The term “Boko Haram” is an abhorable and detestable coinage
that has won eccentric, yet national recognition for almost two years now. It
first struck national attention in 2010 and has since then assumed a high level
of notoriety.

The operation of this sect has become so dastardly to the
chargrin of poor victims who are always caught in an impotent web of
helplessness. This is why it has become very imperative to really know what the
Boko Haram want from Nigeria.

To me, the Boko Haram insurgency is more or less a gorilla
and coward type of warfare that the group is waging without definition, bearing
and focus.

It is disheartening however, that a personality like General
Mohammadu Buhari, former military Head of State could attribute the cause of
terror attacks in the country to bad leadership and governance.

Within the period of northern domination in leadership and
governance, how many mosques or innocent citizens of the northern extraction
were attacked by the Southerners? Or could Buhari say the time when Northerners
were at the helm of affairs  witnessed
perfect administration devoid of leadership ineptitude and economic misfortune?
How come do we witness high level of insecurity in the country now that a South
South man is at the helm of the nation’s affairs?

It appears that the Boko Haram insurgency is a calculated
attempt to discredit and render the administration of President Goodluck
Jonathan useless and ungovernable. If this suspiscion is not true, then what
else does the Boko Haram want from Jonathan’s government?

If we take a retrospective view of the objectives of the
various struggles and agitations that had taken
place in the country from the pre and post independence era till date,
it will be seen that the objectives were clearly stated and defined.

For instance, the late Odimegwu Ojukwu’s led Biafaran war
was anchored on achieving political emancipation for the Igbos. Also, the Adaka
Boro’s showdown with the Federal Government was based on achieving political
autonomy for the Niger Delta people.

In the same vein, the struggle by the Movement for the
Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) in the South-South was well defined. MOSOP,
through the inspirational leadership of the late prolific writer and
environmentalist, Ken Saro Wiwa, declared a just war on environmental
degradation in Ogoni and the Niger delta due to oil exploration and
exploitation activities of Shell and other multinationals operating in the
area. The organisation therefore called for resource control.

This has become a denominator for struggles and agitations
by most people in the world today. The militacy in the Niger Delta came as a
result of the constant deviance of the Federal Government to the issue of
environmental plight of citizens of the area.

Now, if Boko Haram’s claim that it is fighting against
western education is anything to go by, why does the sect attack the church and
helpless Christians? Are the churches and Christians part of the educational
institution in the country? What connection do the Christians in the north have
with western education?

From the foregoing, it is clear that the Boko Haram is only
acting a script written by some of the greedy leaders in the north who refuse
to be grateful to the south in particular and Nigeria in general.

The Niger Delta militancy was apparently targeted at oil
installations which are the causes of pollution in the area and not helpless
and innocent Nigerians nor any particular faith.

In particular, the statement credited to the sect’s
spokesman, Abu Qaqa, published by the Nation Newspaper in its  front page of Wednesday August 1, 2012, did
not vindicate the sect’s action.

For instance, he said, “We want to stress that in our
struggles, we only kill government functionaries, security agents, Christians
and anyone who pretends to be a Muslim”

He continued, “we wish to reiterate that our crusade is not
for personal gain, it is meant to ensure the establishment of an Islamic State
by liberating all Muslims from the excesses of the infidels”. He restated the
sect’s belief that Alllah “will reward us with his famous paradise in the
hereafter as he rightly said in chapter 9 verse 111 of the Holy Qur’an” This is
an enigma that encapsulates a belief that is bound in fantasy and stupid
ecstasy.

The Holy Quran from where Islam derives its concept and
practice does not preach violence or destruction of lives and properties. It
rather preaches peace. In fact, Quran specifically states in some of its
chapters that there is no compulsion in religion. Where then does the Boko
Haram sect derive its own concept of religion by compulsion and violence?

The answer can never be far from the fact that the war being
waged by the Boko Haram is for selfish gains and not divine. Boko Haram is just
a criminal gang that hides under the guise of religion to destablise the
country.

Since it cannot spell or define in a precise and concise
term what it wants from government, it is imperative on the Federal Government
to use its might to wage a relentless war against the group and other
terrorists who are hell-bent on destroying Jonathan’s government and by
extension the Nigerian nation. Mr. president should muster the courage of
former President Olusegun Obasanjo and deal decisively with this faceless group
that is menacing and molesting his government.

Hon. Tordee, a public affairs analyst, resides in Port
Harcourt.

Manson B. Tordee