BOKO HARAM AND UTILITY OF VIOLENCE

The Boko Haram terrorist threats today are both resilient and diffused because of their mutually reinforcing and dynamic network structure. 

There are terrorist organizations that operate primarily within a single country. Their reach is limited, but in this global environment their actions can have regional and/or international consequences. 

Such state-level groups may expand geographically if their ambitions and capabilities are allowed to grow unchecked.

Our Counter-terrorism strategies may have set out our approach to one of the President’s top national security priorities thus: disrupting, dismantling, and eventually defeating the Boko Haram, its affiliates and adherents to ensure the security of our citizens.

In response to the endless attacks in Nigeria, our law enforcement workforce embarked on national efforts against the Boko Haram sect.  As we approach the 12th year of the birth of the dreaded Boko Haram organisation, we can look forward with confidence in our accom­plishments against them to our nation.

Although, the sect still record some success, yet we have prevented some catastrophic attacks on our shores; many of our citizens have not let the spectre of Boko Haram disrupt their daily lives and activities; our Federal government has worked to become more integrated, efficient, and effective in its counter-ter­rorism efforts. 

 Also we have placed our campaign in a context that does not dominate the lives of the Nigerian people nor overshadow our approach to the broad range of our interests.

 Although, the Boko Haram modus operandi continued to evolve lately in response to the successes of Nigerian people and their partners around the world against them respectively.

 Our efforts in general have thwarted much of Boko Haram’s leadership and weak­ened the organization substantially as some of the members are gradually migrating to the neighbouring countries to seek safe haven or submitting themselves to the authorities. Furthermore, current report shows that the Nigerian military have gained fully control of Michika and Gulak towns killing about 200 members of the Boko Haram sect, while some escaped with injuries sustained from gun shots. 

Terrorism and terrorist organization is like a circle, it changes its modus operandi from time to time till that circle is complete. This includes deliberate efforts by the group to inspire individuals to conduct attacks on their own or forcing our young able bodied men to join their camp under duress. 

When it gets to this point, is an indication that organisation is running out of ideas and the affected liberal democratic nation ought to capitalise on this malfunction or internal chaos of the sect.

Therefore, our Strategies on Counter-terrorism must maintain our focus on pressuring the sect to surrender, apprehend and imprison while emphasizing the need to build foreign partnerships and capacity to strengthen our goals. 

At the same time, our strategies must augment our focus on confronting the Boko Haram linked threats that continue to emerge from beyond its core safe haven in the Northeast.

Since the beginning of 2014, the transformative change sweeping northeast and Nigeria in general along with the arrest of the butcher and kingpin of the organisation, has further affected some of their modus operandi, par­ticularly as the relevance of our law enforcement workforce, Intelligence agencies and ideologies seems to have been further diminished. 

 The Boko Harams’ leader Abubakar Shekau persistent calls for a violent Islamic State in Nigeria and perpetual violence against us still remain a misery to some patriotic Nigerians both home and abroad.

  The sooner Boko Haram ceasesfire, our liberal democratic nation will again begin to achieve more political and socio-economic changes that has eluded us in these years of violence. Our prayer for Nigerians to start living in peace and prosperity once again cannot be over emphasised.

 We are bringing targeted force to bear on the Boko Haram group at a time when its ideology is also under extreme pressure. Nevertheless, we remain keenly vigilant to their threats and adherents pose to us.  We face the world as it is, at the same time, we will also pursue strategies for the freedom we seek. 

These Strategies must articulate how we will achieve a future in which the Boko Haram and their ideologies ultimately meet the same fate as they wished our nation.

However, this Administration is invariably not at war with the tactic of terrorism or the religion of Islam. We are at war with the Boko Haram terrorist group and their affiliates. 

The deliberately uses of the word ‘war’ to describe our relentless campaign against the sect does not mean that our liberal democratic country will undermine the rule of law.

Our counter-terrorism dimension must require, include and maintain multidepartment and multicultural efforts that go beyond traditional intelligence, military, and law enforcement functions. 

We should be engaged in a broad, sustained, and integrated campaign that harnesses every tool of our national power for example; the civilian, partners, and multilateral institutions. These efforts must also be complemented by broader capabilities, such as diplomacy, development, strategic communications, and the power of the private sector. Furthermore, there should be relentless opportunities for the Executives to make use of reliable finished intelligence in time to avoid under reaction syndrome not consistent with any terrorism overwhelmed country like ours.

 Basically, failure to uphold constitutional authority of a nation often results in the emergence of no go areas dominated by terrorist group and/or organised criminals. Seriously, efforts should be made by the Executive arm of the government to engage and empower our counter-terrorism professionals, Security experts both retired and active ones with the tools and resources necessary to make an impact, it is time we call a spade a spade, as our faceless adversaries are running out of ideas.