₦airaland Forum

BOKO HARAM BOMBING OF KANO CENTRAL MOSQUE
Jihadists Signal Total Conquest of Nigeria as their Objective
-Attorney Patryk Utulu

On Friday, November 28, 2014, Nigeria's grand Kano Central Mosque was bombed. The initial official assessment is that at least two suicide bombers were involved. Immediately afterward the bombers’ back-up death squad of at least three men opened gunfire on both Muslim faithfuls who were peacefully worshiping inside and some initial survivors who reflexively tried to flee from the bomb blast. The death toll is assessed to be over 120 dead with over 500 injured. The bombing was carefully targeted for maximum impact for mass casualty. The injuries have been so severe many of the survivors are expected to die in the following weeks, and of those who ultimately survive, many will never regain the full use of limbs or lives. These are Nigerians, our fellow citizens, with families. If their lives have no value, neither does mine nor yours!!!

Nigerians habitually disagree on just about anything but there is a near total agreement that Northeast Nigerian Jihadist group, Boko Haram, carried out the attack. Nigerians also agree that Boko Haram has rapidly transformed from its origins as a bunch of illiterate youths unleashed as part of publicly recorded threats to make Nigeria ungovernable for grievances arising from the 2011 Nigerian national election, to an effective para-military insurgency.

But while they recognize that Boko Haram has transformed from thugs of post-election angst for proxy destabilization of Nigeria to a West African Jihadist commercial crime syndicate, Nigerians are still in denial about what Boko Haram truly wants. That is, Nigerians have regional/cultural/religion-based resistance to recognizing and accepting that Boko Haram is now a principal member of a global Jihadist alliance ALL OF WHOSE GROUPS HAVE DULY PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-styled ‘Caliph’ of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS (a.k.a., ISIL or Islamic State).

In their quest for truth and/or tacit deniability Nigerians will be looking for a complex web of conspiracy to explain why our corrupt but culture-of-life nation has suddenly became a new Middle East. But the bombing of Kano Central Mosque has a simpler though no less deadly significance than religious, partisan and tribal diagnoses Nigerians will instinctively arrive at. Those who are prejudiced against or in fear of Islamic doctrine (Islamophobia) are likely to quickly interpret this bomb blast as one more example of senseless Islamic violence. Some partisan Nigerians will quickly blame it on mysterious agents of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) bent on creating conditions for a State of Emergency in Northern Nigeria in other to avoid holding the 2015 general elections, thus prolonging PDP rule. Other partisan Nigerians will equally blame the blast on agents of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) bent on disrupting an election it is certain to lose, thus enabling APC to form a parallel government and, per chance, encourage a military coup. Already conspiracy-fantasists are claiming that the bombing is part of ongoing conspiracy of genocide against Nigerians of Northern origins. And don't forget the vast majority of Nigerians who live South of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, some of whom are likely to self-righteously conclude that bombings rarely happen unless indigenes and natives ignored or supported the fanatics.

Welcome to Nigeria!!!
One on one, Nigerians are resourceful, pragmatic and open-minded people. But in group settings Nigerians tend to be irredeemable tribalists, dedicated partisans and fanatical religionists who would rather blame the Devil, blame the-other-tribe or blame the Western World for patently made-in-Nigeria problems than acknowledge tribal misdeeds or accept the possibility of religious fallibility. Thus, instead of candid self-evaluation, real diagnoses and painful corrective measures, Nigerians are likely to evaluate this bomb blast through dutiful denials and deliberate distractions. There will be claims of aggravated aggregate victimhood; smug feelings of regional security; patently partisan mischief; and the usual senseless conspiracy theories. Because Nigerians have refused to properly diagnosis the uptick in Boko Haram violence as the initial political tool of those who couldn't abide the mild embarrassment of electoral loss, finding proper solution has been nearly impossible. To worsen matters, those who unleashed the plague of Boko Haram on Nigeria are often loudest in pre-preemptively accusing other Nigerians of incubating and nurturing Boko Haram.

Here is an easy pathway out of the easy mystery. Jihadists bombed the mosque to send a message to ALL CORNERS of Nigeria about global Jihadists' strategic goals in Nigeria. WHAT MESSAGE? That while millions of Southern and Northern Nigerians continue to argue over transparently stupid points such as whether Christianity is better than Islam or which religion had more converts last year, Jihadists are steadily expanding their terror zones of influence. Humans love to join winning teams. As things stand millions of Nigerian Youths believe the Jihadists are wining. So, let's not pretend to be surprised about their recruitment tactic or why Boko Haram is still successful despite its manifest cruelty.

