The Killer Boko Haram - Not A Mystery (Part I)
By Segun Edward II
I have seen several write ups highlighting the endemic poverty in the North of Nigeria spun by the political elite as well as high illiteracy levels as factors responsible for the rise of the outlaw group: Boko Haram. Granted that those factors, inimical to true development of the North caused by a few are veritable basis to join outlaw groups, Boko Haram was not formed on that premise. The true premise has to do with preserving the culture of a people fast eroded by Western Culture steep in moral lasciviousness and recklessness. It is also based on the premise that Islamic education also had its own intrinsic values and many societies had been successfully run on those age-long precepts.
The group maintained this benevolent posturing until their members were harassed and killed by the police for no offense of theirs even at Checkpoints and they could not get justice through the formal courts of law. In keeping with Islamic injunctions to fight back when Muslims are prevented from practicing their beliefs and they are killed for doing so, the group took up arms to retaliate the killings and injustices meted out to its members. We all saw gory pictures of policemen picking up little boys who were unarmed, laying them on a file and shooting at them like some game.
The breaking point was reached when their leader was killed in an extra-judicial manner. That was too much for the group to bear, knowing fully the reason he was killed was to keep a secret secret by top government officials, including Ali Modu Sherrif, the erstwhile governor of Borno State. However, the level of militancy took a worse turn when elements masquerading as Boko Haram funded by this government stepped in and capitalized on the opportunity made congenial by hunger, lack, perceived injustice, religious intolerance and political considerations.
As it were, the religious Boko Haram started by one Yusuf is not fighting or planting and detonating bombs. Hell no. The two other dimensions of the group who have capitalized on the factors I had previously listed are both funded surreptitiously by agents of the Federal Government and the security agents at the topmost echelons know them. They both claim to be Boko Haram each time they strike. It would interest you to know that the boys do not really know who they work for.
They leave unmistakable signatures in their wake each time they strike. Even the security agents who are not in the know do not really know what to look for or who they are really fighting. The government financed agents may be arrested occasionally by patriotic security agents who are not in the know and those in the higher echelons in the know let them vanish into thin air. The perception of invincibility the notorious groups masquerading as Boko Haram have is a function of the level of superior 'intel' at their disposal from top security agents.
However, what is still missing is the angle that has infused secessionist agenda and those who profit immensely from importing and selling arms and ammunition. There is a thriving arms market with cover from above.
At this point, I find it pertinent to examine critically happenings in the past that show how involved top government officials are with the groups in question on a killing spree.
First, recall October 1, 2010 bomb blasts in Abuja. Recall that when they occurred, Mr. President was quick to absolve MEND who had claimed responsibility and to lay the blame at the doorsteps of his co-contestants in the last Presidential Election. The drama that ensued with conflicting lies told by Mrs. Ogah, the Spokes person of the SSS and those by the Police Force lend credence to uncoordinated subterfuge carefully planned and executed by Niger-Delta Militants to the knowledge of Mr. President and the security agencies. Mr. President specifically told the whole world he knew the persons behind it but until this day, Nigerians have not bothered to demand to know them. As a fall out, Raymond Dokpesi was suddenly implicated by the SSS with some supposed Call Log with evidence of telephone conversations between him and the Niger-Delta culprits. Recall also that Dr. Raymond Dokpesi had moved over to head the Media Group of the Campaign Team of one of the contestants, President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida to the chagrin of the Jonathan Campaign Group. Marilyn Ogah had told us so many times on national TV, Raymond Dokpesi was culpable. Surprisingly, as soon as Raymond Dokpesi moved over to join the Campaign Team of President Jonathan, all the charges fizzled out. Recall also that Tony Uranta, a Presidential aide was implicated by the culprits and it is instructive that Mr. President turned a deaf ear and shileded him from prosecution.
The real truth is that persons from the South East and the South South felt it was their opportunity to team up and punish the North for holding on to power all these years and also for the losses they had suffered during the Civil War and perceived marginalization. The clear agenda set for President Jonathan is the disintegration of Nigeria at all costs. I will come back to that shortly.
Why did those bombs have to go off during the Independence Day Celebrations? The answer is not far-fetched. Silly persons like Adamu Ciroma, claiming to speak for the North when he was only speaking for a small cabal that had lost out in the power equation had made uncouth and irresponsible statements to the effect that the North would make the country ungovernable. This provided an alibi for unscrupulous elements around the present government to strike with a view to laying the blame on the opposition candidates and to whip up sympathy for this government and it worked initially despite the see-through lies.
