By Shu’aibu Usman Leman
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has recently sought to downplay the disquieting resurgence of Boko Haram, a stance that has understandably ignited considerable alarm amongst Nigerians, especially those from Borno State acutely aware of the enduring and brutal threat this group continues to pose.
This attempt to brush aside genuine concerns, particularly in the face of escalating violence, risks a dangerous complacency that the nation can ill afford.
The gravity of the situation was first brought to the fore by none other than Professor Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno State – a man with firsthand experience of the insurgency’s devastating impact. His warnings about the increasing frequency and intensity of attacks were, regrettably, dismissed by Mohammed Idris as alarmist.
Yet, at the 11th meeting of the North East Governors in Damaturu, Yobe State, Governor Zulum, in his capacity as Chairman of the North-East Governors’ Forum, emphatically reiterated his anxieties regarding the renewed insurgent activity across the region.
Governor Zulum astutely observed that these resurgent attacks possess the very real capacity to undermine the hard-won successes achieved in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
He commendably acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces but stressed the urgent need for a sustained and intensified campaign to bring this protracted conflict to a definitive and successful conclusion.
His call for a strategic reassessment, urging the military to adopt a more offensive posture, underscores the growing concern amongst regional leaders that the current approach may be insufficient to effectively contain the evolving threat.
Echoing this sentiment, the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, in his welcome address, highlighted the critical importance of robust synergy between state and federal governments, alongside security agencies, in order to effectively check this worrying resurgence.
Governor Buni astutely pointed to the socio-economic dimensions of the crisis, emphasising that the creation of meaningful employment opportunities for young people is paramount in preventing their exploitation as ready recruits for terrorism, banditry, and other forms of social unrest.
He rightly urged his fellow governors to act with urgency to consolidate the progress made in peace, security, and socio-economic development in recent years, lest these gains be jeopardised by renewed instability.
It is indeed instructive to recall the ambitious pronouncements of 2015, when ex- President Muhammadu Buhari set a seemingly definitive deadline for the complete eradication of Boko Haram by the end of that year.
As Buhari’s dateline approached, a palpable sense of unease and bewilderment permeated Nigerian society. While military officials maintained that the insurgents’ capacity to seize and hold territory had been significantly curtailed, Boko Haram rather brazenly demonstrated their continued operational strength through a relentless campaign of attacks and bombings.
Consider, for instance, the pronouncements from high-ranking officials at the time. Former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, stated in October 2015 that insurgents controlled only “a couple of local government areas” in Borno.
This was swiftly contradicted the following day by the then Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, who insisted that “Boko Haram isn’t controlling any local government in Borno” Such contradictory statements emanating from positions of authority served only to erode public trust and sow further confusion.
This lack of a consistent and truthful narrative understandably fuelled fear and anxiety among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who felt decidedly unsafe in returning to areas supposedly cleared of these terrorists.
Despite the military’s progress in reclaiming some occupied territory, the insurgents persisted with their brutal campaign against local communities, leaving thousands of Nigerian refugees languishing in neighbouring Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, with woefully inadequate support from the relevant authorities.
Even claims of successful military operations were often met with scepticism on the ground. For example, in November 2015, the military spokesperson reported the thwarting of a planned attack on Maiduguri and the dismantling of an IED and rocket manufacturing facility.
While such successes were undoubtedly important, they did little to quell the persistent violence that continued to plague the region. Devastating bombings in cities like Kano and Yola tragically claimed countless innocent lives, and even IDP camps, ironically meant to be safe havens, were not spared these horrific attacks as late as September 2015, starkly illustrating the pervasive insecurity. A truly appalling state of affairs that demanded a far more robust and honest appraisal.
During this period, a ground offensive launched by Chadian troops against Boko Haram achieved some initial tactical victories.
However, these gains were significantly hampered by a distinct and detrimental lack of effective coordination between the Nigerian and Chadian forces. The establishment of a multinational regional force, comprising approximately 8,700 personnel from Chad and Nigeria, was intended to tackle the insurgency head-on.
Yet, the impact of this force was largely underwhelming, and many astute observers rightly considered the military’s December 2015 deadline to be utterly divorced from the realities on the ground.
Diplomatic assessments at the time astutely suggested that the regional force’s primary focus on securing border areas was fundamentally insufficient to address the vast operational theatre of Boko Haram. Nigeria’s apparent reluctance to fully embrace the presence of foreign troops within its borders further complicated efforts to forge a truly effective and unified response to the insurgency.
A profoundly sobering report by the Global Terrorism Index at one point indicated that Boko Haram had tragically surpassed even the Islamic State as the world’s deadliest extremist group. The staggering rise in the number of deaths directly linked to Boko Haram underscored the truly dire and deteriorating situation on the ground. While the military had indeed secured some territorial gains, the group remained a highly dangerous and adaptable threat, demonstrably evolving its tactics to include devastating bombings in urban centres – a constantly mutating and lethal menace.
The situation has, regrettably, deteriorated further in recent years, particularly in regions such as Chibok, which have endured a relentless barrage of attacks – a horrifying 111 recorded incidents since 2014. This sustained violence has resulted in immense loss of life, the destruction of entire communities, and the shattering of countless lives.
Contrary to government pronouncements of a “technical defeat” of Boko Haram, local populations continue to exist under a suffocating cloud of perpetual terror and a deeply felt sense of abandonment by those entrusted with their safety.
In a profoundly revealing interview podcast on Ndeya Television, Manasseh Allen, the National Publicity Secretary of the Chibok Development Association and a direct victim of these appalling atrocities, brought the stark and terrifying reality into sharp focus. He poignantly described how entire communities have effectively become ghost towns due to the abject failure of security forces to provide even a semblance of adequate protection. His powerful criticism of the media’s relative silence on this critical issue and his urgent plea for action underscored the sheer desperation of the situation. With heartbreaking clarity, he stated, “We’re losing families, homes, and futures – this isn’t just a statistic; it’s our everyday life.” This is not merely a matter of policy; it is a profound and ongoing human tragedy demanding immediate and decisive action.
Therefore, it is now absolutely imperative that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu heeds the stark and unequivocal warnings issued by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum regarding the deeply concerning resurgence of Boko Haram. A comprehensive and urgent reassessment of the current counter-insurgency strategy is not merely advisable; it is a non-negotiable necessity. This must be followed by the swift implementation of a proactive, meticulously planned, and adequately resourced strategy to counter these insurgents effectively. This strategy must unequivocally include a renewed and significantly strengthened collaborative effort with neighbouring nations such as Chad and Cameroon to genuinely bolster regional security initiatives. We require not just lip service to cooperation but a tangible and fully integrated joint operational framework.
The rather dismissive downplaying of this serious resurgence by government officials tragically echoes past rhetoric that demonstrably led to ineffective action and a prolonged conflict. Nigeria simply cannot afford a repetition of such misjudgements, particularly given the existing and deeply entrenched societal fault lines that could be dangerously exacerbated by a mishandled resurgence of this magnitude. The time for obfuscation and denial is long past. It is now high time for a profound and honest strategic rethink, coupled with a concerted, unified, and unwavering national effort to tackle this enduring and evolving menace head-on. We must move beyond contradictory pronouncements and embrace a unified and resolute approach, recognising that effectively countering terrorism demands not careless rhetoric, but strategic acumen, unwavering commitment, and, above all, a profound respect for the lives and security of the Nigerian people. The future stability and well-being of the nation hinge precariously on the decisive action taken now.
Leman is former National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
email: shuaibuusmanleman@yahoo.com
