By Emmanuel Onwubiko
The European Union is an amalgam of some of the most
civilized and law abiding nations on the planet earth.
Conversely, the Nigerian Army is the largest force in
black Africa and currently it has a leadership headed by Lieutenant General
Tukur Yusuf Buratai that has fundamentally transformed the institution to one
of the most respected in Africa.
European Union or EU as it is paraphrased is a behemoth
that runs like a mini-world with vibrant parliament; human rights-related
judicial forum and other paraphernalia that marks it out as unique, competent
and trustworthy.
This body is also a very useful development partner of
Nigeria and much of Africa, which is a continent that is navigating through
serial manifestations of self-inflicted underdevelopment, corruption of the
political elite and constant attacks by Islamic terrorists.
The European Union has helped phenomenally in the area
of provisions of the much needed relief materials to the Nigerian citizens
caught in the ongoing terrorists’ attacks in the North East of Nigeria – which
is bigger than two European nations put together in terms of geographical size.
No doubt, North East of Nigeria has come under ferocious
and a resurgence of violent attacks by armed Islamists affiliated to the global
terror networks even as more Nigerians have lost their lives and the conditions
of the population in the different internally displaced persons’ camps have
deteriorated with over two million children facing starvation and imminent
death.
I will return to render the statistical status of
terrorism and its consequences on the global rating of Nigeria.
But first, let me remind our readers that the European
Union has just issued a very extensively damaging report in which it
categorically stated that Nigeria has made no progress in the counter terror
war. This statement has generated varied reactions with some questioning the rationale
and timing of this condemnation from such a reputable global institution like
the European Union.
It was observed that there has been an increased attack
by the group in the last few months despite claims by the Nigerian Government
that the terrorist group had been technically defeated. The Army is still of
the view that it is on the verge of defeating the terrorists.
The European parliament, legislative branch of the
European Union, has expressed concerns over the recent spate of attacks by the
Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria.
According to the media, the parliament said there was no
progress in the fight against the insurgents.
There has been increased attack by the group in the last
few months despite claims by the Nigerian Government that the terrorist group
had been technically defeated.
The EU parliament said, “Terrorist attacks which have
taken place in the country; reiterates its concern about the protracted crisis
in Nigeria and the volatile security situation in the North-East, and strongly
condemns the repeated violations of human rights, international and
humanitarian law, whether based on religion or ethnicity.
“Condemns in particular the recent increase in violence
against ethnic and religious communities, including the targeting of religious
institutions and worshippers.
“Deplores that progress has stalled in the fight against
Boko Haram, ISWAP and the increased occurrence and severity of suicide attacks
and direct attacks against military positions; recalls that Nigeria’s President
Buhari was re-elected in 2019 on the promise of defeating the violent extremism
promoted by Boko Haram and other terror groups, and urges the President to
implement his campaign promises.
“Urges the Nigerian authorities to guarantee respect for
human rights in the country, and to protect the civilian population from
terrorism and violence; insists that such efforts must be conducted in full
accordance with respect for human rights and the rule of law, in line with the
country’s international obligations.
“Considers any form of extermination of human beings or
ethnic cleansing barbaric and a crime against humanity; urges the Nigerian
Government to address the root causes of violence by ensuring equal rights for
all citizens and non-discrimination legislation.”
The parliament said it is deeply worried by reports of
ill-treatment of children detained in military facilities and called on the
Nigerian authorities to allow the United Nations access to its military
detention facilities, sign a formal handover protocol to ensure that children
detained by the military are quickly transferred to appropriate child
protection authorities.
In what can be regarded as an unwelcome coincidence, the
European Union’s indicting statement was issued at the very same week that
residents of Damaturu/Maiduguri adjourning communities are reportedly fleeing
from renewed attacks by boko haram terrorists.
Many residents are said to be fleeing their homes in the
wake of sustained attacks by Boko Haram insurgents along the Maiduguri/Damaturu
Highways.
Reports have it that tension escalated recently owing to
the insecurity at Auno and its environs in Konduga Local Government Area of
Borno State.
The insurgents have been terrorizing motorists and
villagers within the locality for weeks despite the existence of several
military checkpoints. Locals decried that dozens of people were being killed
and many others abducted on a daily basis.
A community leader said: “As of this afternoon, more
than 1,000 people have fled their homes in Auno, many left on Saturday to
Maiduguri. As we are speaking, pickup vans and trucks are conveying people’s
belongings. I’ve begged them not to allow the town to be deserted, but they’re
not listening to me. “President Muhammadu Buhari should come to our aid; we
voted for him to end the war, but unfortunately, we’re going backwards in view
of the daily attacks on the Maiduguri/ Damaturu Road.” A resident Bukar Auno
said: “We’ve discussed with their (troops’) Commanding Officer that we don’t
want gates in the middle of the town. The gate was erected about a month ago or
so, we don’t know the rationale behind putting such a gate inside the town
instead of outside the town.” He further pleaded with the Borno State
government to empower the vigilante and hunters with needed weapons to fight
the insurgents, saying about 75 percent of the people had deserted the town.
