I think the act of the military descending on hapless civilians is a sign of frustration on the side of the soldiers. It doesn't bode well for the country as these men should be kept on a leash and used sparingly. Signs of weakness from the top as we may be seeing can only lead to mutiny among the rank and file. Our government should wake up from their slumber and smell the cookie burning.

While trying to confront them is going on, effort should be put in place to tighten our borders, most of these guys doing this are not from Nigeria.

Winnerslfc:

Ho! We are in for another unnecessary propaganda.
"The military are killing INNOCENT civilians."
That may sound sympathetic but the boko haram we are talking about here, who are they? Military or civilians.
If civilians, now how the heck do you want security operatives to go about differentiating between boko haram and civilians haan?
Has boko haram ever told Nigerians that their uniform is this or that?
Even as we all are writing here, i can say that not all here are genuine. We may even have some boko haram members here who are also reading and commenting. So how do we as Nairalanders distinguish between the genuine ones here and otherwise.

Lets not forget that according to the news, the group had the temerity to engage the military in a gun fight. At such, how can the military know who is who? And what the heck were those 'civilians' doing at that point?

This issue is beyond the way some of us think it to be. Lets support the military by giving necessary information rather than making noise.

What this civilians dont know is that they are feeding a shark that will one day bite them.

Please someone should help me tell GEJ to appoint me as his special adviser on Boko Haram if he is clueless on what to do.

Hmmmmmmm! There is real fire on the mountain.

whenever you support killing of civilians because they are not from your area, you are setting the stage for the same treatment 5, 10, 20 years in your area
Imagine Maiduguri people supporting bombing odi or Zaki Biam a few years ago
Now they are at the receiving end
I never support the killing of innocents
That soldiers are attacked by BH show weakness of strategy. Afterall if they are not concentrated in one place, it would be fool\hardy for anyone to take them on. If you have 3 trucks spaced 100m apart, it would be useless trying to attack them
I also find it hard to accept that the civilians support BH. Afterall the same BH bomb beer parlours and similar outfits
Will those people support BH? Do people support terrorists willingly or by intimidation? And if they do report will the police act on time?
People don't report armed robbery suspect even in the South because the people don't trust the police

Mk dey separate us shikena

edoyad:

'innocent civilians' here , if that's what they really are could be seen as collateral damage. It happens every where, just switch to CNN and you'll see the same happening in Afghanistan. Does that make the US army as bad as Alqaeda ?

[size=18pt]Actually no, they are worse than Al Qaeda
If you add 911 for the benefit of argument and add all people that al qaeda killed is nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands that US army killed in Iraq after it lied they had WMD and ended up giving innocent iraqi depleted uranium not to mention afghanistan and now pakistan via Reapers
Now who is worse?
While the media blames islamists everytime it keeps shut on the us army
Who is worse?[/size]

Made a mistake the font is too big, not what i intended
But sha enjoy

There is no difference between BK, its supporters, sympathizers, and apologists. This is the reason why the whole city should be leveled to the ground by the army. If you level Maiduguri, and people in Bauchi saw what happened, do you think they will think twice about haboring BK again? Same with that pocket of BK in Suleja, somebody is providing with shelter and blaming GEJ for being weak
ODI solution any day

Perhaps its time we all see the tough job our security forces are facing. Like it or not, everyone in Borno is now a suspected BH member. Until the people start coming out to give vital info about this group, the the security forces will not be out of place in arresting 'innocent' civilians. Unconventional guerrilla warfare sometimes require these measures. While I detest killing people at will, I think it is OK for soldiers to arrest as many people as possible while trying to do their investigations. Innocents should be released immediately after proven innocent.
BH is a collective insult on NIgerians be it Northerner or Southerner. We need to help out our president, who really seems to be taking his time,

DonJuan1:

I think the act of the military descending on hapless civilians is a sign of frustration on the side of the soldiers. It doesn't bode well for the country as these men should be kept on a leash and used sparingly. Signs of weakness from the top as we may be seeing can only lead to mutiny among the rank and file. Our government should wake up from their slumber and smell the cookie burning.

which country? You are just enjoying what odi pple enjoyed.You don't like Biafran way? Hahaa,Person wey never see war dey start one.

nigeria is in problem
Urgent steps needs to be enforced.

See people supporting the KILLING of INNOCENT people and even helping (by justifying) a supposed professional Army to carry out murder.They should keep going until the Army is faced by an army in its hundreds of thousand or millions fighting for survival.Before they realize they are also vulnerable.
    Instead of making friends with the population and closing ranks to flush the treat in the system.You are giving Justification to the haramist to last long and fill there ranks.
    The system is a complete waste and the army will only make it worst.Today even the USA had to work with the Iraqi population to throw al-qaida out of Iraq.some were former security operatives during Saddams regime.In Afghanistan same strategy is being put on ground and dialogue is constantly offered to the Taliban.No permanent foes or friends.
    Initially USA thought they could win with technology and a professional army.Even torture was employed.After years of low progress they realize you could offer things to win support( eg hearts and mind).What security is most effective than a vigil local community,Willing to help.In war you are expected to treat civilians with rights and considerations.Simply because no professional army can survive over a population that despises it.You need civilians always.During a war and after.Image building is important!!!!
    The inhabitants of Maiduguri are just being victimized from all angles and its really sad.They want help but can't get any. they are victims of the Government,Army and Boko haram.I wish the people suggesting a leveling and further killing of residents in Maiduguri as a way to go about suffer same in there communities someday and the army samples with there immediate families.

