DAVID ATTAH writes that after a season of losses and anguish, relative peace is returning to the North
Despite the ubiquitous presence of heavily armed soldiers, riot policemen, as well as the sundry check-points in the state, Kaduna is becoming habitable again. The state and some parts of the North have been hit on many occasions by terrorists since the beginning of the year, no thanks to Boko Haram that vowed to make the country ungovernable. From the North-West to North-Central and the North-East, it had been gory tales all through, leaving children orphaned and women widowed and above all, making the region to dip economically.
The relative peace in some northern parts of the country in recent times has been partly traced to the changing of baton in the security circle.
It was gathered that the removal of the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi, and replacing him with Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), a northerner, is part of the wand that is currently transmuting into the relative peace being enjoyed in the region today. Azazi was fired in June 2012.
On assumption of office, the new NSA embarked on a peace mission in the North. He visited the emirs and the chiefs in their domains and appealed to them to caution their wards/children. Observers in the region saw this move as a masterstroke, which has started to pay off. However, there could still be isolated pockets of violence.
The former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki (who is the NSA’s father), had blamed the insecurity ravaging the country on injustice and bad governance, and urged the government to ensure justice in all its endeavours if Nigeria was to overcome the challenges of the Boko Haram insurgency.
“Greatness is not achieved by proclamation but by hard work, honesty and transparency. The leaders and whole society need to be honest, just and fair for the country to develop and for its people to grow. Let the government from the local government to the Presidency declare justice and everything would be all right, the insecurity would be resolved, the bombing would stop and corruption would end,” he had said.
Although the government claimed that it had begun a dialogue with the sect, it is not really clear yet whether the dialogue theory is responsible for the relative peace being enjoyed now. However, facts emerging show that the sect members “do not trust the Federal Government on the so-called peace talks. The fear is that they could even be arrested. The government is just being deceptive about the entire saga.”
According to the Civil Rights Congress’ National President, Shehu Sani, the FG’s claim that it began a dialogue with the sect is a complete farce.
The human rights activist noted that the so-called talks may have been designed by the government to give Nigerians a false sense of belief that they were on the verge of combating the security challenges in the country. He pointed out that the fact that the Islamic sect has not come out categorically to the public, through its channel of communication on the decision to hold talks, was enough for Nigerians to ponder if the government’s claim was true.
“I am not aware of any talk going on. No credible talk is going on. If there is going to be any genuine talk, there should be a confirmation from the leadership of the group and not the government. Boko Haram, from what we know, the only channel of communication by the group is through YouTube posting by the leader, Mallam Shekarau. And as far as I am concerned, I do not think or believe that there is any dialogue going on because it has not come from the usual source,” he said.
Tired of the incessant bombings in the North and sensing that the economic fortunes of the region were fast dwindling, the 19 governors in the region on Aug.13, 2012, decided to set up a 41-man committee to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency. The committee, comprising security experts, retired military generals and diplomats, was inaugurated on Aug. 22 at the Niger State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.
Members of the panel are Ambassador Zakari Ibrahim, Prof. Tijani El-Miskin, Prof. Shedrack Best, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, Prof. Habu Galadima, AIG Hamisu Ali Jos (retd.), Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (retd.), Prof. Muhammad Akaro Mainoma, Hajiya Dije Bala, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Usman (retd.), Prof. Sani Abdulkadir, AVM Mukhtar Mohammed (retd.), Justice Umaru Abdullahi, Hajia Mariam Uwais, Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, Group Capt. Bilal Bulama (retd.), Col. Musa Shehu (retd.), Iliya Ithuve, Ali M. Dandiya, Gen. G.P. Zidon (retd.) and Justice Usman Baba Liman.
Others are Sheikh Mohammed Mafara, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, Karibullah Kabara, Sheikh Yusuf Rigachikun, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, Bishop Michael Apochi, Imam Goni Gabcha, Imam Salman Ankpa, Bishop Buba Wusasa, Rev. Kalla Abari, HRH, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, the Emir of Ilorin, Kwara; HRH, Alhaji Zaiyanu Abdullahi, the Emir of Yauri, Kebbi; HRH, Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, the Lamido of Adamawa; HRH, Nde Joshua Ngas; Dr. Kole Shettima, Dr. Shettima Ali, Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Oyebode, Murtala Mohammed Foundation, Dr. Nguyan Feese, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, and Kathleen McGarvey.
The main term of reference of the committee “is to engender the restoration of the most desired peaceful co-existence, unity and development in the entire region.”
Secretary to the Government of Niger State and Chairman, Forum of Secretaries to the Government of Northern States, Daniel Shashere, said, “The Northern Governors’ Forum has left no one in doubt about its concern for the general welfare of the people in its areas of jurisdiction. Therefore, it has made several attempts to address the unabating security challenge confronting the region, which has not only led to massive loss of lives and property, but has also severely altered the harmonious community relations established and nurtured over several decades among the peace-loving people of the region.
“The negative consequences of insecurity for freedom, liberty and the thriving economic activities within the Northern states are very serious. It is in recognition and total concern for the hard-earned national peace and harmony of our great country, Nigeria, that the forum decided at its meeting held on July 26, 2012, to constitute a high-powered committee to handle issues bordering on reconciliation, healing, peace and security within the troubled areas across the Northern states of the federation.
“The committee comprises very eminent personalities from diverse backgrounds, with the mandate to fashion out strategies to address the disturbing state of insecurity, and proffer practical and enduring solutions to the forum.”
As a way forward, Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State pushed for a public hearing, where all those aggrieved would discuss frankly to restore peace and security in the country.
Suswan, speaking through his Special Adviser on Ethics and Religion, Mr. David Agada, at the second National Peace and Unity Conference in Abuja, noted that instead of fighting “our enemies which are ignorance, poverty, diseases, hunger, illiteracy, unemployment among several others, we are fighting one another. Instead of investing our resources in infrastructure provision and other spheres of development, we are investing in security gadgets as well as peace efforts.”
A former FCT Minister and Chairman, National Council for Peace and Unity, Muhammed Abba-Gana, suggested that Lagos, Abia and Edo states should be emulated to tackle the issue of Boko Haram. He said that the northern governments should learn from Lagos State on how it was able to handle the issue of Oodua People’s Congress and Area Boys and how Abia State tackled the Bakassi Boys.
Besides, the coming of the new Kaduna Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, is said to be another factor for the seeming ceasefire in the state. Sources at the state police command told our correspondent in confidence that “the new CP is not new to Kaduna State. He was here as the Officer in Charge of Operations in 2002, during the Miss World beauty pageant riots. So, he knows the in and out of the state and those that matter.”
But whatever may be the case, peace is gradually returning to the North. More so, the umbrella body of the region, Arewa Consultative Forum, had cautioned members of the Boko Haram sect to embrace the offer of dialogue by the Federal Government and lay down their arms.
David Attah, via Punch
