Once again the Nigerian army, this time under a new central government, has
\nridiculed Nigeria and its battle for sensible safety and the restoration of
\nreasonable security.\u00a0 The Press statement by the Acting Director, Army
\nPublic Relations, Colonel Sani Usman on September 26th casually indicted
\nBorno and other northeast leaders in Boko Haram crisis but stopped short of
\nexposing and responsibly arresting the suspects.<\/p>\n
In the process, rather than solving a most deadly and complicated crisis
\nthat has already gone on far too long, the army further conflagrated the
\nsituation by ostracizing and alienating local support. Though the army is
\nunder immense pressure to reach its important deadlines, there is the need
\nfor professionalism and responsibility. We cannot win the war on terror
\nwith the alienation of the locals.<\/p>\n
The Press statement caused Borno Elders of Thought, BELT to complain
\nloudly. In response, the army had to release another statement exonerating
\nthis singular group and leaving all other leaders as public suspects. The
\nquestion to ask is, must each group of leaders complain serially to receive
\ntheir public exoneration? The recklessness of the army position becomes
\nobvious. If the Nigerian army wishes to caution individuals or groups, it
\nshould either arrest them, or if the evidence is not yet sufficient, call
\nthem privately to a meeting and discuss with them and sound off the
\nnecessary caution without carelessly castigating all groups publicly.
\nIdeally the particular groups or individuals involved should have been
\nimmediately detained and interrogated, be they peasants or governors. In
\norganized countries across the world, people are interrogated for mere
\ninciting posts on the social media.<\/p>\n
As pertains to the indictment of northeastern elders in Boko Haram crisis,
\nthe public Press statement triggers the obvious exigent and angry questions
\nin minds of intelligent Nigerians: who are the suspects? Why are they not
\narrested? Are they warned and not arrested because they have immunity? Is
\nthere a constitutional immunity provision for terrorists and terror
\nsponsors and facilitators? What are the stipulations of the Nigerian and
\nglobal anti-terror acts for individuals or groups responsible for promoting
\nterror? Are the implicated included in the suspects former
\npresident Jonathan hinted and concealed? Are they the people the governor
\nof Borno, Kashim Shettima said he knew were behind Boko Haram but he was
\nprotecting their heads from rolling because he was “restraining himself?”
\nHas Shettima been interrogated and forced to spill the beans? Is he to be
\nrelieved of his office for concealing these “untouchables” sponsors the
\narmy now also knows, over the years?<\/p>\n
And then, what is the benefit from Boko Haram that massacres all
\ncommunities in Borno and burns all homes, that the suspects enjoy as the
\narmy indicated? Is the benefit the “security vote” the northeast receives?
\nIs the benefit the hope of taking over the land of the farmers for cheap
\nand buying-up the abandoned homes in Maiduguri as some Borno leaders have
\nbeen accused of? Are they being paid by Boko Haram?<\/p>\n
Importantly, we also ask: are these suspect leaders being blackmailed by
\nBoko Haram on threat of death to them and theirs to force them to publicly
\nsupport and canvas for the terrorists?<\/p>\n
Unquestionably, either of these questions and scenarios and the many more
\npossibilities will demand a different, urgent and serious response by the
\nNigerian army; a response that a public press statement radically fails to
\nprovide. But the first thing the army must do so we know we are out of the
\nsickening and blood ‘*sharing’* Jonathan era where the government
\nstood accused of aiding and abetting Boko Haram by concealing the sponsors,
\nis to come correct. We did not fight for “change” for things to stay the
\nsame.<\/p>\n
Dr. Peregrino Brimah; http:\/\/ENDS.ng <\/a><http:\/\/ends.ng\/<\/a>> [Every Nigerian Do 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.\u00a0 The Press statement…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nSomething] Email: drbrimah@ends.ng<\/a> Twitter: @EveryNigerian<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"