I wonder what GEJ is still waiting for? Is it till the whole Northern region turn into a war zone? Or because the full battle ground has not moved to Abuja?

This is not what we voted him for into power. Action delayed can never be excused for any reason, and posterity will never forgive any one or group of people that sheds innocent blood!

The president should at this point made to understand that, the loss of any other innocent life as a result of the activities of the "Boko Haram" or the Nigerian military men, the blood of these people shall be on his head. It's high time they stopped playing politics with people's lives and face reality!

God help Nigeria!!

Bombings all day.

At a point where I'm beginning to feel indifferent to the news.

I am not sure why this is being handled with kid gloves. Unless boko haram is this sophisticated terrorist groups. You would imagine that these dumb asses would seize the opportunity to rain down and put an end to this now before things blow up. When will they handle this? When boko haram gets a foothold in the south. I am just at a loss for words

ferdiii:

which country? You are just enjoying what odi pple enjoyed.You don't like Biafran way? Hahaa,Person wey never see war dey start one.

FYI, I don't live in the north and its not everyone that loves wars. Its also bad taste to rejoice at other people's misfortune. The main issue is that we have a situation on ground and our so called leaders don't seem to know how to do anything other than to,

Boko Harams and N Deltans should kuku start attacking at once. One in the North one in the South. It would speed up the process of separation.

But then ND militants are too busy enjoying their Govt money.  I'd  have no problem with boko harams if and only if their targets were Politicians, but their objectives are seriously misguided if innocent civilians, who are also suffering by Govt corruption, are the easy target.

But come to think of it tho, if politicians are apologizing and running to Abuja for protection, what should normal citizen without security like us do?

Am waiting to hear when a Northern Governor is killed in a bomb last by Boko Haram.It's getting close.

Wen dem kill 100's thousands Igbos dem for civil War, dem describe am as collateral damage, no action, wen dem throw Fela mama from 2nd storey window and destroy Fela house, no action, wen dem dey bomb Ijaw village because of mend, no one say nuthin,
E no be de same Army do all dis tings, now Almajiri dey die una come dey shout, una all hypocrite, I begE make una all go demonstrate if una no like am, na so so shakara una dey do for board.

I cant believe some mutha4kers are still saying "god help naija". Naija is about to end. Finish. Naija ti Pari. Finito.

Lets pretend it didnt happen, Thats what you get for putting a mumu as president, enjoy your fresh air

Yeah support the icompetent muderers in the name of soldiers!!!
Tomorrow you would get ur turn of their muderous acts!!!!!!!!
Silly people

If this the best they can do; get ready for further escalations.
Welcome to Nigeristan

dayokanu:

Lets pretend it didnt happen, Thats what you get for putting a mumu as president, enjoy your fresh air

Abeg the army should stop all this knee jerk reaction and do the right thing. Deploy something like 20,000 troops and cordon off the entire state. nothing goes out or in unchecked and then comb the entire state. slowly but surely they'll get these animals

Lucifa2015:

Wen dem kill 100's thousands Igbos dem for civil War, dem describe am as collateral damage, no action, wen dem throw Fela mama from 2nd storey window and destroy Fela house, no action, wen dem dey bomb Ijaw village because of mend, no one say nuthin,
E no be de same Army do all dis tings, now Almajiri dey die una come dey shout, una all hypocrite, I begE make una all go demonstrate if una no like am, na so so shakara una dey do for board.

At this stage the Army do not consider anyone as innocent. 10yrs old carrying bomb and what do you expect. For those crying out loud, STFU, please get a feel of what ND especillay the Ijaw villages have seen in the hand of the Airforce, Army and Navy. I have not even seen Apache helicopters and you are shouting. GEJ please order them to level anything in the North like they did in Ayakoromo village late last year and May this year.

dayokanu:

Lets pretend it didnt happen, Thats what you get for putting a mumu as president, enjoy your fresh air

The president was taking his time to look for a viable solution you people called him weakling, now the army is taking action he's a mumu president.

People who have lived outside Nigeria almost all their lives don't really know what those of us (not in the privileged 10K People class) in Nigeria pass through daily.

If there is a problem in any place send mopol or military it's the same line of action. Kill one of theirs that village, town will be levelled.

