Boko Haram is a criminal, evil and a sadistic organization masquerading as a religious sect. I have been following the activities of this organization for many years, and glad that finally, the world is now paying attention to the brutal and sadistic acts of this bloodthirsty organization. It is an organization that has encountered bumps along its death march. They have now achieved worldwide notoriety they have been seeking all along. They are Al queda wannabe. They want to be a major force to reckon with in the world of Islamic Jihadist movement. Boko Haram means western education is sin. They do not want teaching of western education, but their weapons of terror such as guns, bomb components, rocket propelled grenades, motorcycle, buses and cars is a by-product of western education so they are hypocrites as well.
Kidnapping of Chibok School girls have galvanized the world because it is something everybody can relate to. The searchlight is now on Nigeria and the country may never be the same after this crisis. Boko Haram was founded in 2002 and started their military operation in 2004. So they have been around for a long time. Nigeria police started investigating the group in 2009 following report that they are acquiring large stock of weapons. They subsequently started attacking police stations in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State located in the Northeastern part of Nigeria. Nigeria government sent the military to the state who descended on the group and nearly wiped them out, captured their then leader, Mohammed Yusuf who was later killed in a mysterious circumstance while in police custody. Boko Haram went underground thereafter and re-emerged later with a new brutal maniacal leader called Abubakar Shekau.
Abubakar Shekau went on to seek financial assistance and training from Al queda affiliated groups. They mastered the art of bomb making and explosives and then went on to convince Moslems in Borno state and various communities that their only aim is to protect the interest of Moslems by establishing Islamic state ruled according to the dictates of Sharia law. They turned their guns and explosives on non-Moslems and ended up killing thousands of Christians. A lot of Christians moved back to their home states in the eastern and western part of Nigeria as a result. Some Moslems adopted see- and-no-hear-evil attitude because only Christians are being killed at the initial stage.
As they gain confidence of some Moslems in the state and as Christians left, they gradually turned their guns and explosives on Moslems they claim to protect. Boko Haram gradually grew bolder and started operating at night and broad daylight. They rob banks and wantonly go into market centers, kill anybody who stands in their way and rob the trader of their belongings. This evil organization became so embolden and brazen that they almost took control of Maiduguri, Borno State capital and extended their operation to the neighboring states of Yobe and Adamawa. Their brutality and intimidation got worse overtime that some government officials from the areas they operate including some northern state governors started paying them protection money so they will not be attacked or killed. Brother of Borno state governor was trailed by Boko Haram and killed. Boko Haram members are clearly dedicated and fearless.
Meanwhile the federal government headed by President Goodluck Jonathan paid little attention to the group beyond investigations. He sent small contigent of joint task force to battle Boko Haram. The president and some of his officials firmly believe that Boko Haram was created by the northern Moslems to undermine his administration because he is a Christian from the southern part of Ngeria. They held on to this believe till few years ago.
President Jonathan finally relented, declared state of emergency in the three states terrorized by Boko Haram and sent large contingent of the military force to combat them. The military did not dislodge the terrorist at first. Infact, they made little progress because Nigeria military has never confronted such experienced and brutal organization. Nigeria military started making progress when the local population turned against Boko Haram. The local population started supplying intelligence to the military and identified members of the group who are quickly rounded up, jailed or killed in battle. The military subsequently chased Boko Haram out of the major cities and into the forest and borders towns. They continued their nefarious acts by sneaking into major cities from time to time and staging high profile killings. They engage in orgy of massacres in rural areas they operate in to send message to those communities that they cannot be challenged or ratted on.
Boko Haram may have outdone itself this time around. They may have bitten more than they can chew. They may not survive the kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls, however, they are a very resourceful organization. President Obama have told the Nigeria government several times that they want to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist organization, but Nigeria government have opposed such move each time fearing that it might elevate the status of the organization. United States government ended up designating Boko Haram as a terrorist group and place $7 million bounty on the head of their leader, Abubakar Shekau.
The lesson for Nigerians is that no ethnic, tribal or religious group should tolerate or look the other way or indifference when any extremist group springs up and claim to be the savior of any ethnic group or religious affiliation, since they gradually metastasized into a cancer which attacks anything in their way. Niger Delta militants took up arms and claimed that they are protecting the interest of their people in oil procing states of Niger Delta. It did not take long before they turned their gun on their kinsmen and started kidnapping them for ransom. Odua People Congress, a militant organization who claimed that their sole interest is to protect their Yoruba kinsmen before engaging in factional war and violence that caused great harm to the people they claim to protect. Movement for Sovereign State of Biafra militants claimed that they are out to protect the interest of the Igbos in the south eastern part of Nigeria, but ended up unleashing violence on the people they claim to protect. Nigerians of all ethnic, tribal or religious affiliation must not aid any unlawful or extra judicial organizations. They must learn how to resolve issues through the courts in a constitutional and democratic manner. It is the only part forward for Nigeria. Injustice against any Nigerian is an injustice against all Nigerians. Nigerians must learn how to be their brother’s keeper. Boko Haram must be confronted and defeated once and for all.