UNIMAID blasts: Why attack on campus increases

Boko Haram insurgents’ suicide attacks have in recent times increased on the campus of University of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital where the extremists have since 2009 been unleashing mayhem in the region.

It could be recalled that the campus was attacked January this year when students were writing first semester examinations, attack of which led to the death of a professor of veterinary medicine and one other person during early morning prayer in a Mosque on the campus.

Another suicide attack also targeted the University’s chapel in April this year when the attack was foiled by a trained military dog. Three suicide bombers again planned a terrible but foiled attack 12 May, 2017 on the same campus leaving a security man of the University dead.

The attacks are believed to be connected with the fact that the University is located on the axis route leading to Muna village, an outskirt of the Metropolis which leads to Sambisa forest. Such and Damboa routes are often used by the insurgents to penetrate to the city with their explosive suicide belts.

Apart from that, one disturbing issue is the poor security provision around the University which many people particularly the students of the university complain. The route through which the suicide bombers get access to the campus is not fenced and that is an ample opportunity for the attacks to be carried out easily. Ideally, a university like that ought to be fenced up to ensure effective security in an insurgents’ ravaged area like Maiduguri. No matter how, the fence should be built to facilitate military effort and instill fear in the bombers as to how to get into the campus.

There is also the problem of influx of beggars into the campus and that poses serious dangers to the security and well-being of the University community. A number of beggars do enter the campus to beg for money and food. The insurgents might have been taking advantage of the influx of such beggars in exploding bombs. If someone is freely allowed into an environment like that, nefarious elements who are bent to disturb peace will certainly use the avenue to continue unleashing the evil act.

Most of the insurgents are killed, only few that are left plan these attacks. It is a tradition that when a large number of insurgents are eliminated, the few will resort to using of all possible and strange methods, which is exactly what boko haram insurgents are doing now. Boko Haram insurgents are intelligent; they have so many strategies; they make use of little chance available to attack and kill people.

They listen and observe at all times to carry out attacks. The university is one of the places in the metropolis that are densely populated, the suicide bombers are invariably sent to such places and are happy to attack a populated gathering to mock the effort of the government.

Adequate measures should hence be put in place to arrest the problem. To this end, the federal government should at a matter of urgency award contract for fencing the university from all angles and increase the height of the fence where necessary to assist the military in combating and knocking down any attempt to gain access into the campus looking at the importance of the university to the country.

Strict measure must also be taken to stop strangers into the campus. Only students should have access into the campus, and if one must enter, he or she must be thoroughly scrutinized before entry.

Sophisticated surveillance facilities should also be provided installed at strategic locations in, around and even some kilometers away from the university campus especially on the flash axis to detect any unusualness. If that is done, the university community will be safe from suicide attack

Sanusi Abdullahi Saidu & Salamatu Abubakar Adamu, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.