FACE OF TERRORISM IN NIGERIA

Immemorially, terrorism has become a lingering phenomenon mostly in the developed countries. Gone are the days when l usually pay attention to 12 o clock world news  in my local radio station with the expectation of knowing who are the next victims in the series of terrorist attacks which characterised with suicide bombing and the likes in the then affected countries.

Gradually like a chain process, this unworthy and devastating act diffused its campaign and maintained its stand in some parts of the continents that were not affected before and African was not in exclusion. The story of terrorism attacks were now dominating matter of the day in some African countries such as Egypt, Libya, …..among others in the name of expressing grievances for their respective rights.

In particular, it is highly unfortunate that Nigeria as one of most peaceful and terrorism free countries in the era of 60s has now acculturated to the system. Anxiety on the roads  in exercising daily activities where terrorism and violence are more pronounced in some part of the country, most public or political gathering are now death trap due to the lingering bombing attack in the country.

The security challenges on the need to curb present inimical situation, constitution of investigative committee, invitation of foreign experts for technical assistance to uncover the perpetrators, provision of relief materials to the victims of bombing attacks, daily evacuation of the residents in the problematic areas of the country are considered as the priorities of the present administration even though at the detriment of other substantial agenda in respect of social economic development, yet yielded no positive outcome.

Etymologically on the Christmas day in 2009 ,  a Nigerian Abdul Mutallab, 24, who was accused of trying to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253, which had nearly 300 people on board, seven minutes before arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Airport by igniting explosives hidden in his underwear, put Nigeria’s name on the dent global map as one of the terrorist countries in the world.

The dust raised by this act is yet to be settled, one year later at the end of 2010 there has been series of blasts in Nigeria from Abuja to Maiduguri to Jos and back to Abuja. Terror now has its grip on the Nigerian nation. At about 5.30pm Nigerian time on the last day of the year 2010 there was a deadly bomb in a busy area in Abuja. Thirty people may have lost their lives with several others injured.

Recently, a car loaded with explosives crashed into the main United Nations' building in Nigeria's capital and exploded, killing at least 18 people in one of the deadliest assaults on the international body in a decade. A radical Muslim sect (Boko Haram) blamed for a series of attacks in the country also claimed responsibility for the bombing, a major escalation of its sectarian fight against Nigeria's weak central government. As usual the Nigerian government is quick to point accusing fingers.

 

Likewise, people have been killed in Jos in violence related to both religious and political conflicts. Up till now the crisis over there is still generating day and night, the perpetrators are still embarking on silent killing as showcased in the recent killing of about 20 people during Sallah festive period after the government attention has been diverted to other part of the country where violence and terrorism is more pronounced.  

Nigerian security forces need to step up and try to stay ahead of these terrorists whether they are MEND or Boko Haram. Otherwise there will be no solution to the oncoming onslaught of violence and devastations that will hit the rest of the country.

The current pattern indicates a clear motive to disrupt the fragile peace in Nigeria. We know we have political problems and we are aware of the massive corruption and unimaginable social injustices in Nigeria: it is therefore easy for a group or groups with selfish ambitions to penetrate jobless extremists and use them to achieve a sort of destabilization that will usher in the final demise of Nigeria. 

 

 The people must know that they have government and governance that works. It is clearing that these set of people are not ghost and they are not out of the country, government should stay aside from its mere policy statement that yielded no positive action by bringing the culprit to book. There is the need to call a spade a spade instead of arresting innocent people as the perpetrators.      

The Judiciary must be independent and have the possibility to work with the police to wipe corruption once and for all by being fair to any of the case in respect of the suspected and prosecuted terrorist with immediate effect.

The constituted committee in all the affected areas of the crisis should expedite action and be more objective in carrying out their assignment as all Nigerians are expecting the reasonability and validity of their report. Also, self determination and attitudinal change of the individuals in wiping away act of violence and terrorism is also inevitable in this regard.

 The nation is sinking because of the actions of a few men and women and the time to put an end to it is now!