Boko Haram is now a bona fide branch and recognized Nigerian representatives of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS/ISIL). ISIS does NOT recognize the national boundaries in the Middle East and does NOT recognize the legitimacy of any Muslim rulers. ISIS doesn't even recognize the legitimacy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia. In fact ISIS has repeatedly sworn to sack the Saudi Royal family. In 2014, Boko Haram has killed over 2,000 Nigerians (city dwellers, villagers, students, workers, Christians, Muslims, etc.) with seemingly indiscriminate methodologies (suicide bombings, guerrilla-style attacks, improvised explosive devices, beheadings, etc.). But don't be fooled by false impressions. There is a method to the seeming madness of Boko Haram. In fact, the madness is THE method. Boko Haram is using the tactic of its parent body, ISIS.

Boko Haram is slaughtering and beheading, people ISIS-style, because it is the Nigerian representatives of ISIS-led global Jihadists alliance. The total conquest of ALL of Nigeria is the goal. They are slaughtering Nigerian Muslims and Christians alike because in the ISIS-like judgment of Boko Haram the traditional Islam practiced in Nigeria – is “haram.” In the judgment of Boko Haram the majority of Nigerian Muslims deserve death because Nigeria’s traditional Islamic practices do not measure up to 5th Century Islamic “purity” standards that recognize only one “Caliph” and no Emirs, Sheikhs and Sultans. ISIS does not recognize international boundaries created by Western Colonial powers nor does it recognize the Middle East kings/kingdoms, emirs/emirates created or endorsed by the Western powers. Similarly, Boko Haram no longer recognizes the boundaries of the thirty-six (36) states of Nigeria nor does it recognize any Obis, Obas, Emirs or Sultan created or endorsed by the British colonial authorities in Nigeria. It does not matter to Boko Haram that Kano Central Mosque is attached to the Palace of the Emir of Kano because Boko Haram does NOT recognize the Emir’s legitimacy.

To Boko Haram the only legitimate ruler in Nigeria is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-styled “Caliph” of the so-called Islamic State/ISIS, who is somewhere in Iraq or Syria hiding from U.S. bombs and Hellfire drones. To Boko Haram every inch of Nigeria is occupied territory that must be liberated from Nigerian Muslims (because they have not pledged allegiance to ISIS Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) and from Nigerian Christian infidels (unless Christians convert and pledge allegiance). Any Nigerian who chooses to keep seeing Boko Haram as merely a “Northern problem” is deliberately living in fool’s paradise. It was pure luck that Emir Muhammad Sanusi II was in Saudi Arabia when the mosque was bombed. Despite Emir Sanusi II recently urging civilians to take up arms against Boko Haram he was NOT the bomb's target. Many Nigerians knew that Emir Sanusi was travelling abroad and so did Boko Haram. Kano Central Mosque was bombed because of Boko Haram's contempt and deep hatred for Nigerian Muslims who Boko Haram regard as bad Muslims for living side by side with Christians; it was bombed because Boko Haram sees Nigerian Muslims as unable or unwilling to impose Sharia law on all of Nigeria and the mosque was bombed because many Nigerian Muslim women still have a choice as to what to wear in public.

To Boko Haram these are unforgivable sins on the part of Nigerian Muslims. These are the things that will be imposed on all of Nigeria if and when Boko Haram conquers Nigeria. It won't happen? Really? OK, how many guns do you have in your house to take care of your family? My job is to make you think about your family and what is coming. What you do to get ready is totally up to you. All Nigerian Muslims must accept Emir Sanusi’s command to take up arms and fight terrorism. Those Nigerians who love to blame Muslims for every terrorist acts must never forget that Boko Haram hates Nigerian Muslims as much as they hate Christians. I have only one message for Christians who won’t help in the fight against Boko Haram: Just like Adamawa was overrun, so Abuja-FCT, Makurdi, Ibadan, Lagos, Aba and Port Harcourt are NOT far enough. They will come for you soon!!! The Jihadists will definitely come for your children and they will NOT wait to finish the conquest of Borno before they come for you. You can defeat them now in the North or fight them in the South.

Due to the death of Shekau and because of Boko Haram's failure to revive the propaganda legend of Shekau, field victories followed by wanton slaughter, extreme cruelty and high-profile bombing of schools, football events, and now, Kano Central Mosque have become tactical demonstration of Jihadists' ascendancy in Nigeria. Sensational cruelty, high-profile bombings and mass kidnapping is their way of highlighting their successful infiltration of Nigeria's citywide, national and community-based security apparatuses. It showcases the casual impunity with which the Jihadists are slaughtering their way to their strategic goals.

GOALS? Boko Haram has two mutually-reinforcing goals: (1) randomize and reinforce general insecurity and destabilization through gunfire attacks, bombings, beheadings, kidnappings to provide cover for Jihadists to engage in criminal mercantile enterprises without interference from the police; and (2) then exploit the national insecurity, tribal suspicions, silly religious arguments and profits from the criminal enterprises to finance the total takeover of Nigeria from Borno to Sokoto, Taraba to Kogi, and Lagos to Bayelsa.

