Prior to the declaration of state of emergency and
deployment of troops to three of the North eastern
states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa due to the
activities of the terrorist sect of boko haram, and
quite unlike Adamawa or Yobe states, there were
two parallel governments in Borno as Boko Haram
had virtually taken over the state.
Nigerians who do not know what was happening in
Borno greatly criticised the declaration of State Of
Emergency by the President especially fellow
Northerners who misinterpreted the move.
Earlier, the Borno elders council called on the
president to withdraw the JTF from Borno and other
Nigerians followed both calling on secession of
military activities and a negotiation with the Boko
Haram sect, who will never listen to nobody except
their Shura Council, which had turned a blind eye
to that call. One does not expect them to come to
the table when they are ‘winning’ the war against
the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Anyone from Borno or who has been to places like
Maiduguri at least for a week will opt for a military
option to fight the insurgents rather than
negotiate. Negotiation will be the final option one
day when the might of Boko Haram has been
totally broken by the Nigerian army. Now that the
sect is on the run, with proper approach the only
option left for Boko Haram will be to ask for the
negotiation table or face annihilation.
There was a time when one cannot drive his car to
Mafa, Dikwa, or Ngala not to talk of heading north
towards Marte. The chances of running into a Boko
Haram checkpoint is 99%. The harm that such a
person faces if this happens is better left to the
imagination. The towns mentioned lie on a major
road linking Nigeria to the republic of Chad and
Cameroon, unarguably buzzling with commercial
activities for all countries connected by it.
Sometimes last week, I drove all the way to Dikwa
town alone, and although the road was deserted, I
was confident and for the first time in a very long
time I was not afraid.
It was on that road that my principal Alhaji Tijani
Mafi and others were ambushed and shot by Boko
Haram scouts. At Dikwa the people I was able to
talk to were happy with the presence of the federal
troops. A village head and his son in one of the
Shuwa villages after Dikwa proudly told me how
they welcome the soldiers to their village. He said
men, women and children came out chanting songs
as the Nigerian soldiers arrived.
“That night I slaughtered my biggest bull to
celebrate their arrival. Tell me, what is one bull
compared to the number of cows we lost to Boko
Haram” the village head retorted.
I later found out that young girls have been
abducted from that village too. I have been to that
village just before the declaration of state of
emergency and I saw the sect had virtually taken
over the village. Armed youth with AK47 patrol the
market with their Toyota Hilux parked. Abduction
of girls are hardly mentioned for the Shuwa Arab
see it as shame and a weakness to have failed in
protecting their daughters and wives. A number of
young men and fathers have been put to the knife
for making an effort to stand of for their sisters or
daughters also.
I have not been to Marte or Krenoa since the
military operations started but I have been to Bama
and other places and from the reaction of the
people they are not only happy with deployment of
troops but are quite happy with the president. His
approval ratings in the villages have skyrocketed.
What my politicians do not want has somehow
happened.
“We thought the government has abandoned us to
our fate” a villager who lost a wife and two sons
said.
An old fisherman from the village of Alau pointed
out that “the president did the right thing by
sending troops to liberate us from Boko Haram. I
may not forgive him for doing nothing before when
he has the power to do that all along”.
Just after Maiduguri are villages I often visit, places
I dare not go some few weeks ago. Although, there
is no presence of the army there, villagers said they
came and moved on to Sambisa but expressed the
joy of their protection even when not stationed
there. These villagers equally claimed men and
women have been abducted from their villages;
while some were released, others are yet to be.
I also had the privileged to talk to a number of the
victims. Sadly, I could not talk to the females as
their parents are still under the fear that Boko
Haram fighters might come back. An elderly man in
his late 70s who was abducted by members of the
insurgents said they came in with two vehicles
dressed in military uniforms and called on all the
villagers to assemble. The innocent villagers came
out thinking it was the army that summoned them.
The armed youth now ordered all those working for
or have ever worked for the government to move to
one side. They ordered the women to move to
another side and further separated the married
women from the unmarried. The old man who was
a retired police officer and four others were taken.
Two armed men who the villagers confirmed were
foreigners identified themselves as soldiers of Bin
Laden who came to aid their brothers in Nigeria,
walked towards the girls and picked out four young
girls. They called out the girl’s parents and told
them they have claimed the girls as their wives and
gave the parents five thousand Naira each as
dowries and drove off with their victims. One of the
girls is still missing.
The best of their cattles were selected by the sect
and taken from time to time as they watched
helplessly.
Even within the Borno capital city of Maiduguri, one
could feel the palpitations of fear but now the
people have a level of courage never seen or
imagined. They do not just point out to the soldiers
where or who is a member of the Boko Haram
insurgent, they indeed catch and deliver them to
the soldiers.
Two fighters known to have been terrorising
Bulabulin ward of Maiduguri were apprehended
and handed over to the JTF along with their guns
on separate incidents. There was also a report of a
lone fighter who surrendered himself to the JTF
with his gun. Now, the people catch and deliver
sect members to the security operatives and
prepare for any eventual retaliatory attack. The few
counter-attacks from the insurgents resulted in the
killings of those who partake in the apprehension of
their members but the people are undeterred and
has further apprehended more which shows that
the people are tired and have confidence in the
army unlike before.
The JTF itself has changed tactics in dealing with
civilians. The people are no longer afraid of the
army or the JTF. These are the feels of residents of
Maiduguri and the different villages hitherto
subdued by Boko Haram.
One would shudder listening to the plight of
residents during the invasion of their villages and
can appreciate the liberty they now feel with the
intervention by the soldiers.
Imagine living with people whose slightest
provocation result in death. Many young girls were
abducted and raped. The atrocities were just too
many and too painful to recount.
Suffice to mention that in Bulabulin Garanam,
Zajeri and Umamarari wards, we are yet to hear of
military operations neither is it accurate to affirm
residents’ cooperation with the JTF. Some sect
members apprehended in other wards had turned
out to be from Bulabulin Garannam or Gonglong
wards – known Boko Haram strongholds in
Maiduguri.
Well, the people of Borno have sacrificed and risked
their lives to corporate with the JTF in other to
achieve peace. My prayer is for the government to
pursue this fight to the end, to fight the insurgents
to the finish. We must appreciate the danger
should these killers be allowed to organise
themselves again. The peaceful people of Borno
state, including the villages that welcome the army
amidst songs and celebrations will be in serious
trouble.
Should the army fail in this operation, one can
consider fatality beyond comprehension.
The people have suffered in the hands of Boko
Haram as well as in the hands of the JTF. Nigerians
abandoned us then, we do not want a repeat.
Now that the government has taken the right
steps. We should all give the needed support even
though our lives are in danger, to secure a future
for our children even if we are not going to share in
that future.
- Ahmadu Jirgi (Twitter – @jirgispeaks) writes from
Borno, Nigeria

