In an instructive piece titled, “Insecurity, Cynics And President Tinubu’s Whirl Stroke,” this column had, a fortnight ago, highlighted the efforts of the Renewed Hope Agenda as it borders on security of lives and property. Needless to reemphasise, security is the thermometer with which the sanctity and sovereignty of any nation is gauged.
Additionally, among the comity of nations, a country’s ability to secure its boarders, lives and property does not only determine the respect it gets but also determines the volume of Foreign Direct Investments it attracts.
In appreciation of the foregoing, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu threw every inch of his expertise, energy and know-how from the blast of the whistle on May 29, 2023. He vowed to clear the North-east of every form of terror and criminality. Did he achieve this?
Are there still concerns in the North-east? Certainly not! When the North-west was in flames, he vowed to pursue the bandits into hiding. Did he achieve it? With the long list of terror leaders that have met their waterloo, is Tinubu still to be taken for granted? Not at all!
With the above questions answered in the affirmative, it therefore underscores the need for Nigerians to take the latest presidential redline to terrorists with every seriousness it deserves. “Surrender or be killed,” is a threat that will never fall to the ground.
Let me make it clearer, that the import of President Tinubu’s redline to elements of terror is that the days of terrorism and politics of blackmail, through second or third party, are numbered. The laws of the country should not be taken for granted.
With the commander-in-chief himself drawing the redline, Nigerians can now stand firm against those capitalising on terrorism to destroy their future. We must also make it clear that those who hijacked our palliatives, local government funds, and our state resources, leaving Nigerians in a manufactured abject poverty and slavery are also contributing factors to terrorism.
Let’s support our government under Tinubu in the bid to take the country to greater heights, and leave these political backlogs with no vision for the productivity and growth of Nigeria to wallow in their sins.
Tinubu spoke as commander-in-chief and statesman. An average politician is mostly concerned about how to win the next election. But Tinubu is concerned about the future of the country’s youths and posterity. He is not like others who want political power for the fun of it.
He is not a power monger. He wants political power for the transformation it can wroth in the society. For all cadres of politicians, including those of the opposition, Tinubu is a textbook to study, instead of throwing needless tantrums.
As a boardroom guru before he became president, Tinubu understands the dynamics and interplay of factors in constructing a peaceful human society. This explains why he came into office armed with multi-pronged strategies – both kinetic and non-kinetic approach – to solve the security dilemma which has defied his predecessors among whom are retired military Generals.
Hence, the recent redline drawn by Tinubu for terrorists to surrender is not coming to those who have been following the trajectory of his 17-month old administration with an open mind. In the article earlier referenced which was published about two weeks ago, I painstakingly analysed bandit kingpins who met their waterloo under Tinubu’s command.
Permit me to submit that one thing that has worked effectively for the counter terrorism under this administration is synergy. Unlike in the past when an express order from the top are disregarded or ignored, the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) headed by a seasoned detective and renowned anti-graft czar, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has coordinated the security strategy of this administration brilliantly. For want of what to capitalise on, there are no fifth columnists to sabotage government’s security efforts.
Internationally, one of the reasons for the success of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in the United States was inter-agency rivalry. The Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), all wanted to take the glory for busting the terror plans. In the process, the terrorists were able to execute their dastardly act. The same is not true of security agencies under Tinubu’s watch. They all have their hands on the deck. Inter-agency collaboration is paying off.
Only in September, the troops of Operation Safe Haven in Plateau state arrested two more gunrunners while negotiating to sell ammunition amounting to N5 million in Bokkos local government area of the state. This came barely 72 hours after the troops arrested five notorious gunrunners at Bayameni community, along Bauchi Road in Jos North LGA of the state, leading to the recovery of automatic weapons and about 6,000 rounds of assorted ammunition. These successes were only made possible on account of robust intelligence as inter-agency cooperation is fully activated.
More so, the hitherto accusation of tacit government’s support for terrorists is gone. The purity of President Tinubu’s resolve to rid Nigeria of crimes and criminality is clear, hence, the unwavering support of security agencies. With the latest red eye from the president, it’s only a matter of time before the activities of dare-devil terrorist like Bello Turji becomes history. This renewed order should serve as impetus for the Air Force and Army to pound and comb forests around Zamfara to smoke out Turji and his cohorts.
As I succinctly captured in my referenced column of 26th September, these efforts – rearming of our fighting men and boosting the Air power of our Air Force – are already paying off on all fronts. Over 9,300 bandits and insurgents have been killed, while 7,000 have since been arrested in the last one year. And then came the onslaught in which the Nigerian Army killed a notorious bandit leader and arms supplier, Kachalla Halilu Sububu, in a major operation against bandits in the North-west. The end also came recently for Buhari Alhaji Halidu, otherwise known as “Buharin Yadi”, who unleashed terror on citizens in Katsina state, and indeed parts of Niger and Zamfara states.
Another bandit kingpin, commonly called Dangote, was killed in a gun battle within Kachalla Dankarami’s camp along the Dumbunrun Forest between Batsari and Jibia local government areas of Katsina state. Also, Boderi Isyaku, notorious bandit leader responsible for the kidnapping of 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation and the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, in 2021, was eliminated by the military. Similarly, Kachalla Tukur Sharme, alias Dan Chaki, a notorious bandit commander, and members of his gang were killed in a rival fratricidal clash.
Similarly, Dogo Gudali, a notorious bandit leader in Zamfara state, was killed, while Dogo Rabe was killed in an Air Force strike in communities between the Zurmi and Birnin Magaji areas in Zamfara state, and Jibia in Katsina state. Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga were killed alongside many of their gang members in a raid on their enclaves at Gusami Forest and Tsamre village in Birnin Magaji LGA of Zamfara state, while Rufai Maikaji who was a deadly bandit who commanded over 100 fighters in the state met his much expected end. Another bandit leader, Ya’u, was killed in an ambush by the troops at a strategic crossing point in Burra, Ningi. Yet, another notorious bandits leaders, Alhaji Karki and “Yellow”, were killed in Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina states.
What’s remaining now is a mop-up operation to clear off remnants. In the last few weeks, the stories of attacks by terrorists are gradually disappearing from the pages of our national dailies. The cumulative effect of these successes is that farmers are returning to their farms. It will, in turn, impact positively on food availability, thereby forcing down the prices of food items. President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to eradicating terrorism in Nigeria is yielding remarkable results. His administration’s multi-pronged strategy, combining kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, has successfully dismantled terrorist networks and restored hope to Nigerians. The synergy among security agencies, coordinated by the NSA, has been instrumental in achieving these successes.
In conclusion, we all must understand that the latest presidential redline to terrorists, “Surrender or be killed,” is proof of Tinubu’s resolve. With over 9,300 bandits and insurgents killed and 7,000 arrested, the tide is turning in favour of Nigeria. The elimination of notorious terrorist leaders has significantly weakened terrorist groups. As the military continues to pound and comb forests, the activities of dare-devil terrorists like Turji will soon become history. The renewed order has galvanised the Air Force and Army to intensify their efforts, and the results are evident. Farmers are returning to their farms, and food availability is increasing, leading to decreased prices.
President Tinubu’s leadership has demonstrated that security is not just a priority but a foundation for Nigeria’s prosperity. His commitment to transforming society, rather than seeking power for its own sake, has earned him recognition as a statesman. As Nigeria moves forward, the Tinubu administration will continue to prioritize security, ensuring a brighter future for all Nigerians. All that’s needed for Nigeria to put this security challenges behind is continuous support from the citizens.
God bless Nigeria!