For now, only 3 things stand in the way of Boko Haram conquest of Nigeria:

(1): Boko Haram’s cruel and unusual brutality against Nigerian Muslims in the North. While easy victories have attracted thousands of naive young Muslims to join the terrorists, Boko Haram's cruelty and kidnapping of wives and daughters have also alienated older Muslim villagers what are now counter-attacking the Jihadists.
(2): Deep-rooted Christianity in Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria. Serious disagreements are ongoing among Boko Haram's three main factions about the wisdom or feasibility of attacking "Christianity Corridors" before mid-2015. Relax if you like but 2015 isn’t forever.
(3): Boko Haram’s inability, so far, to train Jihadists who can blend into the South without attracting negative attention for the duration of time it takes to prepare for and carry out massive, randomized and sustained attacks to create the insecurity prelude to other actions

But none of these three “defenses” is insurmountable!
It’s only a matter of time before Boko Haram gets a disciplined strategist!!

******
Attorney Patryk A. Utulu
U.S.-based Attorney & Strategic Communications Specialist
Global Defense Analyst and Global Events Commentator
Executive Vice President, Nigerian Diaspora-North America
Executive Director, The Center 4 Community Empowerment & Lifeskills, Inc
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Raised some valid points here...Until we stop playing politics with BH, we won't be free from this mess...

The implication of the Kano central mosque is that Boko Haram will carry out a devastating attack on churches in the coming days, [perhaps today.
Nobody can accuse them of bias.
They kill everybody: men, women, children, hausa, kanuri, yoruba, christian, pagan, moslim.

What a valid point, people really join the winning team including the media, Sincerely Christian need to look beyond Islam as a problem before they are caught unaware,

domack99:
What a valid point, people really join the winning team including the media, Sincerely Christian need to look beyond Islam as a problem before they are caught unaware,

Islam is a problem.
Till we moslims learn to separate religion and politics, wahalla dey.

The South East can never be conquered by Bokoharam.

I Can't Say for d SouthWest,NorthCentral and SouthSouth

shocking and insightful.

makes so much sense

For you lazy nigerians that will cry it's long atleast read this few sentnce.. its worth a million summary

For now, only 3 things stand in the way of Boko Haram conquest of Nigeria:

(1): Boko Haram’s cruel and unusual brutality against Nigerian Muslims in the North. While victories have attracted thousands of naive young Muslims to join them, Boko Haram's cruelty and kidnapping of wives and daughters have also alienated older Muslim villagers what are now counter-attacking the Jihadists.
(2): Deep-rooted Christianity in Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria. There are serious disagreements among Boko Haram's three main factions about the wisdom or feasibility of attacking "Christianity Corridors" before mid-2015.
(3): Boko Haram’s inability, so far, to train Jihadists who can blend into the South without attracting negative attention for the duration of time it takes to prepare and carry out massive, randomized and sustained attacks.

Mr. Utulu is becoming another FFK who wants to become famous writing about people's tragedy.

@OP: I agree with the fact that present administration is playing politics with the security of properties and lives of Nigerians. And should be voted out, because we can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

Few yrs ago "I remember writing about how strong Boko Haram is and how the whole nigeria will be like Mali until foreigners send in soldiers to help fight things like this" I was called so many names because nigeria is too proud to admit how s..ucky the country is... look 50% of the population is muslim(FYI there is nothing wrong with that) and a good number of this ppl really don't have a life I mean job like youths in developed countries do so convincing someone into terrorist is very simple! Even in France,usa, England etc with less jobless ppl still have converts compare to a low iq third world country Nigeria.. After regaining its strength with foreign helps, things will never be same.. atleast it will take atleast another 50yrs to get where they re today!

egift:
Mr. Utulu is becoming another FFK who wants to become famous writing about people's tragedy.

@OP: I agree with the fact that present administration is playing politics with the security of properties and lives of Nigerians. And should be voted out, because we can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

Desire for fame or not, this makes sense unlike that vacuous windbag FFK

nuclearboy:
Desire for fame or not, this makes sense unlike that vacuous windbag FFK

Agreed. And he highlighted valid issues as well.

Ur analysis ar thaughts provoking. Nontheless methink if jona should have conned idris derby of chad that he will give him the oil field in borno their will be reduction in the amount of people killed.

My suggestion to this kind of deal is to divide the country...wait don't judge me first lemme explain why

If nigeria is divided into different countries, yes it won't solve the problem but at least their expansion will be minimized..

They will have to fight themselves into two or three different countries to succeed attracting foreign intervention or maybe will i say a tough decision for them.

I know some of you will be thinking it hasn't got to that stage but see when it gets to that stage I mean a couple yrs from now, it will be like wildfire ask Syrians, as Egyptians, ask milians..

Look if this ppl conquer nigeria getting to every other black country will be a child a play atleast with oil in nigeria and population they can!

I know we re too stupid to realize that we re the most least human on earth, from poverty to disease to letting others colonize us Arabs whits etc to even telling them how superior they re by worshipping their look alike made gods Mohammed and Jesus.. Blacks let us for once get something right !!

Curse be upon Muhammed and his Islam