Victims must be compensated before any deal — Major Shinko
Major Yahaya Ibrahim Shinko (RTD), who served in various military formations before retirement speaks on the negotiations by various levels of government to have a peace deal with non state actors, saying the priority must be on the victims rather than the bandits. We currently have a situation where there are ongoing peace deal […]
Major Yahaya Ibrahim Shinko (RTD), who served in various military formations before retirement speaks on the negotiations by various levels of government to have a peace deal with non state actors, saying the priority must be on the victims rather than the bandits.
We currently have a situation where there are ongoing peace deal negotiations between some tiers of government and non-state actors. Do you think that is the wat to go?
Well, if you want to start negotiating or to go into bargaining with the bandits, the first thing you will have to do is to make sure that the victims are compensated, recognized and appeased.
These are people that have lost their loved ones, lost their properties an places of business. You have not done anything for them, yet you are going into bargaining with the bandits. It’s a wrong idea. And the impression is that you are setting a time bomb. By the time it explodes, I’m sure it will make more damages and harm to the people.
For example, here you are, you have a child of about 10 years old. He has seen somebody that has ripped off his home, that has killed his father or has raped his sister. And you are now going into negotiation with him, allowing this innocent child to grow up with that pain.
At the end of the day, when he is in position, he will make sure that he retaliates. So it’s better for the government to compensate those victims, once that is done, then it is now left for the government to decide whether to forgive the bandits or not. It is the government’s prerogative to do that. Either they don’t want to even take them to court, which is their prerogative, or even after, if they have been convicted, the government can free them and pardon them.
So it’s a matter for the government to do that. But one thing has to be done first, and that is to take care of those victims who have been.
Even though previously for almost 11 years, some of them have even left their villages, they are in IDP camps and what have you.
There are those that believe that we don’t have enough manpower to handle the situation, and the crisis has been lingering for over a decade now. What do you think?
It’s not about manpower. It’s about the kind of weapons these people are using, and at the disposal of our military personnel, there are more of such weapons with them, but they have not been allowed to use it.
That’s the difference. But when you talk about manpower, we have the combination of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force, and even the paramilitary.
They are bound to be brought together and work under one singular command to see that they flush these people out. But this has not been done. It has not been even tried. So nobody can talk about manpower, honestly speaking.
Northern governors have held so many meetings on how to address the insecurity in the Northwest in particular. Yet, we are still having attacks. What is your reaction to that?
Well, the governors have done their best. Meanwhile, I’m one of those that have always been saying that you cannot blame a state governor for not doing anything about this internal security issue.
This is not a communal crisis where a governor can assemble his traditional rulers and the emirs and pastors and whatsoever to tell them that go and tell your people to live in peace.
And if it is about land matters, we will settle it. If it is about a title, we will settle it. It is not a communal crisis.
It lies squarely on the presidency and the federal government. The federal government has the right to make laws in respect to how military should be operated and how and where weapons should be used or not to be used.
So even a state governor will tell you that he can read out all these things. He’s just joking because he doesn’t have the command of the military or the police.
So he can only give advice or maybe put his request to the highest commander, that is the Commander-in-Chief, so that the Commander-in-Chief will do it.
But even as a security officer of the state, a state governor cannot do anything as expected by me.
Is the threat by US president Donald Trump, a way out?
I don’t expect a government of a country like America will take action based on speculation.
But no matter what, at least it has awakened our leadership in the country to do the needful. They should at least by now get prepared to do what is expectedof them, to rid these bandits and Boko Haram out of the country. And once that is done, I’m sure nobody will have any reason to go to the America and make a complaint that there is any threat of genocide.
Do you think there is need for a country like America to come to Nigeria to assist in fighting the so-called terrorists terrorizing the people?
Well, honestly speaking, if they are willing, it will be accepted. At least they have the technology and manpower. And once it is combined with the ability of our own military personnel in the country, it will rid the terrorism activities in the country.
And even long before now, I’m sure there are some other countries that wanted to partner with Nigeria to see that all this is being brought to an end, particularly the French and the Russian countries.
So it is time now that America has decided to do it on its own way, though, as I have earlier said, based on false information.
Now that they have realized it is exactly a threat against both Muslims and Christians, it will be a good thing in the end..
But do you think Nigerian military has the capability to address the insecurity?
Of course, we have it, only that the military personnel have not been given the go-ahead to do it the way they want it. The politics of the day make it very difficult for them. When they want to do things their own way, they have to wait for orders and directives from some civilians, particularly the Minister of Defence, who is in the chain of command through to the Commander-in-Chief.
Do you believe that the illegal mining activities going on in some parts of the country have been fueling the insecurity?
Yes, it’s part of it, of course. Anywhere you hear there is terrorism activities, definitely there must be some wealth coming out of there and for the benefit of few, most especially the elites. So in Nigeria, it cannot be different.
What do you think is the best way to address these challenges?
Well, the best way to address it is, as far as I’m concerned, in my own understanding, is to allow the military to do what it takes to ensure the peace of the country. They have the manpower, they have the training, they have the capability and all the equipment. It’s only that they have not been given the free opportunity to do it their way.
The politicians should understand the virtue of the military and other security agencies. Let them do their work and they shouldn’t bring politics into it.
At least giving them free hands to do it will address the situation we have been in for several years.