Apart from the documented 444
murdered victims, hundreds of wounded persons and thousands newly displaced,
all from a surprising fresh onslaught
by Boko Haram on scores of communities and towns in at least six northern states
of Nigeria, the questions on the lips of Nigerians monitoring the carnage would
all meet at some point. Was the
inaugural speech of President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015 in which he
promised to stamp out Boko Haram shortly, just a brilliant prose with no work
plan for execution?
Health officials carry the body
of a victim of a suicide bomb attack out
of an ambulance in Potiskum, in
northeast Nigeria's Yobe State, on June 15, 2015. Ten people were killed in
twin suicide bombings in Potiskum, northeast Nigeria, a police source and a
civilian vigilante assisting the military against Boko Haram told AFP on June
15. Eight vigilantes were killed in the first blast in the Igwanda area of the
city, while two died in the second outside a tavern and brothel in the Dorawa
area.
Was his diatribe on the
terrorists and his renewed pledge to route the insurgents mere
bravado; a politically-right outing to woo everyone as the messiah, while knowing
deep inside him he had no such capability?
Many of the residents who may
have been inspired by the president’s speech to return to the war ravaged village of the North-East, especially in
Borno State, only to narrowly escape renewed violence may be wondering if
Buhari spoke in good faith.
But those who still have faith
in the president are wont to argue that it is too early to expect the man to
wipe out a six-year-old orgy of murder in less than two months.
They are likely
also going to argue that those in opposition to the ruling APC are using the tragedy
for political advantage. Ironically, it was the inability of the last
government to cage Boko Haram that helped to swing winning votes in favour of
the former, the opposition APC.
Meanwhile, there is no running
from the fact that eradicating Boko Haram within the days that Buhari has been
in power would be too ambitious a project in scope and content given what the
President met on ground.
The most worrying factor,
however, is that instead of ebbing, the deaths and destruction caused by Boko Haram seem to be galloping
compared to the pre-May 29 era.
This is despite the moving of
the military command to Maiduguri, Borno State capital and epicentre of the
violence which has so far claimed estimated 100,000 lives since the move by
Boko Haram to declare Nigeria an Islamic Caliphate started in 2009..
But, Boko Haram is not only the
group causing blood and tears to flow, even though many thought the situation
ought not to get worse, given the hope Buhari inspired in the suffering
communities, especially in the Middle Belt, when he came on board.
From Benue to Nasarawa, Plateau
and Kaduna, the tales of night marauders stalking sleeping communities and
killing defenceless citizens remain a daily occurrence.
Senator Danjuma La’ah,
representing Southern Kaduna at the Senate,
penultimate week, addressed a press conference in Kafanchan, 180 km
south of Kaduna metropolis, to register his displeasure with the state of
security in his zone. La’ah, the only senator on the platform of the opposition
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the North-North-West Zone, said: “After
several days of silence from the government of Kaduna State over the most
recent killings of law abiding natives of
Southern Kaduna, I have decided to make public my resentment over the
development.
“On the 5th June, 2015, Ayagan village in Bajju Chiefdom
in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State was invaded by well armed
men. Four people were killed and several others injured when the invaders fired
into a crowd of mourners, unprovoked.
“Till date, no culprit has been
caught, nor has the state government made any announcement in its effort, if
any, at apprehending the killers.
“On the 11th June, 2015, one Tanko Nyam, 45, of Kyari Daddu village in Jaba, LGA, was ambushed by yet another set of gunmen
and killed leaving behind his wife and five kids.
“Then on the 17th of June, 2015, gunmen attacked the village of
Katsak, Atakad Chiefdom, Kaura LGA, leaving behind nine dead bodies and 13
persons critically injured as
early as 8am.
“This government was brought to
power by a legitimate election from the electorate who are expecting a dramatic
improvement on their security and general well-being. While, I acknowledge the
fact that the government is still young
on the seat, it cannot claim ignorance or destitute of ideas on what to do in
circumstances like this”.
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