Nigerian Govt And Unending Slaughtering Of Innocents By Terrorists In Borno State

AGUNLOYE ADEWUNMI BASHIRU

The incessant slaughtering, murdering and killings by the notorious Boko Haram and its rival, the Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP)  in the North – East city of Maiduguri in Borno State, Nigeria and the inability of the Federal Government of Nigeria to put an end to it is an indication of a failed government and its incompetent military.

It has been observed that whenever the military authority claimed to have defeated, knocked out the hideouts of terrorists, decimated or killing scores of them, before you know it, the Boko Haram or the Islamic States West Africa Province same day or next day would strike by killing scores of innocent Nigerian citizens.

Just as Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole claimed that it has knocked out more hideouts of the terrorists and killed scores of them, same day on Saturday 28th November, 2020, the notorious Boko Haram terrorist group stroked, slaughtering 43 farmers working in their irrigation fields in Kwashabe Rice Farm in Borno State. 

Some of the victims were tied up before slaughtering like camels, goats or fowl. This was coming after the month of October’s attacked by the same Boko Haram where 22 people were murdered making it 65 number of casualties in less than two months.

The terrorist’s strategy recently is targeting the loggers, fishermen and herders accusing their victims of spying and passing information to the Nigerian military and the local vigilantes fighting them. 

The Borno State and most especially Maiduguri has been experiencing terror attacks on  monthly basis for years and the state has been turned to slaughtering ground where mostly innocent civilians are being killed.

Borno State has been turned into terrorist den and headquarters of the two notorious terrorists group Boko Haram and lately the Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP). 

These two terror groups are having field days in the North-East of Nigeria most especially in Maiduguri, Borno State. 

The question now is that Is Nigeria government truly fighting the Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province terrorist group?. The answer to that question is Capital (NO) because from all indications, it has been proved that the Nigeria government is handling the problems of insurgency with levity. One will continue to wonder if the terrorist groups are more powerful than the whole of Nigerian Armed Forces that comprises Nigerian Army, Air Force, Nigeria Navy and the Police).

If truly that the Nigeria government is seriously fighting the Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province, why is it that the combinations of all the military personnel cannot jointly phased out the terrorists out of the North- East state of Borno with the ammunition, both for the ground and the air offensive they claimed they have acquired by this present administration to the tune of millions of dollars.

Is it that the surveillance equipment of the Nigerian Air Force are not working or is it that the military personnel are deliberately not doing their statutory responsibility of surveillance through the Air to know whenever the terrorists are about to strike, or is the morale of the armed for personnel is down?

If truly the Nigeria military procured many sophisticated fighting equipment as claimed late last year, then where are those equipment?. If the fighting equipment are truly purchased, why are the military not been able to monitored the activities of terrorists in their hideouts and burst them or captured them? 

With what is happening consistently in the North – East Nigeria most especially in Maiduguri, Borno State, one can confidently conclude that the Nigerian government, as well as the Nigeria military has failed the citizens of the North – East Nigeria in protecting their lives and properties.

Countries such as the United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, France and others can because of one citizen in danger go at any length to protect and safe their citizen from calamities and danger.

The evidence case is the rescuing of an American citizen kidnapped recently at the border of Nigeria with Niger where United States of America’s Special Forces mounted an operation in Nigeria because of one citizen of America, a 27 year – old Philip Walton, who was abducted . The US forces including Navy SEAL in an operation rescued him successfully.  

Nigeria by the new ranking from The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is ranked as third most terrorized country in the world. This ranking is true because there is no month from January till dates that Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province are not perpetrating their terror attacks with many lives being lost. 

The Boko Haram and its co traveler in terrorist act, the Islamic States West Africa Province’s doctrine of killing people, most especially, the innocent Nigerians is strange like their other terrorist groups in the world. 

Killings, murdering and slaughtering people like camels, goats or ram is unacceptable in Islam. The Quran and Hadith known as the Holy Book in Islam corroborated this with the below quote:

“Take not life, which God has mode sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus does He command you, that you may learn wisdom .” (Quran 6:151).

Also the Hadith that states “Whoever kills a mu’ahid (non-combatant, innocent non-Muslims) will not smell the scent of paradise….. (Hadith Bukhari).

In conclusion terrorist activities for what so ever reason are unacceptable in Nigeria or anywhere in the world. 

Agunloye Adewunmi Bashiru, Public Affairs Analyst can be reach at bagunloye@gmail.com