406 PEOPLE KILLED UNDER BUHARI'S 36 DAYS IN OFFICE

Buhari’s administration is clearly not making any progress in the war against Boko Haram terrorists. Ever since lost territories were recovered from these bastards by the Jonathan administration, there has not been any proactive/pragmatic effort to minimize suicide bombings by the terrorists. I was shocked when I compiled the casualties in the last 36 days of this administration. 406 innocent Nigerians have been killed in the last 36 days by Boko Haram in the North-east. That is an average of 11 people killed daily. Please, check out the timeline below.
It is a shame that some people have suddenly relegated reports about these atrocities to the background. We are not putting pressure on this administration to take proactive action. Even Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State have suddenly become quiet. So, these lives no longer matter because two of them now belong to the party at the centre? The Buhari administration has simply been grandstanding about taming Boko Haram; all words no action. Running to the leaders of Chad and Niger Republic for help is not a bad idea. Goodluck Jonathan did the same; but it cannot put an end to suicide bombings in our country.
Troops from the MNJTF won’t come into Maiduguri or Damaturu to help stop suicide bombings. They can only help battle cross-border infiltration. The trip to G7 Summit by President Muhammadu Buhari where this same issue was tabled was obviously a waste of time. Deep down, the G7 guys are not bothered one bit about the war against Boko Haram. Buhari should be moving close to Russia and China.
Aside from moving the Command and Control Centre of the war to Maiduguri, Buhari has so far not done anything special in the war against Boko Haram in the last 36 days. This is basically because he has no blue print for tackling the crisis. While campaigning for the Presidency, Buhari simply played politics with the Boko Haram crisis. He did not have any Think Tank working on strategies for taming the monster. The movement of the C and C to Maiduguri did not impact positively on the war as seen from the data below. The movement itself is an archaic war technique. There is clearly no sense in this. Buhari simply wants to jeopadise the Command and Control Centre.
The United States did not move the Pentagon to the Gulf region before decapitating Iraq troops. Just as I clearly stated in an earlier piece, the suicide bombers are within the country, manufacturing and using Improvised Explosive Devices. They are using petrol and gas cylinders, all obtained within the country. Intelligence gathering and technology are vital for detecting and curtailing the deadly activities of these suicide bombers. Community policing is also key. We need to put our internal security in order instead of just running to G7 leaders, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and the rest of them. Of course, leadership matters a great deal if we are to curtail terrorism. Buhari needs to be told that occupying a position of authority does not make a man a leader. It is the ability to inspire others to achieve a positive goal that makes a man a leader.
Being honesty alone does not make a man a leader. Competence is a key factor in leadership. Ability to identify other competent people and then making positive use of them is also vital in leadership. If honesty is all that is required to turn around the fortune of a country, then, a country like Tanzania would have joined the league of developed country. Their former President, late Julius Nyerere who ruled the country for over two decades was one of the most honest leaders in the world. When he left office, he had no house of his own. The country had to build one for him. In spite of his honesty, Tanzania remained on the inglorious list of very poor countries in the world. The point I am making is that in this war against Boko Haram and other challenges facing this country, we need a leader who combines competence and honesty. For now, I don’t think we have that leader. A man cannot give what he does not have. An honest leader who is not competent will not get us anywhere. A competent leader who is dishonest will also not get us anywhere. May Allah save us from the scourge of Boko Haram and Buhari’s ineptitude.
Timeline of Deadly Boko Haram Attack in 36 days
May 30 13 killed during an attempted night invasion of Maiduguri
May 30 26 killed, in bomb attack on a mosque near Borno market
May 31 Four killed at Gamboru market, Maiduguri
June 2 17 killed at Maiduguri abattoir
June 3 Four killed in attack on mechanical workshop on Baga Road
June 4 Female suicide bomber kills two near military checkpoint in Maiduguri
June 5 40 killed in suicide attack on Jimeta Night Market
June 7 Three killed in suicide attack on Baga/Monguno Highway
June 11 37 killed in separate attacks on six Borno villages
June 15 Twin suicide bomb attacks kill 11 persons in Potiskum
June 17 Accidental explosion kills 15 persons in Monguno
June 22 Eight killed in twin suicide attacks on Baga Fish Market, Maiduguri
June 23 15 killed in suicide bomb attack on Nannawaji Village, Gujba LG
June 23 20 killed in attack on Debiro, Hawul LG
June 27 Five killed at General Hospital, Molai, Borno State
June 30 48 killed in Mussaram I and Mussaram II near Monguno
July 1 98 killed in Kukawa Village
July 2 11 killed at Malari Village along Bama/Konduga Highway
July 3 29 killed in Mussa Village, Askira-Uba LG.


RINGGRUE with Yemi Adebowale; yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com; Phone nos. 07013940521