...as it dwindles among Tinubu, Abubakar Shekau and Buhari foot soldiers for the 'unconstitutional act' of flushing out people who have murdered the innocent, bombed churches and killed seasoned acdemics.

all hail jonathan. go go go go 2015.

This cheating BH must stay so as to discredit gej in the north. Buhari and thieftunbu must rule nigeria by power by fire or else DOG AND BABOON WILL BE SOAK IN BLOOD.

I have repeatedly said it that if GEJ by any means wins this fight against the BH insurgents then those agitating for northern president and those who plan to wrestle power from GEJ come 2015 can as well forget it entirely cos GEJ would massively win the love, support and votes of the local people in the north who have seen the eye of the BH storm face to face. If peace ever returns to the north, which I personally pray it does, then those illwill politicians are swimming against the current in their 2015 ambition.
God bless Nigeria and Nigerians

Gej all d way. Ur name ''GOODLUCK'' has indeed brought essential luck to Nigeria in all ramification. Afcon Champions, free n fair elections under ur nose. True democracy. Many more

"Skyrockets"
Mmmh.. I like your choice of word. Desperado!

kk

Good people need to get as brutal as the bad!!!

NO SURRENDER


[size=16pt]GEJ[/size] [size=16pt]CARRY GO[/size] [size=16pt]2015[/size]

Is this not suppose to make FP?

a piece f advice 2 opposition party allow pdp(GEJ) 2 continue cos if dey contest,dey're only throwin their money 2 d wind.

Such a touching thread . . . Kudos to the JTF and locals . . .

I gov Rotimi C Ameachi am totally against the declaration of a SOE in Borno state.

The dog has push the goat to the wall for far too long and the goat has decided to fight back.
Let support and cleanse the Bh boy off our country

1MCN: I have repeatedly said it that if GEJ by any means wins this fight against the BH insurgents then those agitating for northern president and those who plan to wrestle power from GEJ come 2015 can as well forget it entirely cos GEJ would massively win the love, support and votes of the local people in the north who have seen the eye of the BH storm face to face. If peace ever returns to the north, which I personally pray it does, then those illwill politicians are swimming against the current in their 2015 ambition.
God bless Nigeria and Nigerians

My dear I have been following you posts. You are simply too much.

it beats my imagination that some people were demanding amnesty for this boko haram guys and the worst part is that somebody compared them with the niger delta militant. The Civilian jtf, they deserve a national award, Gej should not forget that.