The Problem Of Boko Haram

Boko Haram is an Islamic fundamentalist sect. Its objectives include the violent overthrow of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the introduction of Sharia as the main legal system in Nigeria and the stamping out of western education in the country.

According to Boko Haram protagonists, western education is sin. The sect indoctrinated its followers not to have anything to do with western way of life and western education. All these, it stressed, was anti Islam.

Meanwhile, members of the Boko Haram stormed the Bauchi Prisons and released about 800 prisoners. According to reports, the heavily armed attackers moved from cell to cell at the prisons, breaking open locks and setting fire to parts of the prisons before escaping.

Briefing newsmen on the incident, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Mr Danlami Yar’Adua said one policeman, one soldier and two civilians who were hit by stray bullets died immediately while two prison warders and six civilians were rushed to the hospital for treatment following attacks from members of the sect. He stated that at the time of the press briefing, 50 of the released prisoners had returned to the prisons on their own.

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State described the incident as “most unfortunate, regrettable and security surprise”. According to him, everybody was caught unawares by the attackers because they came at a time when all Muslims were fasting following the holy month of Ramadan when all true Muslims are expected not to engage in anything that would lead to the shedding of blood. The event happened on September 7, 2010.

Yuguda stressed  that hencefort government would prioritize the issue of security in the state to ensure that innocent lives and property were not lost again, adding that activities of criminals would also be checked in the state.

In fact, all well meaning citizens of this country should condemn what members of the Boko Haram have done. No nation can move forward when some sections of the society take the laws into their hands and do whatever they like without regard to the existing authorities and the legal system. The behaviour of the Islamic sect should be seen as an act of war

As indicated earlier, one of the aims of the Boko Haram is the violent overthrow of the Federal Government of Nigeria. From what they have done so far, they are bent on achieving this aim. And from reports so far gathered, they attacked the Bauchi Prisons with very sophisticated weapons.

Who is the source of the very sophisticated weapons they used to storm the prisons? Our security outfits should be more proactive to track down all those involved in the Bauchi Prisons attack and bring them to face the wrath of the law. Criminal behaviour should not be condoned in this country. That criminals are now dictating the pace means that the country is not secure, which means nobody is safe to go about his or her normal business.

It would recalled that on Sunday, July 26, 2009, the Boko Haram attacked the Dutsen Tenshi police station in Bauchi. They alleged that the attack was in retaliation of the arrest of their leaders by the policemen. At that time, members of the sect were armed with guns and hand grenades.

However, the police fought back and in the battle that ensued, more than 200 members of the sect were killed. Before now, the Boko Haram had planned a public protest but  was not permitted by the government because of the fear that their doctrine, if allowed to be preached publicly, might lead to religious crisis in Nigeria. It should be noted that the teachings of the Boko Haram are completely different from the teachings of other Islamic sects as regards peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.

Freedom of worship and religion does not mean license to kill and maim innocent citizens. whatever we are doing in this country, we should note that Nigeria is a complex and plural society. We should, therefore, exercise a sense of proportion in whatever we do. A religious sect cannot just get up and impose its way of life on the rest of society. It is sheer madness to think of that in a country that is pluralistic.

In any case, the crisis later spread to such other states as Yobe, Kano, Borno and Katsina. The crisis created humanitarian problems as thousands of people fled their homes in the affected states. Some of them settled in special camps created by the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA.

Nevertheless, what we all want in this country are peace, rule of law and obedience to constituted authority. We should, therefore, be law abiding so that Nigeria can see progress and be respected by the world community. Religious fanaticism should be condemned and discouraged by all.

Dr. Tolofari,  Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, writes from Port Harcourt.

Mann Tolofari