Lip Service to Security: Boko Haram Laughs

Tortoise, the animal renowned for her wits, one day, summoned her innocent young ones and posed this brain teaser: “How many times would you have a life-threatening experience and you learn from it?” One of them answered, “Twice”. The mother gave her a thorough beating at the amazement of some who felt two was too small a number. A clever one among them, however answered: “I do not wish to experience it at all (since I may not live to tell the story).”

The latter was highly commended by the mother and was, as a result, used for responsible roles in the household. With regard to the Boko Haram threat in Nigeria, Nigerian leaders, nay, all Nigerians, are like the former, only they are even more foolish, having experienced more than ‘twice’ of Boko Haram and yet do not seem to have learnt.

Each time I read or hear one of the empty talks about security beefing-up in Nigeria, my mind immediately goes to the Boko Haram masterminds, who would sure be thrown into mocking laughter. Yes, why would Boko Haram take Nigeria seriously when they are very much aware that such talks are mere empty gongs, which do not translate into concrete actions? Why would Boko Haram take Nigerian leaders seriously when they know the Government only pays lip service to security? How would they take Nigeria serious when they are quite sure Nigerians are not only lacking the weapons but also the very will to combat them? How should they take Nigerians seriously when the citizenry wine and dine with them on daily basis, and sometimes invite them for friendly chats in the name of dialogue?

Never in the history of playing with fire has such unseriousness been recorded visa-a-vis government’s response to a mortal danger. The perpetrators of the recent attack in Abuja and major cities in the Northern Nigeria are, no doubt, still very much around, making merry and planning another attack. They have not fled the country because there is no safer haven than Nigeria. Indeed there is no need to leave the country, for nothing meaningful has so far been done to get hold of them. Since after the most recent attacks, each passing day all the more reveals the incompetence of Nigeria as a polity to stem the tide of Boko Haram attacks. The Presidency and the Security agents have shown evident signs of failure in the leadership of Nigeria.

This markedly contrasts with the response that would have been expected from more security-conscious countries. For instance, in 2001, the United States had her security challenge but confronted it headlong by putting up more watertight security measures. Since then, she has been at the vanguard of a global anti-terror campaign as a preemptive/preventive move against future attacks. This has largely paid off, since there has never been a repeat. They learnt there lessons after just one ugly experience.

But did Nigeria learn their lessons after the embarrassing attack the very day they marked their 50^th Independence anniversary? Seeing that such a national embarrassment was not embarrassing enough for Nigerians, the sect was then emboldened to fully unwrap their malicious package. Subsequent ones therefore followed and, each time, they had a field day and rode dry shod. And, in this most recent one on the UN building, all Nigerians witness is nothing but the usual rhetoric and empty promises of ‘beefing-up’ security. Boko haram laughs – only a few casual meetings are enough to execute yet another successful operation! And after executing that, they might leisurely sit around and watch the ‘toothless bulldogs’ bark for some days and invite them for a dialogue. This has been the trend.

Boko Haram is very much at ease and enjoying a field day because it is dealing with focus-less government and a confused people. I doubt whether Boko Haram would have been so much at ease if it were operating in, say, the State of Israel. Israel would have been able to rout them completely or, at least put them on their toes. Boko Haram is no where as deadly and sophisticated as Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Middle East. Yet Israel has contained them to a reasonable extent, without engaging them in any cowardly ‘dialogue’ [dialogue is efficacious, though, but only when it has a basis and focus].

It could be recalled that a similar unseriousness was shown when kidnapping was rearing its ugly head. Today, kidnapping in Nigeria has become a perennial problem, a national identity, indeed, a byword for Nigeria. Any malaise that finds its way into the country easily spreads and ossifies. This is so because of the characteristics lack of will to combat evil and fight crimes in Nigeria.

Combating Boko Haram is possible, but that collective will to combat evil must have to be demonstrated. In fact, combating Boko Haram would involve a whole change of orientation, especially on the part of the security agents. The mind-set must be healed, and the culture of irresponsibility/ unseriousness thrown to the winds. The criminal culture now ruling the country must be overthrown, and the culture of impunity eschewed. Security is a larger-than-life reality which involves discipline and restraint. For instance, the police cannot combat Boko Haram if they are easily bribed with money. The suicide-bomber that attacked the UN building in Abuja must have crossed several police checkpoints because the policemen there were only interested in extorting harmless motorists. Some of this malaise must have to be addressed if we must make any head way in fighting crimes.

I am afraid Nigerians are yet to see the worst of Boko Haram. Boko Haram may continue to laugh Nigerians and their self-acclaimed leaders to scorn until Nigerians demonstrate the collective will to combat it.