Renewed bloody Boko Haram attacks, barely six months after Federal Government’s claims of victory at Sambisa Forest is a source of concern to Nigerians, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu
On Tuesday, July 25, 2017, Nigeria recorded another feast of tear evoking bloodbath. That day, members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, in one of their renewed attacks, ambushed oil workers around Jibi village situated between Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State and left in their trail blood and tears.
The initial count of the massacred was put at about 50. They included soldiers, oil workers on exploration assignment, civilian JTF officials providing cover for the oil workers, top staff of the University of Maiduguri, including professors and some locals.
The terrorists also abducted some people after the initial killing spree, some of who may also have been killed. Minister of Education, Malam AdamuAdamu, confirmed this fear when he said during the week: “Nine lecturers of university were abducted by members of the Boko Haram group at an oil exploratory site in Borno State. But from the report I received last night, lifeless bodies of the lecturers were found. We don’t know the fate of the rest abductees as at now.”
Coming barely six months after the Federal Government claimed it had conquered the mutinous group and few days after the … Buratai gave his soldiers 40 days to mop-up the remnants of the ‘defeated group’ and capture the leader, AbubakarShekau, the renewed attacks of Boko Haram has not only raised fresh fears and doubts in the minds of Nigerians but has also caused indigenes and government to take some panicky measures.
For example, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, IbeKachikwu, while reacting to the development announced indefinite suspension of NNPC’s exploration for crude oil in the Lake Chad Basin parts of Borno State.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Kachikwu, said, “Whether we will resume, obviously, will depend again on what security clearance is given. Certainly, we will not go back unless they give us clearance; just like we did not go in before they gave us clearance. Provided they are sufficient security clearance, I don’t see why we would not continue to push.”
He described the incident as unfortunate, lamenting that the attack still occurred after over six months in that area and despite the fact that there were over 200 security personnel protecting the oil exploration team, comprising members of the military and the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, and others.
According to him, “The lessons we are going to take away from this incident is that we are going to look at the security apparatus and find out whether they are a little bit more we can do. I know that they were over 200 security personnel, between the military, the CJTF and others. They were very well protected, and as I said, the activities had been going on for over six months.”
It would be recalled that oil exploration in the basin was suspended at the height of Boko Haram insurgency sometime in 2012; but following the reported dislodgement of Boko Haram from their Sambisa Forest headquarters at the tail end of 2016, President Muhammadu Buahri had approved resumed oil exploration in the area.
Also sources confirmed during the week that villages in the affected areas in the North-East, where community life had returned recently are again being deserted as villagers are no longer sure of the victory, especially as the insurgents are now attacking many villages, where they kill and plunder.
As a result, some commentators and experts have also blamed the army for what they described as wrong approach in the handling of the war after the successful dislodgement of the terrorist group from Sambisa Forest.
Mr. GboyigaTaiwo, in his reaction to the development told The Nation on Wednesday that “it is regrettable that in spite of the claims of victory against Boko Haram, nothing seems to have changed since 2015 when this same terrorists killed 37 people in separate attacks on six villages in Borno state. I still recall the report then that the group drove in a convoy of sport utility vehicles to Koshifa, Matangale, Buraltuma, Dirmanti, Almeri and Burmari villages – all in Damboa local government area of Borno state and attacked helpless citizens, killing more than 37. It seems something is wrong with the way we are fighting this terrorist group and we feel the military should be more realistic instead of feeding us with claims that would soon be disproved. It does not raise morale at all.”
One expert, SalihuBakari, a retired army officer, who seems to share Taiwo’s views was however quoted during the week as saying, “We must expect more of this going by Boko Haram tactics; they tend to increase their activities once the military stepped up their actions.
“Ordinarily and for strategic reasons, the order for the arrest of Shekau should have been given to the Theatre Commander in confidence. The Boko Haram are in fear and can do anything to thwart any move that will undermine them,” he said.
Boko Haram attacks on innocent citizens have remained an acerbic sore in the recent history of Nigeria in the last seven years. The attacks, which first caught the attention of Nigerians shortly after the death of the group’s founder, Yusuf, in 2009, have left thousands of innocent citizens killed in the most dastardly manner. Reports show that in 2013, over 1,000 people died as a result of Boko Haram conflict.
But the year 2016 ended in a joyful note following news of summary dislodgement of the terrorist group from their Sambisa headquarters.
Briefing journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya, Major-General Dole, Leo Irabor, had said: “Recall that during our last meeting, I told you to take particular note of Camp Zairo in Sambisa Forest. Our gallant troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE have cleared the location which is the last stronghold of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) deep inside Sambisa Forest.
“On 22 Dec 16 at about 0800hrs, own troops commenced advance for the capture of Camp Zairo which was the main Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) enclave suspected to be holding high value persons in Sambisa Forest.
