Since last week, there has been celebration in the air in the North-West zone over the killing of Halilu Buzu Sububu, one of the most dangerous bandit kingpins, by the Nigerian military.
As expected, the Federal Government is taking credit for the development, describing the feat as a major gain from the recent relocation of the Command-and-Control Centre to Sokoto by Bello Muhammed Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence.
While boasting that the elimination of the notorious bandit kingpin is a proof that the government is making significant progress in its commitment to flush out all criminal elements in the zone, Matawalle also faces the reality that the fight is far from being over.
Already, the Nigerian Army is counting the cost as wounded soldiers are receiving treatment after the successful campaign at the 8 Division Army Hospital, Giginya Barracks, Sokoto.
Of course, if there are dead among the soldiers, the families will be grieving their painful losses, like many others who are still mourning their dead soldier sons, husbands and fathers since over a decade the fight against insecurity has intensified.
Stakeholders in the zone are also happy for the respite that is coming after many campaigns against banditry that have yielded little results.
Yerima Shettima, president general, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), sees the recent feats in Zamfara and Kaduna as victory for all peace-loving people of the zone, hence the need to support the military and Matawalle to achieve more.
Like the Minister of State for Defence, the AYCF president general also fears that the fight is far from being over as actions of some highly-place people in the zone negate the good intention of the government and could be a setback to the fight.
The above is part of the reasons many concerned citizens doubt the achievements the government often claims in the fight against terrorism in the country.
While making public the feats of the Nigerian military in recent times, Edward Buba, a major general and director, Defence Media Operation, noted that troops engaged in the anti-terrorist operations in the Northern part of the country killed no fewer than 9,303 terrorists, arrested 6,998, with 9,562 Boko Haram combatant fighters and their families surrendering to security forces within the year under review.
Earlier this year, there were reports of the killing of 36 bandits, including Buharin Yadi, a terrorist kingpin, by the troops of Operation Whirl Punch in Kaduna.
There have also been news of the many Boko Haram members being neutralised and some also surrendering to the security forces, yet the kidnapping and killing rampage has continued over the years, leaving concerned citizens in doubt of the authenticity of the reports.
“We keep hearing 100 bandits were killed yesterday, 200 killed today, bandit kingpins neutralized, many terrorists surrendered to joint security forces, yet more innocent people are kidnapped everyday by bandits, with unimaginable ransom paid. Villages are still being sacked by terrorists, including mine.
Plateau State has now overtaken Kaduna as a burial ground and killing is now a full-fledged enterprise. So, what actually is the situation, you keep claiming victory, while more people are dying every day,” Jasper Yohana, a Kaduna-based cleric lamented.
As much as he commended the military for the commitment to flush out criminal elements and restore security across the country, he is displeased that their sacrifices are yielding less results, as more soldiers are dying today in the fight.
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“How many are these terrorists, why are they multiplying in number instead of decreasing with the many killed so far?”
The angry Yohana asked.
Also angry at the sad situation, especially the hardship families are facing in the North-West zone because of the seemingly increase in the attacks and killings, Bulus Yakubu, a Pankshin-born lawyer, argued that Buba’s claims on the decrease in insurgent activities are questionable as his people are still being killed and many have not returned to their farms for a longtime now.
“We spend more now to keep our family members at home, who ordinarily would have gone to the farm to fend for themselves. They would be kidnapped or killed if they go to their farms,” he decried.
Offering a reason for a seemingly little result in the fight against terrorism in the North-West zone, Aliyu Mammani Kaura, spokesperson for Zamfara Elders Support for Peace and Development, noted that highly-placed people who profit from the criminal enterprise would always want to scuttle government’s efforts at restoring peace and security in the region.
Citing an instance with the recent military feat in Zamfara State, Kaura, decried that it is sad that some elites in the state are not happy with the success recorded by the ongoing military operations against bandits in the state and zone at large.
His views are not different from that of Theophilus Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence.
Recently, the Taraba State-born retired Army General, voiced out his displeasure over the incessant killing of innocent people by the non-state actors, and also tasked the Nigerian military to action, while insisting that there is no reason the dreaded Nigerian military cannot flush out the bandits, Boko Haram and other criminal elements.
As well, a recent article by Jaafar Jaafar,
a respected journalist, has been throwing up questions on the sincerity in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.
