Boko Haram And Its Sponsors
Femi Ajayi
There have been allegations and counter allegations against some prominent Nigerians, and non-Nigerians, as sponsors of Boko Haram; possibly due to their body languages, of which some of them have denied the allegations. The Federal Government sometimes claimed that there are Boko Haram sympathisers within its administration.
In addition, it has been reported that hundreds of people accused of links with Boko Haram have been arbitrarily detained without charge or trial; others have been extra-judicially executed or subjected to enforced disappearance. The efforts towards this end are essential to fish out those sponsoring the sect.
Regrettably, Boko Haram has moved from petrifying Nigerians, and resolved into abductions, using female suicide bombers, believed to be Chibok girls; hosting its flags in its captured territories, to the declaration of Gwoza Caliphate. It is unlike Nigerian that a female would volunteer to be a suicide bomber.
Ironically, Jonathan is being measured by the abduction of over 300 children from Borno State as a way of assessing his administration. The former Nigerian leaders, that bastardized the system, refused to establish strong governance machineries for the future administrators. It is unfortunate that Jonathan has to bear the brunt of mismanagement of the preceding window dressing Nigerian leaders. They are now enjoying their loots, pleased with their despicable scripted governance the country is witnessing today (September 2014).
Regardless of Boko Haram tactics in getting influential individuals to fund its activities, through threats or use of force, should not deter the Federal Government from investigating the alleged sponsors.
In any given national security apparatus, it runs on combination of management practices and technical capabilities. It is obvious that the operations of Nigeria security forces, grossly lack intelligence gathering as well as in the use of modern techniques and equipment in tracking down criminals and insurgents. There is the need to have a clear understanding of the technical issues underlying national security in order to create and sustain the national security institutions that may ultimately affect the future of a nation state. Nonetheless, it is essential for the government to focus more on the sponsors of Boko Haram; while Nigerians deserve a peaceful environment to live their life.
The Spiritual Leader of One Love Family, Sat Guru Maharaj Ji, claimed that he had revealed the sponsors of the sect to President Goodluck Jonathan that some former military rulers, a former Vice President, and some leaders in the North are financiers of the insurgents. He went further to state that “… they said after the 2011 general elections that because power did not return to the North, they would make the nation ungovernable.”
The United Alliance, in a statement by its northern co-ordinator, Bashir Ado, said the abduction of the school girls was part of the agenda of the northern elders to mortify President Goodluck Jonathan. In his words, “The disappearance of the girls is part of the Northern elders’ agenda to embarrass and distract the Goodluck Jonathan government. They deliberately took the girls away to create an impression of insecurity and paint the picture that nobody is safe in the country, whereas they are the architect of these self- inflicting wounds aimed at distracting the government.”
Should these statements intimidate the government in providing adequate securities for its citizens?
A 63-year-old Australian expert, Dr. Stephen Davis, who acted as a negotiator, not only in the Chibok issue, but also as an adviser for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and late Shehu Yar’Adua, made some not too clandestine disclosure, the sponsors of Boko Haram. In his revelation, he mentioned some prominent Nigerians as sponsors of Boko Haram. Davis spent four intense months in the North-East and his life was subject to extreme danger while he tried to rescue more than 200 Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram.
Another Secret Intelligence Report links ex-Governor Sheriff, Chad President to Boko Haram sponsorship
Various reports circulating in the Nigeria media are alleging that Boko Haram imitates Islamic State in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. The similarities became even more evident after Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, declared Islamic Caliphate in Gwoza in the video released Sunday, August 24, 2014.
The more advanced weaponry of Boko Haram, better than Nigerian Army, is not an excuse for Nigerian Army to retreat from facing the insurgents. Nonetheless, most Nigerians are concerned about how the group got the sophisticated weapons, armoured vehicles, which are not manufactured locally without any foreign or local funding.
Citizens are very much concerned about the prolonged Government efforts in bringing Boko Haram activities under control. The government has failed to marshal diplomacy to rally allies across the world and isolate threats, maintain effective armed forces to overpower the insurgents. It also lacks some strong anti-terrorism legislation, and the use of intelligence services to detect and defeat or avoid threats from Boko Haram. Unfortunately it has not applied counterintelligence services to protect the citizens from Boko Haram and get hold of its sponsors.
Though violence and crimes exist, and perhaps, are inevitable in every human society, however when these have reached a worrisome level, a very proactive solution is required. Nigerian government must know that voting huge budget for national security, when most Nigerians find it extremely difficult to live a decent life, is like running a race that has no end. The first proactive step Nigerian government should take is to secure its environment for its citizens while aggressively pursuing its sponsors.
Is the Nigerian Military fully committed to the course of dismantling Boko Haram, despite the huge Security Budget?
It is generally assumed that Boko Haram fighters are indeed better equipped than the Nigerian Army. At least some Boko Haram fighters believe in their “cause”; the achievement of justice, for the poor, through Sharia. Ironically, the theoretical aspect of introducing Sharia went unchallenged, while its enforcement has led to the Boko Haram Islamic Caliphate. Tactfully Boko Haram never leaves behind its dead, or its weapons; stages high-profile jailbreaks to free its captive operatives, and provides payments for widows and children of its fighters who are regularly paid. The big question is what is the federal Government doing about its sponsors?