Problem is you report to the police no action will be taken. in advance countries you can report a suspicious character/activity within you vicinity and see the police swing into action immediately. There was a time that police was threatening to arrest people for refusing to report being robbed. Well, you know what the people learned their lesson the hard way. Area boys robbed them, when they recognize any of them, they report to the police. The police will arrest the robbers, collect good amount of cash from them and tell them "my man you need to be careful of mr A at No 7 AZ road because he had the mind to report you." Guess what, the area boy will return and create hell for Mr A & family, it won't end there the police will tell Mr A to come and close (this involves some amount) the case file, because they found out that what he did was false allegation. Not one case but several instances, so any body that was robbed just licked his wounds and counted his losses. Life continues. But the police weren't finding it funny, why? dwindling income due to fewer robbery cases being reported. So they had to invest in public announcements cajoling people to report, when people didn't respond they resorted to threats. Announcements like this weren't uncommon "It has come to the notice of the police that people are refusing to report criminals and robberies to the police, this has made it difficult for the police to work effectively in curbing crimes. you should know that this is aiding and abetting and such people will be arrested if found."
Even children where well instructed by their parents that if anybody ask them whether armed robbers came to their house, they should reply no. So people kept quiet and if you ask anybody I heard noise around you end at night, what happened? He will swear to you that he didn't hear anything through the night. Meanwhile the occupants of the whole building or block of flats had been robbed.

so go figure. May be you want the president to go and start doing the work of people employed to police.

jenuel:

Chief Obasanjo delt with ODI people in Bayelsa for less serious offence. Borno state esp. the affected areas need decisive military action period. The civilians who all this while  have refused to expose them may suffer the same faith. Enough of this nonsnse.

That can only happen in the south, the north are untouchable, have you ever heard of any state of emergency in the north?? no way, the military tackled the militants in the Niger delta, leveled Odi, controlled ekiti, put an end to kidnapping in Aba, but were givinn us a lame excuse of not controlling the BH crisis in the north, off all the bloodshed in Jos last year no state of emergency was declared, Bauchi too.

This is a theoretical  analysis of the situation:

Most of the soldiers are from northern extraction, and will not kill their own people, they are only ready to deal with other tribes.
There are political heavy weights in the north, damn too heavy that they are untouchable by anybody, they dictate the direction of Aso rock!
The BH uprising though it had an initial cause, it's now a handy tool by politicians to undermine the power of the present administration to portray it as incompetent, and the government is yet to prove otherwise.

haka_nai:

See people supporting the KILLING of INNOCENT people and even helping (by justifying) a supposed professional Army to carry out murder.They should keep going until the Army is faced by an army in its hundreds of thousand or millions fighting for survival.Before they realize they are also vulnerable.
    Instead of making friends with the population and closing ranks to flush the treat in the system.You are giving Justification to the haramist to last long and fill there ranks.
    The system is a complete waste and the army will only make it worst.Today even the USA had to work with the Iraqi population to throw al-qaida out of Iraq.some were former security operatives during Saddams regime.In Afghanistan same strategy is being put on ground and dialogue is constantly offered to the Taliban.No permanent foes or friends.
    Initially USA thought they could win with technology and a professional army.Even torture was employed.After years of low progress they realize you could offer things to win support( eg hearts and mind).What security is most effective than a vigil local community,Willing to help.In war you are expected to treat civilians with rights and considerations.Simply because no professional army can survive over a population that despises it.You need civilians always.During a war and after.Image building is important!!!!
    The inhabitants of Maiduguri are just being victimized from all angles and its really sad.They want help but can't get any. they are victims of the Government,Army and Boko haram.I wish the people suggesting a leveling and further killing of residents in Maiduguri as a way to go about suffer same in there communities someday and the army samples with there immediate families.

You people were all berating the president for not taking action, now he has taken action you are here crying.

Mbeki:


That can only happen in the south, the north are untouchable, have you ever heard of any state of emergency in the north?? no way, the military tackled the militants in the Niger delta, leveled Odi, controlled ekiti, put an end to kidnapping in Aba, but were givinn us a lame excuse of not controlling the BH crisis in the north, off all the bloodshed in Jos last year no state of emergency was declared, Bauchi too.

This is a theoretical  analysis of the situation:

Most of the soldiers are from northern extraction, and will not kill their own people, they are only ready to deal with other tribes.
There are political heavy weights in the north, damn too heavy that they are untouchable by anybody, they dictate the direction of Aso rock!
The BH uprising though it had an initial cause, it's now a handy tool by politicians to undermine the power of the present administration to portray it as incompetent, and the government is yet to prove otherwise.

Your days will be long for saying the truth as it is.

One thing only, the folk complaining about killing innocent people, really bad situation but I need you to proffer a solution now.

Forget all the hand wringing of how it got this bad, now wat is way forward? Keyboard warriors and journos. Now we have ten yr olds bearing bombs, what do we do?

Personally I hope they escalate this, maybe we will now have the impetus to sit down and separate this useless failed state called nigeria.