crusade of Boko-Haram movement not its literal meaning made to understand by the authority through their media collaborators, our council of Ulamas/organizations too, are not left out this bracket, unfortunately, their case is more disparaging because, they despised sense of fair judgment/balancing between the authority and Muslim umma in their effort to justify the patronage enjoyed from the authority.
JNI that happens to be the umbrella body, in its restless move, so as not to loss relevance with the state authority, failed to be courageous enough to tell government the reality on ground that gave birth to Boko-Haram movement, rather, sponsored advertorials dissociating itself and condemning the sect-group. In its advertorial of the Daily trust newspaper of Friday, Aug. 7th, the body further advocated and advanced the course of seeking and cultivating knowledge- fine! But how, when it’s said that poverty is close to ignorance? At least, we well know the root cause of Boko-Haram movement: poverty, desperation, frustration, joblessness, discrimination and injustice, therefore, under this despair, how does one seek or cultivate knowledge and, in which of the school/higher institutions? One needs not to be told the lamenting and deteriorating situation of our educational sector, and, whose responsibility?
However, I wouldn’t want to add a word on the remote cause of the uprising, our revered columnists and a handful of other opinion writers, had done a wonderful job, they have fearlessly, clinically and justifiably captured the true picture of Boko-Haram crusade, what and who are responsible, security lapses and of course, remedies to forestall recurrence, if truly, the system in place are sincere with the fundamental principles objective that set forth their offices. The only article I find laughable and at the same time, not surprising and negotiable, was that written by a combine effort of two retired police officers in the Daily trust newspaper of Friday column of 7th Aug.
The manner at which they advanced their argument was hysteric, they firstly began by praise singing their song that they rendered decades of patriotic service to their fatherland as if, there is/was anything like that in the decades of Nigerian police force existence. Else, why the quest for its holistic reform or have they at any point-in-time ever heard of total reform in the Nigerian army? Secondly, they accused the media of bias reporting and unfairness to the force because of the reckless manner they mishandled the issue of Boko-Haram, more like exposing their gullibility or seems not to have read Lagos/southern axis national dailies. If so, I advise them to confide on Ishaq Moddibo Kawu or simply read his article of the Thursday column of the Daily trust newspaper of 6th Aug.
Again, they corroborated the case scenario of Charles Taylor and that of Yusuf Muhammad as if, it has any correlation or better put it, similarity, more so, Charles Taylor is much a life and standing trail today, but, where is Yusuf Muhammad, Buji Foi and of course, the innocent in-law of the sect leader that reported self to the police authority on hearing he was declared wanted but, to this moment, never returned? Could there be any legal explanation?
Thirdly, they furthered their argument by profiling the members as superstitious believers or sorcerers that thought, possesses magical power to disappear and reappear at will, hence, the attempt made by the leader to escape from detention which led to the termination of his life but, mark you, at close range. In their continued desperation for defence and justification for their incivility, hardly do they remember the Apo six and several other extrajudicial and serial killings. Not enough, hardly can one find an innocent person(s) that had an encounter with the Nigerian police that has not turned-out to be a nightmare, they frame/fabricate in order to justify their action or inaction.
Fourthly, still described them as throwback and notorious, here, one would love to ask, what do we called Ganiu Adams-OPC, Niger Delta militants and our rampaging kidnappers that has become a routine affair? And having uncompromising stance for modernity isn’t that their freedom of association, believe and worship? Okija shrine and several other fraternities, pagans and various religious sects and believes are there. However, accusing them of waging war against the Nigerian people, is untrue, at least, you have said and as described that their nefarious activities have been on for years, but, how comes, no Nigerian person(s), group(s), security agents or government itself came forward to express their concern or fears over their existence till now?
And please, what informed your conclusion to label them as anti-society, when they live, dines and wine with them? This is a sect said to have all shade of people: politicians, academicians, professionals and businessmen, men/women, young/old name them, therefore, what and which society Idris/Harouna are referring to? Well, let all these be put aside, the contentious issue is all about legality and illegality and, I doubt, if there is any Nigeria police force law that recognizes extrajudicial or serial killing. Its primary function, if I am correct, is to arrest and prosecute but, even in an ordinary civil case, the force goes beyond its setout laws.
However, I never intended to exhaust my energy on the article of Idris/Haruona because, more serious of this problem was as a result of the failure of the leadership to discharge its constitutional functions honestly and sincerely. We have unknowledgeable leaders that reduced governance to award of contract/payment approval, know-how for economic diversification, judicious utilization of resources and exemplary leadership-Zero! Conflict and information management-Babu! Can one imagine, a country accused of harbouring Talibans by the western world, it took us extra strength to debunk the allegation but today, our President was confirming it by describing Boko-Haram as Talibans?
And Mr. President is there the need for any probe when at your speech and as the commander-in-chief, ordered for a shoot-on-sight or crush them, and how many probes civil/criminal ordered, out-come and penalties so far? And again, the immediately conveyed meeting of the Northern governors, week after the Boko-Haram saga, many would have expected an enduring measure to put to end a recurrence of this malice. Dishearteningly, the communiqué was only to set-up a commission to regulate preaching as if, it’s principally, the cause of the uprising, a lasting solution to tackle poverty, unemployment, desperation, frustration, discrimination, inequality and injustice, were never close to their thoughts.
This is how we manage information/crisis in this country, so sorrowful and sadden our situation.
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