Boko Haram And Spiral of Deception: A call for Caution -By Ayoade Adewopo

The terrorised people of Nigeria have been visited with the news of voluntary surrender of some of those who have been terrorising them for almost a decade. There are reports of Boko Haram, ISWAP commanders, bomb experts and their captive families coming out of the forests to surrender to military and security forces.

How do you even process terrorists who have killed thousands of innocent people and held underaged girls in captivity , abused and forced them into marriage and motherhood come out of their hideouts with them and the children and suddenly proclaimed surrender and repentance?

Contrary to what Gen. Abdulwahab Adelokun Eyitayo, GOC 7 Division asserted in his response to the recent escalation of offensive by troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), this cannot be commendable. If anything, the whole charade is condemnable.

If anything is commendable, it is the gallantry and sacrifice of our soldiers in this campaign against terrorism and insurgency over the years. Many of them have lost their lives to keep us as safe as we can be at this trying period of our national history.

A band of scoundrels who have wrecked monumental havoc on the society and destroyed families, coming out of the blues on realization of an impending doom to their criminal enterprise cannot be remorseful. Military Intelligence and the society at large must be wary of this deception. The question is what is motivating this spate of surrender?

Two factors, among others, easy comes to mind. First is the renewed and discernable military onslaught being propelled by the supplies of tocarno air planes that is likely to effect superior military power against these sons of perdition. Second is political. Election and change of government is coming. These terrorists and their sponsors realize that they are going to face a new regime that is probably going to be more brutal on them.

The tragedy of this episode of Nigerian history is that a cycle of terrorism may have started, that needs serious resolve to break if Nigeria is to be preserved. Nigeria must decide that never again should our political leadership be defined by crass nepotism, ethnic and religious bigotry and gross incompetence like we have experienced in recent times.

Except for those who live in a dream world, it has been the lowest ebb in our national psyche. This is what the country has descended into when its rich diversity has been mismanaged by parochial and primordial interest rather than visionary and transformational leadership.

As we watch more surrenders, let the security and military forces realize that these despicable devils are only trying to stay alive and lay in wait till another day to resume their killing and kidnaping spree. There’s never repentance for the sworn enemies of State and humanity.

Surely, as we witness more surrenders, and welcome releases and reunion of families of innocent captives whose lives have been touched by beings who do not deserve to be called humans, we still grieve. Let it be known that Nigeria cannot afford to go to sleep. No responsible government who cares for the safety and security of its people would extend pardon to or ever contemplate amnesty for terrorists and murderers and unleash them into the society again or revel in their deceptive surrender.

Nigerians cannot wait to pass-over this foreboden season that has taken away everything from every law abiding citizen, the young, the old, man and woman.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Prince (Dr) Ayoade Adewopo,
Ile-Ife, Nigeria.