More to Boko Haram than meets the Eye

Uthman Akinbola [03/11/12]

Should Nigerians sincerely believe this recent call (see below) for Buhari-led mediation? Would it solve the problem of the Boko Haram (BH) insurgency in all its ramifications, since there are several splinter BH groups with different missions and demands?

“Fox News [01/11/12] Published November 01, 2012 / Associated Press

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria –  An alleged member of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram set conditions Thursday for peace talks with Nigeria's government, asking that negotiations to end its bloody guerrilla fight be held outside of the nation and that a former military ruler be involved…

The man, who identified himself as Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, said the peace talks must be held in Saudi Arabia and involve former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari. The man said those were conditions set by Abubakar...

The call came through the channels that Boko Haram usually communicates with journalists, who gathered at the local office of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to listen. However, Abdulaziz spoke entirely in English, which is unusual for the sect. Also, journalists ordinarily hear from a spokesman who uses the nom de guerre Abul Qaqa in such calls. The man also did not call for the implementation of Shariah law across Nigeria, a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people. That long has been a demand of the sect.”

There are salient questions that the Federal Government, FG has not addressed properly. The most important among such questions is – who are the real sponsors of these individuals that are terrorising the nation? If starving one’s enemy is a potent strategy to winning a war, then food is critical for survival – so how do these people feed? Where do they get their constant supply of food from? Is their storage of food such huge that it will not run out? Where and how do they get arms? How do they get through to ‘the channels of communication’ i.e how do they get the economic and the intellectual support for their communications? The case of driving a sport utility vehicle (SUV) to bomb a church – how do they get these cars?

We have heard, before now, several demands and claims made on behalf of the BH sect. There was once a demand for President Jonathan to become a muslim and accept sharia. It will also be recalled that a broadcast by the radical group was relayed by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) on September 20th, 2012 claiming an ongoing dialogue with the FG. The FRCN claimed the broadcast was forwarded to it on CD. This came after the Presidency, through Dr Reuben Abati, said the FG was already in ‘backdoor’ dialogue with the sect. It is to be noted therefore that the radio broadcast was made to corroborate government claims of dialogue with BH. Subsequent address by a BH spokesman had denied any ongoing dialogue. So is this all not a game of chess?

                                                                                        

I find it hard to believe that nobody seems to be referring to that broadcast of the BH on national radio – the FRCN. (Or was it in my dream that the broadcast was played?) The content of that broadcast, as majority of the group’s demands have been, was simply amusing – Boko Haram was telling Nigerians to be law abiding! Who were the brains behind that broadcast?

In other words, why should Nigerians believe this recent call for dialogue between the FG and the BH, made on behalf of the sect by a man, Abu Mohammad Ibn Abdulaziz, who was, until now, never known to be associated with the group? Though Abu Mohammad chose the same communication channel some other so called BH sect spokespersons have chosen in the past, he spoke in English, a language which no other BH spokesman using that channel has used before.

Which faction, or rather, type of BH is Abu mohammad representing? For it is clear to all now that there are many opportunistic groups taking advantage of the situation using the name BH. The FG has identified three generic types – the Religious, the Political and the Criminal BH. Many Nigerians have talked about other kinds (I will make a list) –

     The BH group comprising:

·  those that are against the emergence of a non-northerner as the President. This classification came about because of a statement to the effect that ‘the nation shall be made ungovernable’, which was credited to some Northern elites

·   those that are aggrieved that General Buhari (Rtd) did not become the President, as evident in the mayhem that greeted the election of Dr Goodluck Jonathan in some parts of the North

·      the original BH people who are angry that their erstwhile leader, Mohammad Yussuf was extra-judicially executed

·      those that have been pushed into violence because of the socio-economic situation of the Nigerian state.

Taking a serious look at the classification above, it is obvious that all the groups fall within the categorisation of the FG. As it is, nobody would want to advocate peace talks with criminals, hence the criminal BH is out of the picture for dialogue – leaving the political and the religious (or original) BH.

Now, would the original Boko Haram want to make its demands in English, the Chief language of western education, which the sect claims is sacrilege? This situation is indeed a real political charade. Nigerians are the worse for this game!