Boko-Haram and the us counter-terrorism partnership
The intelligence report by the US State Department went to convince the Nigerian government that Boko-Haram is a brainchild of Al-Qaedas’ terrorist organisation currently operating in Africa that has its operative networks in countries such as Benin, Cameroun, Chad and Niger in Sub-Saharan West Africa. However, the report claims that the Boko-Haram group operate in […]
The intelligence report by the US State Department went to convince the Nigerian government that Boko-Haram is a brainchild of Al-Qaedas’ terrorist organisation currently operating in Africa that has its operative networks in countries such as Benin, Cameroun, Chad and Niger in Sub-Saharan West Africa. However, the report claims that the Boko-Haram group operate in the north and reportedly has a links with Agim and Al-Shabaab, another version of Al-Qaeda.
It is largely believed that the Boko-Haram group was founded in 2001. The group headed by the late Mohammad Yusuf, emerged with the aim of establishing a Shari’a government in Borno State under the administration of former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. It opposes secular government and the western system of education, which it believes is not founded on moral teachings. Although Boko-Haram went underground following a massive security crackdown by the then government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The current bomb explosions in Nigeria owes it origin to the illegal killing of Boko-Haram’s leader, Mohammad Yusuf and hundreds of his followers by security forces following several attempts to confront their insurgency by the administration of the late Yar’adua. Though two years after Mohammad Yusuf was killed, Boko-Haram was on the verge of extinction, but today’ Boko-Haram continues to wreak havoc in Nigeria with its activities that strikes at the landmarks of Nigerian security forces using explosive devices claiming many lives and properties.
The worst of the Boko-Haram atrocities have occurred this year, reaching its peak following the controversial post April-May elections that brought Jonathan back to the helms of affairs in Aso Rock Villa. About 140 people died from the Boko-Haram insurgency since January. And most of the Boko-Haram attacks have occurred in Borno State. But there have also been blasts further in Abuja with places like Fish Market, Police Headquarters and recently, the UN building which has raised concern by the international community.
Another contrary issue is that, many people in Nigeria are denying the idea that the current Boko-Haram threat was the same with the one led by the late Mohammad Yusuf. This suspicion goes to justify the conflict of understanding between political elites in the north and the South-South surrounding the PDP zoning crisis. In a publication by Vanguard newspaper on August 29, 2011, some political elements from the south-south do not believe that the Boko Haram of today is the offshoot of the one crushed by the Yar’adua administration. Rather, they remain of the idea that the name, Boko-Haram has become a metaphor for a more sophisticated struggle for political power. Therefore, it is a tool in the hands of northerners who threatened to make this country ungovernable for the Jonathan presidency. They argue that Boko-Haram cannot be pursuing a religious agenda. It should be obvious that exploding bombs in Abuja will do very little to advance the cause of its fanatical Islamic ideology.
Whatever the case may be, Nigerians should begin to understand that, the proposed US counter-terrorism partnership to help crush Boko-Haram and its alleged ties with the Al-Qaeda organisation stem as a result of religion which is the bedrock of the Nigerian violence and other atrocities that have already been and may be recorded in Nigeria.
It might sound far-fetched to say this, but the sad truth is that the security situation in northern Nigeria and the perennial low intensity conflict in the restive Niger Delta is forcing the Nigerian defence and intelligence officials to re-consider their strategic options including allowing a significant US military presence under the guise of AFRICOM which Abuja had vehemently condemned and opposed requests for it to be head-quartered in Nigeria.
As it is now President Jonathan has to make a strategic choice between what American officials portray as a simple organizational realignment of Washington’s latest military oversight structure for Africa, and what many Nigerians and African observers see as the start of an increased US military presence in Africa to secure resources, since Nigeria is a major supplier of crude oil to the U.S. and is an economic hub drawing foreigners from across the world.
Ismaila Jibrin Hassan Jalingo, Taraba State