Relatedly, the chairman of Network of the Civil Society
Organizations in Borno State, Ahmed Shehu, confirmed that residents of Auno had
fled to Maiduguri.
Meanwhile, the media reports that concerned citizens in
Damaturu have bemoaned the deteriorating insecurity and regular attacks on the
Damaturu-Maiduguri Road. They said people were being killed and abducted daily
on the road.
However, the ever outspoken and professional soldier and
General who commands the Nigerian Army as the chief of Army staff lieutenant
General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has immediately responded by calling for calm.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur
Buratai, asked all local and foreign interests to exhibit more commitment and
restraint on issues of our national security and avoid taking sides. He said
all their actions and utterances must be tailored towards supporting the
national cause with a view to restoring peace and tranquility to Nigeria. The
European Union Parliament had on Sunday reportedly alleged that there was no
progress in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. But is a statement
yesterday by the Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Colonel Aminu
Iliyasu, and the Chief of Army Staff warned all enemies of Nigeria and
Nigerians taking delight in the sufferings of citizens that the day of
reckoning “is at their doorsteps.”
General Buratai enjoined all well-meaning Nigerians,
especially those in the northeast and friends of Nigeria elsewhere to fully
support the counter-insurgency operations as well as the fight against all
forms of criminality across the nation.
He reassured Nigerians that the counter-insurgency
operations in the northeast and other ongoing operations were still on course.
He said current indicators revealed successes across the various theatres of
operations. “After a careful review of the Nigerian Army operations in the
North East, it is pertinent to state that, Headquarters Nigerian Army has
gladly observed the renewed zeal and determination by troops to take the
counter-insurgency operations to its logical conclusion.
“The COAS unequivocally assures troops that their
sacrifices and that of our fallen colleagues will never be in vain as he
reiterates the unreserved commitment of the Nigerian Army to defend our country
and her citizens no matter the prize or odds. “The recent moribund activity of
Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province insurgents is synonymous with the
kicks of a dying horse gasping for the last breath,” he added.
I think what we need and what the military institution
is asking for is for genuine collaboration with international community so the
fight against terrorism is brought to a successful end quickly. I think the
global leaders need to improve their technical assistance to the Nigerian
military so these armed terrorists are decisively defeated. This is no time for
victory song. This is equally no time for blame game. The Nigerian military
have a job to do to defeat the terror groups and the global community should
assist Nigeria. Understandably, Nigeria's standing in the global terror rating
is tragic going by a recent international report.
Specifically, a report identified as the fourth
edition of the Global Terrorism Index which provides a comprehensive summary of
the key global trends and patterns in terrorism over the last 16 years,
covering the period from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2015, contains
facts pointing to the global dimension that the armed Islamists have taken the
terror attacks Nigeria to.
Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the
GTI is based on data from the Global Terrorism Database which is collected and
collated by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to
Terrorism (START), a Department of Homeland Security Centre of Excellence led
by the University of Maryland.
The Global Terrorism Database is considered to be the
most comprehensive dataset on terrorist activity globally and has now codified
over 150,000 terrorist incidents being killed.
We learnt from the executive summary of this report that
Iraq and Nigeria together recorded 5,556 fewer deaths and 1,030 fewer attacks
than in 2014.
However, with a global total of 29,376 deaths, 2015 was
still the second deadliest year on record.
While the weakening of ISIL and Boko Haram in their
central areas of operations in Iraq and Nigeria is positive, this change has
coincided with two key negative trends which have driven up terrorism in the
rest of the world. The first is ISIL’s shift in tactics to transnational
terrorism, not just to other parts of the Middle East but to Europe as well.
The second key negative trend is Boko Haram’s extension into neighboring West
African countries which has led to Cameroon and Niger rising to 13th and 16th
in the GTI.
Accompanied with these two key negative trends was an
increase in the number of ISIL-affiliated groups that undertook attacks. The
research found that the number of countries with greater than 25 deaths rose to
34, an increase of seven to the highest numbers ever recorded. At least six
countries saw very significant deteriorations in their GTI scores in 2015 leading
to large rank changes from the previous year. This accounted for the overall
deterioration in the global GTI score of six per cent as these falls outweighed
the substantial gains in Nigeria and Iraq. These countries include; France,
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Tunisia and Burundi.
The above global research calls our attention to the
need for all hands to be on deck.
This is also a reminder that what Nigerians need now are
decisive international partnerships with the Nigerian Army so the armed terrorists
are defeated.
This is certainly not the recrimination but partnership.
Lastly, we are opposed to the releases of the so called repentant boko haram
terrorists. We believe that armed terrorists should face the long arm of
the law.
*Emmanuel Onwubiko is the Head of the Human Rights
Writers Association of Nigeria and blogs@www.huriwanigeria.
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