Then came the December 31, 2010 bomb blasts also in Abuja. That bomb blast was strategically planned to coincide with one of the most valued days in the lives of Christians: Cross-Over Night. Remember also that Muslims are averse to alcohol consumption and consequently drinking places also. This provided another fertile ground for this same group to strike and claim to be Boko Haram. The Army Barracks in Nyanyan, specifically the Mami Market located within, was blown sky-high and a number of deaths were recorded. Recollect also how the bombers mysteriously disappeared into thin air. The aim of all of these was to stir up sectarian and ethnic clashes.
Government, as usual came on air (security agencies too) to talk tough claiming to be on top of the situation until this very day. Long after it was clear that security agents were involved, Mr. President only told the public in church this year.
Then came the event that truly revealed the neck-deep involvement of security agents: The Force Headquarters Bomb Blast. It was obvious to any right thinking person that that event was planned and executed as a diversionary measure.
First, we hear that a suicide bomber in an unmarked car rode for a very long distance behind the IG's entourage and the security agents were so daft not to notice. Then as the IG drove in, the policemen on duty at the gate did spot a vehicle without plate number traveling with the IG's entourage (a vehicle that does not usually travel in the IG's entourage) and an officer supposedly allowed the car go in and stopped the driver and asked him to go to the car park where the bomb was detonated. The pertinent question is, why would a suicide bomber be sent to decimate the IG and yet he travelled all the way with the IG for a very long distance and did not ram into the entourage at break-neck speed? Why would the suicide bomber on entry into Force Headquarters prefer to be stopped and asked to go to the car park when he could have simply revved his engine and ram headlong into the IG's parking space just before he got off the vehicle, killing everybody there? Recall also the lie Marilyn Ogah had told us that the 3 Arms Zone had special devices which jammed signals to prevent more bombs from going off on Independence Day (It was a blatant lie!). How come the signals were not jammed to prevent the Police Headquarters bomb blast from occurring?
Part II will give critical clues that will finally resolve the mystery.
God bless Segun Edward II,
By Segun Edward II
I have seen several write ups highlighting the endemic poverty in the North of Nigeria spun by the political elite as well as high illiteracy levels as factors responsible for the rise of the outlaw group: Boko Haram. Granted that those factors, inimical to true development of the North caused by a few are veritable basis to join outlaw groups, Boko Haram was not formed on that premise. The true premise has to do with preserving the culture of a people fast eroded by Western Culture steep in moral lasciviousness and recklessness. It is also based on the premise that Islamic education also had its own intrinsic values and many societies had been successfully run on those age-long precepts.
The group maintained this benevolent posturing until their members were harassed and killed by the police for no offense of theirs even at Checkpoints and they could not get justice through the formal courts of law. In keeping with Islamic injunctions to fight back when Muslims are prevented from practicing their beliefs and they are killed for doing so, the group took up arms to retaliate the killings and injustices meted out to its members. We all saw gory pictures of policemen picking up little boys who were unarmed, laying them on a file and shooting at them like some game.
The breaking point was reached when their leader was killed in an extra-judicial manner. That was too much for the group to bear, knowing fully the reason he was killed was to keep a secret secret by top government officials, including Ali Modu Sherrif, the erstwhile governor of Borno State. However, the level of militancy took a worse turn when elements masquerading as Boko Haram funded by this government stepped in and capitalized on the opportunity made congenial by hunger, lack, perceived injustice, religious intolerance and political considerations.
As it were, the religious Boko Haram started by one Yusuf is not fighting or planting and detonating bombs. Hell no. The two other dimensions of the group who have capitalized on the factors I had previously listed are both funded surreptitiously by agents of the Federal Government and the security agents at the topmost echelons know them. They both claim to be Boko Haram each time they strike. It would interest you to know that the boys do not really know who they work for.
They leave unmistakable signatures in their wake each time they strike. Even the security agents who are not in the know do not really know what to look for or who they are really fighting. The government financed agents may be arrested occasionally by patriotic security agents who are not in the know and those in the higher echelons in the know let them vanish into thin air. The perception of invincibility the notorious groups masquerading as Boko Haram have is a function of the level of superior 'intel' at their disposal from top security agents.