“The Air Component and Artillery were effectively employed during the operation before the final assault by the troops. Our troops made contact with the BHT and successfully cleared the camp after some resistance from the insurgents.
“On sighting of our troops and having been overpowered in the fire fight, most of the BHT fighters fled in all direction. The gallant troops subsequently carried out search for any abductees and equipment. Our troops also raided and destroyed other camps and hideouts around Camp Zairo. At the camp, our troops destroyed several BHT logistic:
The joy that greeted the news was unprecedented, as commoners and leaders, including former leaders, like former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, applauded the gallant soldiers for a job well done.
Babangida, in a statement issued by his media officer had said: “It is a sign of relief that the military has finally smoked out Boko Haram terrorists from their notorious enclave of Sambisa Forest.”
The former Military leader said “May I rejoice with the government and Nigerians on the successful dislodging of Boko Haram from their base in Sambisa,’’ he said.
He expressed hope that with the successful takeover of the forest, the remaining Chibok girls would be located and reunited with their families.
Renewed attacks
But the joy and the celebration were to be short lived as the group soon began regular attacks that have not only left civilians scampering for safety but has also left many dead.
Last Sunday, for example, Boko Haram fighters who blocked a highway forced passengers traveling from Biu to Maiduguri through the Biu-Damaturu route to turn back.
One of the travelers relieved their experience to newsmen the next day: “We left Biu as early as 7:00am and expected to reach our destination by 9:30am. But we had to return to Biu via the Gombe road through Potiskum. It was not easy; we spent the whole day on the road.” Isuwa, a traveller told DAILY POST on arrival in Maiduguri at exactly 8:15pm.
He said, their vehicle stopped at the forest in between Damaturu and Mirga, when they saw hundreds of vehicles returning, asking them to make a quick u-turn.
“They told us that Boko Haram fighters blocked the road. There is no way we could pass through Damboa as the road is also not motorable since last month attack, where Boko Haram abducted 14 women.
“So, our best bet was to go through Gombe even though the road needs serious repairs.
“Sincerely I do not know what is going on now in this country. The funny thing is that the Police in about four Hilux vehicles also followed us.
“I was wondering what the weapons they were holding was meant for. It is very unfortunate. We are in trouble in this part of the country”, Isuwa bemoaned.
Although that same Sunday, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command arrested 20 year old Seth Yakubu, described as a prime Boko Haram suspect, at Gwako Village in Abuja, report of the occurrence at the Bui-Damaturu Highway re-ignited the fear that the deadly set may have regrouped to fight back.
Yakubu, the arrested suspect who hails from Obi in Nasarawa State and was said to have served as second in command in his beat, besides confessing to his membership of Boko Haram, confirmed the progress recorded by Nigerian security forces when he said he escaped to Gwako village from Sambisa Forest after their hideout was dislodged by the Nigeria Airforce through a major air-strike about a week ago.
The fear that the success of the air raids that led to the dislodgement of Boko haram forces in Sambisa Forest may not be the end of the attacks, was further confirmed on Monday, when news filtered out that suicide bombers attacked Dalori 1 and 2 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, leaving … dead.
Abdulkadir Ibrahim, Information Officer, NEMA North-East, confirmed this in a statement where he said, “two suicide bombers (a male and female) detonated their improvised explosive device at Dalori 1 IDPs camp leading to the death of three IDPs while seventeen others were injured”.
“Another incident occurred at Dalori 2 IDP camp where a suicide bomber was intercepted leading to the death of the attacker.
The fresh attacks were to peak on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 the terrorists ambushed oil workers, civilian JTF in Borno and left over 50 people dead.
The victims were ambushed around Jibi village situated between Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State on Tuesday.
Residents confirmed that several oil workers were killed and many abducted in the attack, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon.
Since then, the military and the federal government have been under intense pressure to stop the terrorist group from further bloodbath of innocent citizens. “Nigerians are worried by the current actions of Boko Haram that our army may be experiencing more difficulties in dealing with Boko Haram than they have admitted in public,” says Dr. Ephraim Ukeje, a security expert in Lagos. According to him, part of the problem causing a kind of panic is “bad management of information by the military. Apart from the publication of the order given by Chief of Army Staff,Lieutenant-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai to his soldiers to capture Shekau within 40 days, which may have contributed to the terrorists’ renewed attacks, there is report all over the country that Boko Haram has indeed re-captured over 50 percent of Sambisa Forest and the Nigerian military is doing little to disprove it. So, I think poor image management and publicity are parts of the challenge we are facing in the battle against Boko Haram.”
As Ukeje suggests, besides working harder to defeat Boko Haram in the field of battle, there seems to be urgent need for Nigerian forces to improve on its information management so as to effectively counter Boko Haram propaganda. For now, Nigerians are evidently traumatized by the chilly bloodbath that has become a daily favourite of Boko Haram and are therefore calling for immediate action.
