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Boko Haram: The way out
Written by Oluwaseyi Osatuyi Wednesday, 01 February 2012
It seems as if there is no way out of the protracted Boko Haram crisis that is bedevilling Nigeria. Some places in Northern Nigeria have come under severe attacks. Oluwaseyi Osatuyi reports the views of Some Nigerians who suggested a way out.
“THE fear of Boko Haram is the beginning of wisdom,” is now a regular chant among people living in the country, both citizens and foreigners.
Boko Haram has become a notorious notorious name. Before October, 2010 the dreaded Islamic sect was relatively unknown to the people but today, its notoriety is acknowledge nationwide, especially its harmful attacks and nefarious bombing activities which have claimed many lives in the northern part of Nigeria.
The sect, with the bombing of the United Nations Building in Abuja, even registered its inhumane operations in the international community thus stressing the fact that the activities of this heinous Islamic sect could not just be ignored.
The sect has been the ordeal of many families across the country. Still fresh in the memory are the killings of Christians on 2011 Christmas Day at Mandalla in Niger State while some were wounded. The sect seemed to be strategically focused that it hardly misses its target. Little wonder the police headquarters was not spared from this public scourge. But for the grace of God, the then Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, would have been killed too.
The eldest son of the CAC Pastor, who was shot by the Boko Haram in Adamawa State, described his plight and that of his siblings as terrible. Although a graduate, he lamented the responsibilities ahead of him in the upbringing of his younger ones.
The Boko Haram sect on Friday, January 20, 2012, again shrunk with the bombing in Kano. So far, it is the most devastating as over 160 persons were killed.
With the look of things, it seems people are giving up on government, especially with the escape of the main suspect of the Mandalla Christmas Day bombing, Kabiru Umar, from the police custody.
This is the ugly situation. What should be done to stop this embarrassing situation in the country?
A staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Ikeja distribution centre, Mr Segun Gabriel, suggested that government should negotiate with the group with holistic steps quickly taken. He was of the opinion that government knew members of the sect.
In his view, a staff of the University of Ibadan, Mr Dele Oke, lamented the dastardly situation of the country. He opined that Nigerians should seek the face of God in prayer, that God should expose those behind the Boko Haram crisis.
Mr Uche was vehement when he said: "Didn't the president admit that there were Boko Haram supporters in his government? Who are the petroleum cabal, are they not people in government? Then flush them out of their hidings.”
Olasupo Lolade, a student, said “Dialogue with the militant sect will bring a lasting solution. Just as the Yar'Adua administration did with the Niger Delta militants. Moreover, Jonathan knows who to dialogue with, but he cannot approach them, because he is not bold enough to engage them in dialogue.” She added that “Jonathan was just too fortunate to find himself at the helm of government, he lacks the skills of an administrator and people around him are only misleading him. He should just fish them out of their hiding and dialogue with them.
Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, the Senate Majority Leader, opined that; “Education will be a panacea for this Boko Haram problem, if the people are educated enough and enlightened, people's lives will be sacred to them and it will not be taken at will. With literacy in the area of this Boko Haram domain, the youth will be dissuaded from these acts.”
Bishop David Oyedepo, Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Worldwide, said “Nigeria should embark on prayers. God's judgment will be released into the camp of Boko Haram. Everyone connected to the escape of the Boko Haram kingpin would soon face the wrath of God. God has anointed me to lead a revolution against jihadists. Enough is enough of their activities.” The Bishop added, “If it is the wish of God for the country to break up, break it now.”
Valentine Akinwumiju, a young man, said, “Poverty makes them to revolve where there is no vision, evil intentions will of course shroud their minds, an idle hand is the devil's workshop.”
Tosin Owokole, a student, opined that “Let us go back to God, prayer can help, and it is the only solution, it helped in the past, it can still help, let us all make the clarion call for God to Intervene.”
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Any one or group that carries weapon and opens fire on civilians in churches, in the markets place, on the streets, killing scores of innocent people, should not be dignified. They are animal, they do not deserve meeting with reasonable human persons.
Please Mr. President, avoid such meeting, deal with hooligans in a language they understands, they are ignorant, they cannot be reasonable or trusted…
The Way Forward / Possible Solutions:
1.) Provide better fire power and equipments to our uniform citizens.
2.) You are the government, use your intelligent networks, and declare state of emergency,
3.) Appoint military administrators to run those states for a minimum period of 1 year
4.) Collaborate with foreign experts on terrorism
5.) Use your Intel to destabilize Boko Haram source of fund
6.) Finally and importantly, these senseless killing must stop. Nigeria Dissolution of British experiment is imminent; it is just a matter of when? This dissolution should occur systematically and civil, NOT the Boko Haram way. We the people of a democratic country, need to decide which way Nigeria should go…Remain as one country or split for our own good. The government should consider placing this issue on the ballot this April or when convenient. Let the people vote their conscience, either we stay as one or move on our separate ways. Former Soviet Union split into thirteen countries and they are happy today. After the vote we can now start debating on resource sharing or how to live together in harmony based on the outcome of the vote. What is the essence of staying together, if the government cannot ensure anyone safety?