However, what is still missing is the angle that has infused secessionist agenda and those who profit immensely from importing and selling arms and ammunition. There is a thriving arms market with cover from above.
At this point, I find it pertinent to examine critically happenings in the past that show how involved top government officials are with the groups in question on a killing spree.
First, recall October 1, 2010 bomb blasts in Abuja. Recall that when they occurred, Mr. President was quick to absolve MEND who had claimed responsibility and to lay the blame at the doorsteps of his co-contestants in the last Presidential Election. The drama that ensued with conflicting lies told by Mrs. Ogah, the Spokes person of the SSS and those by the Police Force lend credence to uncoordinated subterfuge carefully planned and executed by Niger-Delta Militants to the knowledge of Mr. President and the security agencies. Mr. President specifically told the whole world he knew the persons behind it but until this day, Nigerians have not bothered to demand to know them. As a fall out, Raymond Dokpesi was suddenly implicated by the SSS with some supposed Call Log with evidence of telephone conversations between him and the Niger-Delta culprits. Recall also that Dr. Raymond Dokpesi had moved over to head the Media Group of the Campaign Team of one of the contestants, President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida to the chagrin of the Jonathan Campaign Group. Marilyn Ogah had told us so many times on national TV, Raymond Dokpesi was culpable. Surprisingly, as soon as Raymond Dokpesi moved over to join the Campaign Team of President Jonathan, all the charges fizzled out. Recall also that Tony Uranta, a Presidential aide was implicated by the culprits and it is instructive that Mr. President turned a deaf ear and shileded him from prosecution.
The real truth is that persons from the South East and the South South felt it was their opportunity to team up and punish the North for holding on to power all these years and also for the losses they had suffered during the Civil War and perceived marginalization. The clear agenda set for President Jonathan is the disintegration of Nigeria at all costs. I will come back to that shortly.
Why did those bombs have to go off during the Independence Day Celebrations? The answer is not far-fetched. Silly persons like Adamu Ciroma, claiming to speak for the North when he was only speaking for a small cabal that had lost out in the power equation had made uncouth and irresponsible statements to the effect that the North would make the country ungovernable. This provided an alibi for unscrupulous elements around the present government to strike with a view to laying the blame on the opposition candidates and to whip up sympathy for this government and it worked initially despite the see-through lies.
Then came the December 31, 2010 bomb blasts also in Abuja. That bomb blast was strategically planned to coincide with one of the most valued days in the lives of Christians: Cross-Over Night. Remember also that Muslims are averse to alcohol consumption and consequently drinking places also. This provided another fertile ground for this same group to strike and claim to be Boko Haram. The Army Barracks in Nyanyan, specifically the Mami Market located within, was blown sky-high and a number of deaths were recorded. Recollect also how the bombers mysteriously disappeared into thin air. The aim of all of these was to stir up sectarian and ethnic clashes.
Government, as usual came on air (security agencies too) to talk tough claiming to be on top of the situation until this very day. Long after it was clear that security agents were involved, Mr. President only told the public in church this year.
Then came the event that truly revealed the neck-deep involvement of security agents: The Force Headquarters Bomb Blast. It was obvious to any right thinking person that that event was planned and executed as a diversionary measure.
First, we hear that a suicide bomber in an unmarked car rode for a very long distance behind the IG's entourage and the security agents were so daft not to notice. Then as the IG drove in, the policemen on duty at the gate did spot a vehicle without plate number traveling with the IG's entourage (a vehicle that does not usually travel in the IG's entourage) and an officer supposedly allowed the car go in and stopped the driver and asked him to go to the car park where the bomb was detonated. The pertinent question is, why would a suicide bomber be sent to decimate the IG and yet he travelled all the way with the IG for a very long distance and did not ram into the entourage at break-neck speed? Why would the suicide bomber on entry into Force Headquarters prefer to be stopped and asked to go to the car park when he could have simply revved his engine and ram headlong into the IG's parking space just before he got off the vehicle, killing everybody there? Recall also the lie Marilyn Ogah had told us that the 3 Arms Zone had special devices which jammed signals to prevent more bombs from going off on Independence Day (It was a blatant lie!). How come the signals were not jammed to prevent the Police Headquarters bomb blast from occurring?
Part II will give critical clues that will finally resolve the mystery.
God bless Segun Edward II,
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