The Horizon by Kayode Komolafe: Email: kayode.Komolafe@thisdaylive.com
While the security debate continues on the workable strategy to put an end to terror activities in parts of the country, it was yet another round of mass murder on Monday in Kano. The killers seem not to be part of the debate and that should be instructive to those who genuinely seek solutions to the problem.
At least 23 persons were killed in bomb blasts targeted at a Lagos-bound bus in a motor park. On the same day of these horrendous acts in Kano, three teachers were killed and some of their pupils injured in two secondary schools in Maiduguri. Bloodletting is almost becoming a routine act in some areas.
As we commiserate with those who have lost their loved ones in these mindless killings, every act of terror should be a chilling reminder of the dire need of strategy of to stop this worsening trend. The profile of the crime has again shown that there is no time to waste on the part of the government as well as the people. The national outrage generated by this incident and several others before it should be converted into genuine efforts to end this reign of terror. There is a clear tendency that things could degenerate further unless the government comes up with a broad strategy to be supported by all peace-loving people.
As at yesterday evening, no group had claimed responsibility for the latest bomb blasts in Kano. When the President visited Borno and Yobe a fortnight ago in response to the state of insecurity in those areas, the debate on a suggested amnesty for Boko Haram became louder. Questions have been raised about the true identity of the leaders of the group. The issue has also been raised about what to do with a group such as Ansaru which is believed to be a derivative of Boko Haram. If the purpose of those responsible for the Monday blasts in Kano is to draw attention to any cause however defined, such an aim was tragically achieved. The act fits into what anarchists call “propaganda by deed”. By the time the identities of those killers are known, it would be clear that the perpetrators’ aim is to make the crisis multidimensional.
The magnitude of the violence is quite reminiscent of earlier ones such as the several explosions that shook parts of the Kano city on January 20 last year, the attack on the Emir of Kano in which his body guards were killed and the killings of the polio-immunisation workers among other terrible incidents. Kano, like some other places in the north, has witnessed several of these killings in the last few years. So if it is attention that the killers want, they should have sufficiently got it. The impact on the economy and social lives of the areas seriously affected has been devastating. The human and material costs of the violence have been enormous.
It has been officially argued, with a measure of justification, that but for the activities of the Joint Task Force combatting the insurgents the terror activities could have spread wider in the country. So it would not be a fair comment to say that the various security organisations are not working to stem the tide of the activities of the groups and possibly some individuals responsible for the violence. There have been reports of the killings of soldiers, policemen and the personnel of the State Security Service (SSS). In fact, President Goodluck Jonathan expressed outrage at the killings of the JTF members during the visit to Borno and Yobe states. Yet, it is not as if the security organisations are overwhelmed by the terror activities. There have been reports of significant efforts to put an end to the activities. For instance, from its periodic briefings, the SSS has shown that a lot of work has been done to curb the activities of the terror groups. Weapon factories have been unveiled and closed down; significant arrests have been made and some disasters have been prevented. There have been recent reports of the JTF pounding the bases of the insurgents and seizing their weapons.
However, with the sort of horrific news coming out of Kano on Monday evening it is also legitimate for the anxious public to feel that not enough has been done to put an end to terror. After all, people talk of security in relative terms. That is why the call for a rethink of the
strategy is not a misplaced one. There should be elements to the strategy. First, inter-agency cooperation based on mutual confidence is important for effectiveness. Again, that in it is a matter of overall strategic coordination of efforts. Secondly, the security and political aspects of the strategy should not be seen as mutually exclusive. The solution to the problem is not going to be mechanical one because of its complex nature. As pointed out in the foregoing, the type of bombing that took place in Kano on Monday could even make the crisis multi-dimensional.
strategy is not a misplaced one. There should be elements to the strategy. First, inter-agency cooperation based on mutual confidence is important for effectiveness. Again, that in it is a matter of overall strategic coordination of efforts. Secondly, the security and political aspects of the strategy should not be seen as mutually exclusive. The solution to the problem is not going to be mechanical one because of its complex nature. As pointed out in the foregoing, the type of bombing that took place in Kano on Monday could even make the crisis multi-dimensional.
While the security organisations do their work, the President will have to work more closely with the governors and leaders in their respective states to find a solution. Thirdly, the people should support the government’s efforts to end this nightmare. It is in this light that the public discussion of the workable options of strategy is a healthy one.There must be an end to this bloodletting
No comments:
Post a Comment