The Nigeria Government has for several years been engulfed in a fierce battle to curb the activities of terror groups (namely the Boko Haram Sect) who have taken advantage of the liberal disposition of Nigerians to unleash mayhem resulting in the deaths of thousands.
As expected, Government has not sat idle with its arms crossed while innocent Nigerians are cut down in the name of an ideology that belies the fundamentals of the world’s most peaceful religions. There have for example been sustained efforts aimed at checkmating the antics of the insurgents and though the war is far from over, the Jonathan Administration must be credited with having been able to contain the insurgency so far.
That Nigerians differ on the status of events as they unfold in the Northeast of the country is expected, given the negative press and consciously articulated propaganda that has been directed the way of government. Many have failed to recognize the factors that have impeded the overall progress of the Nigerian Army’s offensive against the insurgents and rather than encourage Nigerians to stand together in condemnation of the evil acts of the insurgents, notable Nigerians and their cronies have preferred to further fan the embers of discord and misinformation which have proven to be inimical to national interest at the end of the day.
Given the dismal performance of the military against the Boko Haram insurgents, it is hard for many to believe that this is the very same force which once stood as the pride of the nation and indeed the African continent. Whether Nigerians choose to believe this assertion or not, the fact as reported by our soldiers themselves is that our military was under and ill equipped before the advent of the Jonathan Administration.
Secondly, it is not a hidden fact that the military rank and file have been infiltrated by saboteurs whose sole purpose is to ensure that the insurgents get the upper hand over our patriotic Nigerian troops who fall daily in the battle field in defense of the fatherland. These agents of darkness not only supply the enemy with vital information but also deliberately sabotage equipment and efforts aimed at dealing decisively with the insurgents. This development prompted the military to imbibe a stronger stance within its ranks aimed at instilling discipline within the ranks of the military. Only recently, about 54 soldiers were sentenced to death at a court martial for their display of treasonable actions against the country. In its protracted war against terror spanning several countries and even within the borders of homeland America, never has it been found that any American Soldier was arrested, tried nor sentenced for any treasonable offence; rather, because they stood together in the face of the war, victory always swiftly came their way. This cannot be said of our present situation.
A third and equally crucial factor is the fact that this war is not your conventional type of war. Young boys are recruited to fight a war without meaning just as girls as young as ten years of age are strapped with bombs and forced to become brazen and unsuspecting deliverers of death. The fact is, there is no military in the world that can succeed without the support and encouragement of the citizenry. The silent enemies within have proven to be as dangerous as those we know.
Today, many Nigerians are quick to blame the government for its inability to deal decisively with the insurgency. To make matters worse, people who should know better now use the issue as a platform to score cheap political points. Anyone who claims he or she can end the insurgency must be challenged to say more because such people must be in league with the insurgents and must effectively be labelled as enemies of the state. The truth is that such characters come out openly to condemn government but in secret they are happy collaborators with our collective enemy; if not, why would they use the issue of insurgency as a campaign tool?
Gladly, the Jonathan Administration has remained undaunted even in the face of betrayals and concerted efforts to frustrate our march to progress. The military are being retrained to enhance their efficiency and are also being supplied with modern equipment which once put to use will change the tide of the battle against terrorism in our land.
The facts are before us. We can only advance and succeed if we stand together against insurgency. It is pertinent that we stand up to support the administration of Goodluck Jonathan which has shown clearly that it is poised to effectively protect the interest of the people.
Olu Adekunle Snr is an Abuja based writer and Editor of Nigeria Vision in Progress, a publication of Wind Of Hope