A school of thought suggests that government forces simply run away when Boko Haram forces approach. Its psychological warfare is well placed, with its long tradition of killing any person in the security services. We could deduct that Boko Haram strength is most likely apply to the most ideologically or religiously committed of Islamist fighters, not to the criminal or other score-settling elements, or the political factions that are likely part of the general insurgency.
While it is interesting to note that some mysterious snakes and bees in the Sambisa Forest, which they unscientifically believed was spiritual attacks, that had killed many of their leaders, forced the fleeing of Boko Haram members to seek for an abode in Gwoza, its Islamic Caliphate.
It is an embarrassment on the part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on its little or no preparations to shield Gwoza town from Boko Haram; despite its earlier warnings of occupying the City, from its hideout in Gwoza Hills. The City that gave me the experience of Mountain climbing, along with my Geography students, while serving NYSC at Government Secondary School, Bama. With the group then, was the former Borno State Governor, Modu Sheriff, who was an active Geography Students and as one of the School officials.
Most Nigerians, through the media, public gatherings have expressed their dissatisfaction over the millipede approach of the Federal Government in extinguishing the insurgents. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, expressed his amazement that the Nigerian President, with the available security reports at its disposal, has failed to prosecute the sponsors and members of Boko Haram. Soyinka believes that Boko Haram sponsorship allegation against a former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, by an Australian negotiator, Stephen Davis, must be pursued.
While Femi Falana (SAN), is of the opinion that the Nigeria Security agencies have enough evidence to prosecute Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the Borno State ex-governor.
The prosecution of Ali Modu Sheriff would bring more bombshells in revealing other sponsors of the heavily equipped Boko Haram. On the other hand, prominent northerners and politicians might have to explain to DSS their relationships with Boko Haram.
Nonetheless, this is not the period for any group, or an individual, to exonerate individuals until the full investigation has been conducted. Insecurity in Nigeria is not a political chess game, for any political party to claim innocence, as sponsors cut across various segments of the country.
The APC statement that, “Don’t Touch Sanusi”, “Hand over Sheriff, Ihejirika to ICC”, is uncivilized on this super sensitive security situation in Nigeria. Sheriff was reported to have resolved into physical confrontation with Tinubu at one of their meetings before calling it quit with APC. That does not justify APC political unpatriotic indictment of Sheriff; and sparing Sanusi.
Definitely, the Government has to go after the insurgents’ sponsors for peace to return to that part of Nigeria, most especially, and to the country at large.
The Senate President reminded his colleagues that, “… the nation is at war…a challenge even to our legitimacy in this chamber because if they have gone far by saying that they have declared a caliphate, then any senator or member who is from there, is no more entitled to be in this chamber.”
It is a known fact that some Nigerian politicians sponsor the insurgents and receive ‘cross-border’ backing from supporters in neighboring Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.
The purported killing of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, should not deceive Nigerians and make the President to myopically prophecy that the menace of the dreaded terrorist Boko Haram, as a joke of the century, would end in October 2014. Osama Bin Laden died several times before he was actually committed to the mother earth.
Pictures released by military authorities in Nigeria Wednesday showing the dead leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar
Shekau and when he was alive.
Terrorism, as a global phenomenon, has escalated to a point of no instantaneous conclusion, regardless Jonathan magic wand. Boko Haram has declared total war of secession against Nigeria. In effect, the government must, as a matter of urgency, go after its sponsors; as feeding, the enemies would mean more strength and empowerment to the insurgents.
In curtailing the menace of Boko Haram the government ought to marshal diplomacy to rally allies across the world and isolate threats, maintain effective armed forces to overpower the insurgents. In addition some strong anti-terrorism legislation, which the Lawmakers have REFUSED to enact, is needed. This is in addition to the use intelligence services to detect and defeat, or avoid threats from Boko Haram. Using or applying counterintelligence services to protect the citizens, prosecute the sponsors, and starve Boko Haram of resources, should be applied.
The time is ripe for the Nigerian Government to act and show what makes it a Nation, as the Boko Haram has seized some towns and established a base. Regardless the use of intimidation in getting influential individuals to fund its activities, Nigeria government should prosecute the alleged sponsors.
Chopping off the Snake head half-way could be more dangerous than cutting-off its head completely. The government option is to focus more on the sponsors of Boko Haram and prosecute them with the full length of the law, in all fronts; economically, physically, psychologically and resolves the replacement of Kanem-Bornu Empire with Boko Haram Islamic Caliphate. It seems that the sustenance of the insurgents would be crossing the established period of gesticulation in enshrining the sect, if the government fails and refuses to act soonest in crushing the group in its entirely.
Since it has been established the possibility of Jonathan vying for 2015 President, under PDP, will the grand design of the rebellious PDP members with five Governors; considered a desperate fight for power shift from South to North; in addition to the renewal of most oil well licenses belonging to some Northerners; believed to expire 2015, materialize? Time will tell if and when Boko Haram ends it terror campaign when a Northern won the 2015 Presidential election; a window to the direction of the status of Nigeria economy after the 2015 elections, largely based on Oil revenue. Food for thought for Nigerians!
So Help Us God!
Amen!!!
Femi Ajayi is a Professor of Policy, Management & Conflict Resolution, at Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State
