Once again the Nigerian army, this time under a new central government, has
ridiculed Nigeria and its battle for sensible safety and the restoration of
reasonable security. The Press statement by the Acting Director, Army
Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman on September 26th casually indicted
Borno and other northeast leaders in Boko Haram crisis but stopped short of
exposing and responsibly arresting the suspects.
In the process, rather than solving a most deadly and complicated crisis
that has already gone on far too long, the army further conflagrated the
situation by ostracizing and alienating local support. Though the army is
under immense pressure to reach its important deadlines, there is the need
for professionalism and responsibility. We cannot win the war on terror
with the alienation of the locals.
The Press statement caused Borno Elders of Thought, BELT to complain
loudly. In response, the army had to release another statement exonerating
this singular group and leaving all other leaders as public suspects. The
question to ask is, must each group of leaders complain serially to receive
their public exoneration? The recklessness of the army position becomes
obvious. If the Nigerian army wishes to caution individuals or groups, it
should either arrest them, or if the evidence is not yet sufficient, call
them privately to a meeting and discuss with them and sound off the
necessary caution without carelessly castigating all groups publicly.
Ideally the particular groups or individuals involved should have been
immediately detained and interrogated, be they peasants or governors. In
organized countries across the world, people are interrogated for mere
inciting posts on the social media.
As pertains to the indictment of northeastern elders in Boko Haram crisis,
the public Press statement triggers the obvious exigent and angry questions
in minds of intelligent Nigerians: who are the suspects? Why are they not
arrested? Are they warned and not arrested because they have immunity? Is
there a constitutional immunity provision for terrorists and terror
sponsors and facilitators? What are the stipulations of the Nigerian and
global anti-terror acts for individuals or groups responsible for promoting
terror? Are the implicated included in the suspects former
president Jonathan hinted and concealed? Are they the people the governor
of Borno, Kashim Shettima said he knew were behind Boko Haram but he was
protecting their heads from rolling because he was “restraining himself?”
Has Shettima been interrogated and forced to spill the beans? Is he to be
relieved of his office for concealing these “untouchables” sponsors the
army now also knows, over the years?
And then, what is the benefit from Boko Haram that massacres all
communities in Borno and burns all homes, that the suspects enjoy as the
army indicated? Is the benefit the “security vote” the northeast receives?
Is the benefit the hope of taking over the land of the farmers for cheap
and buying-up the abandoned homes in Maiduguri as some Borno leaders have
been accused of? Are they being paid by Boko Haram?
Importantly, we also ask: are these suspect leaders being blackmailed by
Boko Haram on threat of death to them and theirs to force them to publicly
support and canvas for the terrorists?
Unquestionably, either of these questions and scenarios and the many more
possibilities will demand a different, urgent and serious response by the
Nigerian army; a response that a public press statement radically fails to
provide. But the first thing the army must do so we know we are out of the
sickening and blood ‘*sharing’* Jonathan era where the government
stood accused of aiding and abetting Boko Haram by concealing the sponsors,
is to come correct. We did not fight for “change” for things to stay the
same.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah; http://ENDS.ng <http://ends.ng/> [Every Nigerian Do
Something] Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian