By the confident and recurrent manner it attacks its victims, and the fact that three years on, despite the billions of naira expended on the anti-terror campaign including the thousands of security personnel thrown into the latter, the Boko Haram remains a force, means that the group is not alone.
Thus recent revelations that a militant group based in Niger Republic, a neighbouring state to the North of Nigeria has declared that it has links to and works for the dreaded Nigerian terror group did not come as a surprise. In fact, it has long been suspected that the militant group that has caused so much death and sorrow in Nigeria has outside collaborators.
According to reports, the militant collaborators are based in the town of Diffa, South-east of Niger Republic, and routinely offer assistance to Boko Haram. Though this group was not named by the BBC that made the matter public, the group,comprising young persons in their teens and early 20s, confessed to their links with Boko Haram, revealing further that the group pays them huge money!
It is note-worthy that the group involved in the threat against the country are not professional terrorists or those propelled by political ideology but by unemployment and poverty. It is possible that there could be groups also in Chad and Cameroon with similar motives and who render assistance to Boko Haram. Therefore, while Nigeria cannot identify these groups and pay them princely sums, it is important that Nigeria opens communication with the governments of neighbouring countries to the north to form a security coordinating committee to monitor our common border.
Second, given the role of unemployment and poverty, the decision of the expanded national security meeting between President GoodluckJonathan and the 36 state governors which, among other recommendations, identified poverty alleviation, as a solution to the insurgency menace, is in order. Nigeria should recommend a poverty alleviation scheme to governments of its neighbours in the border areas of their countries so as to keep most idle youths productively and profitably-engaged.
It should be noted that offshore links provide not only help for Boko Haram terrorists, but also information, supply of weapons as well as sanctuary for the terrorists. Neighbouring states to Nigeria should be encouraged to discourage the nurturing of terrorism or militancy on their borders even if for now, Nigeria is the only victim. It is only a matter of time before those who are into part-time terrorism go full-time and practise on their home territory, especially if there is huge money involved.
We believe that if the Nigerian government takes the anti-terror campaign seriously, and enlist the assistance and support of neighbouring countries whose well-being is tied to that of Nigeria; there would be noticeable results in the campaign.
While containing the Boko Haram around our borders may not be impossible, the greater headache is how to deal with Boko Haram collaborators like Al Qaeda and Al Shabab, who are driven by ideology and who have been fighting international armies in the war on terror.
As already identified during last week’s Security Council meeting, the nation should be united to win the war on terror. Accusations and counter-accusations and attempts by parties to taint their counterparts as sponsors of terror are in bad taste and irresponsible. While all stakeholders should show maturity and responsibility, President Jonathan should stop all forms of political campaigns disguised as state visits until the INEC designated political campaign starts. That way, the President can show leadership and galvanise the nation, irrespective of political leanings to combat the threat of the Boko Haram terrorists.