The article by Jaafar, which was posted online, narrated a painful story of the writer’s friend whose family paid through the nose to secure the release of a relative from the bandits.
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“Apart from payment of N35 million cash as ransom, they also delivered – as demanded – the following: six brand new motorcyles; four cartons of whiskey; 10 packets of Tramadol; 1(one) bag of Indian Hemp; 1(one) carton of Aspen cigarette; 12 bags of rice (50kg); 10 bags of maize (100kg); 5 bags of beans (100kg); 1(one) 25-litre jerry can of groundnut oil; 1(one) 25-litre jerry can of palm oil; 1 (one) carton of seasoning; 10 packets of paracetamol; 10 packets of chloroquine.
“While preparing to deliver the foregoing items, the bandits called and ordered them to service the motorcycles and fill up the tanks. Allah Ya kawo ƙarshen wannan masifa,” according to Jaafar, in the online article.
But the question being asked after reading the article by any sensible person is: Where did those bandits get the courage to ask for so much without the fear of being followed and busted by the state?
One can also asked, where are the security forces, as the items demanded by the bandits require big trucks and enough time to be packed and delivered to their “unknown” destination.
Same is also the case in the recent adoption during worship service in a Kaduna church by bandits numbering over 30 on motorbikes.
In his opinion, Chijoke Umelahi, a former Abia lawmaker, noted that the Nigerian military is truly doing its best, though it is overwhelmed.
“But there are many questions that have been unanswered for a long time now by the military. We keep increasing budgets for defence without holding the military accountable. How are the funds utilised, what more do we need, do we change strategies or engage foreign help? He asked.
Speaking further, the Abuja-based lawyer thinks that the past and present leadership of the military, from the beginning of the insurgence should be probed.
“May be, we will see how the funds are being spent because we have been increasing funding every year with little results and we hear that some generals are now competing with churches in building private universities,” he noted.
On his part, Yerima Shettima, president general, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), decried that some top government officials, and not the military, are aiding banditry and terrorism in the country.
Citing an instance with Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara State, who recently called for the resignation of Bello Mohammed Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, Shettima said that instead of the minister, Governor Lawal should resign, given the alarming evidence on his involvement in financing terror groups operating within the North-West region.
Referring to a recently circulated document titled: “Re-north-western governors/un-organized security summit in Katsina”, Shettima noted that the intricate ties between Governor Lawal and criminal enterprises are laid bare.
According to him, within the document, a request is made for the staggering sum of one billion, three hundred and seventy-eight million naira to be allocated for a dubious state government reconciliation programme with notorious bandit leaders.
“This initiative raises serious ethical and legal concerns, especially considering that the funds were earmarked for distribution to high-profile bandit leaders including; Bello Turji, Dogo Gide, Ado Aliero, Halilu Sububu, and Gwaska Dan Karami, along with payoffs to certain media houses and influencers.
“Such transactions indicate a deep-seated complicity with the very elements who have wreaked havoc and fear throughout our communities,” the AYCF disclosed.
Considering the above unexplainable scenario, Samuel Onikoyi, a Nigerian academic in Europe, decried that the country will not achieve sustainable results in the fight against terrorism if enemies within the government, outside government and their accomplices in the military are not rooted out.
“The best is to stop the funding and probe those who are allocating them. If the country is serious with the probe, it might recover billions in private pockets and deploy them back, rather than obtaining foreign loans that will be diverted,” Onikoyi suggested.
However, he insisted that the military has all it takes to end the sad insecurity situation in the country, but regretted that it is not living up to that expectation so far.
“As an undergraduate at University of Ibadan in the 90s, we used to be proud of the Nigerian-led ECOMOG soldiers. Some students even nicknamed themselves ECOMOG. Then, we used to say that the fear of ECOMOG is the beginning of wisdom. So, what has happened to our dreaded soldiers? The government has given them enough funds to buy superior weapons, so, why can’t they finish the bandits and Boko Haram? The fight has lasted longer than necessary because there is insincerity of purpose, someone is not telling Nigerians the truth. The truth is that corruption and sentiments are playing out,” he concluded.
But as some security experts have suggested, President Bola Tinubu should be bold to step on toes if he wants to stop insecurity, he should keep sacking non-performing security chiefs, probe defence budget, push for stiffer punishments for accomplices in fund diversion, death sentence for captured kidnappers, bandits and terrorists.
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