The continuous killings of innocent citizens as well as setting buildings and other property ablaze by a religious sect known as Boko Haram in the far North has left many Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora, including international observers in a stupor of surprise and pangs of anger and righteous indignation. Based on the sect's inimical activities, it has been shock, grief and lamentation.It is quite obvious that the deadly activities of the religious sect has raised fundamental issues about national security, governance as well as Nigeria's corporate existence. Based on the statement of Salisu Mohammed, a conflict management specialist, Nigerian authorities should have acted sooner to stop the proliferation of Boko Haram. According to him, many people knew of the existence of this group, silently and within the community, especially in the previous years. If that is the case, don't we have State Security Service (SSS) agents and other security officials in the far North' It is disappointing that they couldn't nip it in the bud or are they members or supporters of this group' In the 21st century, the sect wants to force everybody to become Muslims as it was in the Holy Quran, according to one 18-year-old school drop-out, Adamu Abdullahi, as quoted on page 10 of the Vanguard newspaper of Saturday, August 1, 2009. It is therefore abundantly clear that Boko Haram is a group of school drop-outs and those who could not in the first instance commence western education. A 14-year-old girl, Aisha Abbas who looks deadly was also a member as reported in another newspaper of August 1, 2009 P. A8.Boko Haram meaning 'Western. education is sin/evil' preaches hatred for everything Western, but its leaders indulge in Western luxuries. The extensive nature of the sect's operations in some northern states was flabbergasting and shocking. From reports, it took a joint military/police operations to confront its members in Sokoto, Kano, Yobe, Borno, Jigawa and Bauchi states, arresting several hundred protesters in 2009. What happened' Were they made to face the law' In 2011, Boko Haram is about taking over the security operations of some Northern states, thereby making the citizenry to move with fear of being molested, maimed or killed.I think and believe that the activities of Boko Haram would have been prevented if the relevant agencies of the Federal Government had taken pre-emptive steps. What it implies was that the security agents failed woefully to monitor the sect. Based on the killings by the religious sect, thousands of people, especially southerners including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have deserted the North and returned to their home states out of fear. In this connection, where is the national unity if one may ask' It may be recalled that such killings which started in the North in 1966 caused the civil war in Nigeria between 1967 and 1970. It is regrettable that Nigerians failed to learn lesson from history and it is a dangerous dichotomy.Importantly, the rioters or those being used and their sponsors for criminal activities need to always remember the advice of an elder statesman, politician, educator and first executive president of Nigeria, Alhaji Aliyu Shehu Shagari, that 'This moment in our history demands of all of us the spirit of tolerance and cooperation, rather than retribution and intrigue. If we succeed in highlighting the things that unite us, rather than the things that divide us, we will have succeeded in bequeathing a fitting legacy to the coming generation.'In my opinion, all progressive Nigerians, irrespective of religion must dislodge the Boko Haram as they are agents of darkness and destruction. To this end therefore, it is absolutely necessary, with due respect, humility and sense of responsibility to appeal to all Nigerians still in the north to remain steadfast, focused on the path of truth, honour, fairness and justice so that we would know the sponsors of the Boko Haram sect.It seems to me that the northern terrorists must have been sponsored by God or Allah knows whom. However, like Pope Benedict XVI, while appealing for peace in a message to commemorate the 2007 World Peace Day (WPD) said and I quote 'Those with greater political, technical or economic power must not use that power to violate the rights of others who are less fortunate'. It must have been an action that might have stemmed from inexplicable ignorance as a result of backwardness or sheer indiscretion to serve the interest of some cabal. Do members of the Boko Haram sect, want their own country' Are they truly Nigerians' Answers to these questions are required so as to proffer solutions.A wise man once said 'There is no problem anywhere, and your problem is your ignorance'. Another wise man said 'what you call problem is no problem but a challenge'. The sect should see western education as a challenge, some of their brothers and sisters who scaled through western education are competing favourably at the federal public service including the Armed Forces, through the phrase, 'federal character principle', which late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, a one-time head of state introduced and directed the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to enshrine 'with immediate effect' in the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while addressing them on Monday, 20th October 1975 in Lagos. Whatever the case may be , the sect needs western education and counseling urgently unless if they are not true and responsible Nigerians. The Boko Haram should know that 'education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance', according to Will Durant (1885-1981)'. The killings of innocent people by the sect is based on ignorance and 'bad belle' as coined by a one-time executive civilian president of Nigeria, Chief Matthew Okikiola Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo popularly referred to as 'OBJ'. As part of way forward, do we say 'Biko Haram'Biko in Igbo means 'I beg' as captioned by one Pini Jason.Soeze can be reached via charlessoeze@yahoo.ca
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