Mubi Killings: The Infamy of a Nation

For how long shall this administration continue to delude itself about progress in this war against Boko Haram? For how long shall they continue to allow these monsters to take innocent lives? For how long will the hapless people of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states continue to bury their loved ones slaughtered daily by Boko Haram? My heart bleeds for the hapless people of these states. As usual, the attack on a mosque in Mubi by Boko Haram suicide bomber on Tuesday morning left me devastated. The killing bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, whose terrorism has left about 20,000 people dead and more than five million others homeless since 2009.

As at the last count, the attack on the mosque located in Kunu Araha, a suburb of Mubi, left over 50 worshippers dead. Families of victims spent most of Tuesday burying loved ones. Women have been widowed and children have been orphaned. What a tragedy. Many tears will clearly not dry. The Mubi attack was an accident waiting to happen. Boko Haram fighters are conspicuous in the Mandara Mountains, to the east of Adamawa State, leading to persistent attacks on towns like Mubi, Gulak and Madagali. Curbing attacks on soft targets require high level intelligence and technology. These are largely lacking in our security formations.

This administration is not making progress in the war against Boko Haram because of its tactics of being economical with the truth. The truth that must be told is that these terrorists are still roaming unhindered in many communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The truth is that they still hold territories and control at least three local governments in Borno State, from where they launch attacks on soft and hard targets. From here, they train and unleash suicide bombers on communities in the North-east. Adamu Kamale, representing Michika/ Madagali Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the House of Representatives, recently joined the few patriots punching holes in the lies the military leadership has been propagating about the war against Boko Haram. Kamale, a member of the rul- ing All Progressives Congress, is now in the club of few Nigerians courageously telling President Buhari the truth about the war.

Kamale declared: “The Nigerian military often fed President Buhari with the wrong information on the capacity of Boko Haram to carry out deadly strikes in the NorthEast.The truth remains that the group is still very active. The situation in Madagali had been grossly under-reported in a series of security reports filed by the military to Buhari. No week passes without one ugly incident or another taking place in the border communities. I am from this place (Madagali) and I can authoritatively tell you that my people are not safe. The military are always feeding Mr. President with the wrong information that things are normalising; it’s not true.”

This is the reality, which I have been hammering on in the last two years. Boko Haram terrorists are still very much potent and occupy territories in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Hundreds of towns and villages are still not safe. This is why over two million IDPs can’t return home. Our gallant soldiers are willing to fight, but they are ill-equipped and ill-motivated. Army Chief, Tukur Buratai recently confirmed that troops on the war front have not been paid operational allowances for three months. So, where is the motivation to fight Boko Haram? Where is the high technology equipment to tame the terrorists? This is why Boko Haram strolls into military formations and kill soldiers with ease.

I can’t forget the attack on a military post in Sasawa (Yobe State) last month, during which 18 soldiers were killed. What about the attack in Magumeri town, Borno State, in March during which the military outpost in the town was sacked? An armoured vehicle, a block of office and the communication room of the military were also set ablaze. The terrorists overpowered the soldiers, with most of them fleeing. What about the killing of 69 oil explorers and soldiers in Borno State few weeks back? What about the terrorists boldly showing the video of 14 women abducted in Dalwa village on June 20? What about the humiliation of our soldiers in Gashigha and Malam Fatori? In the last eight months, the University of Maiduguri has been repeatedly attacked, resulting in the death of innocent people, including a professor of veterinary medicine, Aliyu Usman Mani. Never in the history of this institution has this much pain been inflicted on its staff and students. The list is endless.

The Buhari administration must show sincerity in this war against Boko Haram by first sacking Buratai and other service chiefs who have obviously failed our gallant soldiers. If our President is desirous of progress, he has to retire those in the top hierarchy of this war and appoint fresh hands. The likes of Gabriel Olonishakin, Buratai and Sadique Abubakar are doing what they consider their best, but it is just not good enough for this war. They must make way for new hands in the interest of Nigeria.

On the Mubi attack, Buhari was quoted on Tuesday, assuring the people that his government would do everything required to secure the state from the deadly menace of Boko Haram. Please, we have heard enough of this rhetoric. Nigerians want result. Under Buhari’s watch,thousands of innocent Nigerians have been killed in the last 30 months by Boko Haram. Our President has to show, in practical terms, that he is committed to this war. It is germane to make the welfare of soldiers on the war front a priority. They are, at present, getting a poor deal from their commanders. I have also persistently clamoured for the return of South African and Israeli mercenaries. We all saw their impact when the Jonathan administration used them. Buhari came and unwisely sacked the mercenaries. This country must employ the best fighters from anywhere in the world to end this trauma called Boko Haram.