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Prof Ojo: Talibans’ return will embolden terror groups

Professor Olusola Ojo is the Dean, College of Social and Management Sciences, McPherson University, Seriki-Sotayo, Ogun State. In this interview with BIYI ADEGOROYE, he talks about the implication of the return of the Taliban on the global war on terror

What are the likely implications of the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan in the war on terror?

Well, the most one can do at this time will amount to mere conjecture. However, I think it should be a thing of concern to everybody. One, you want to be guided by history and if you look at history, during the time the Taliban were in power in Afghanistan, from 1996 to 2001, the country was the haven of global terrorism- Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups were all over. Their own brand of Islam, from what some Muslims and analysts worldwide have said is appears to be a very strange, tyrannical brand of Islam that always don’t want to see women outside the house, no education, even prohibiting female medical doctors from practicing despite the fact that even in developed countries doctors are in short supply, not to talk about a place like Afghanistan. So there is that problem. Minority, either in terms of race or religion, have no place in Afghanistan. Now they are back in power, although they have declared amnesty and they claim there are ‘born again’ Taliban, people are still suspicious. People are in doubt. Some who believe they may have become reformed and want to take the reality of Afghanistan into consideration, that the country will rely on the international community for survival. In terms of economy, the country’s economy is down; there is famine, so the reality of their own environment will dictate some forms of moderation in their activities. However, in the last few days fear has replaced hope and there have been some videos trending, the ways men and women were being killed; that does not give credence to any talk about moderation. And there are news that they have started going from house to house, haunting down perceived opponents. In some places outside Kabul, the capital, where there were demonstrations, the way those demonstrations have been cracked down upon also does not give any hope that these people will be a born again people. Thirdly, the man who has been put in charge of security of Kabul, Tahir Arewa Hagali, is one of the ( I don’t want to use a superlative adjective) worse terrorists in the world. A terrorist is bad and when we talk about the worst terrorists, you can imagine what that means. He is very close to Ai-Qaida. He has now been put in charge of security in Kabul, and definitely this man has a $5million ransom put on his head by the US Secretary of State that he is a terrorist. That was before the collapse of the Afghan government. Even though he is on the U.N. terrorist list, he is now in charge of security in Kabul. And all that has been happening in the last few days have confirmed the fear of the people who think that Taliban is not likely to pursue a moderate policy. So these are some of the fears, not just for Afghanistan, but the neighboring countries too, indeed the whole of the Middle East. Hamas, for instance, has sent congratulatory messages to the Taliban, according to them, ‘for defeating the U.S. occupation.’ They are even proposing a meeting between them and the Taliban. So, of course, you know what that portends for peace and security in Israel.

Isn’t this likely to embolden all terror groups in the …

Not just in the Middle East but all over the world, including our own terrorist groups here in Nigeria. It is a big problem for all of us. Iran is in a dilemma. All of them are. The mode of departure has emboldened not just the terrorists, but also those who are opposed to, if you like, the status quo in the Middle East. Iran is in trouble, even China and Russia; anyone opposed to it is in a dilemma. You know that the Russians have their own Islamic problem, just like China because it seems there is opportunity now, they feel that there is a vacuum they can rush into, but the situation will not be easy for anyone one of them as they would want it to be. But generally speaking, this has emboldened the Taliban. Before the West took over Afghanistan in 2001, the Taliban did not control the whole of the country. Now that they control everywhere, they would want to show off. As I said, I see fear, even up to Southern Africa should be worried. The Islamic State in Syria that has expanded to the Sahel, the Sahara, even Northern Mozambique, there are fears and they have that network. They are not only expanding on the ground, they have also expanded on tremendously online. They now employ technology in rallying support; in raising funds and in mobilising people and in radicalizing for Islamic purposes, and so I want to, I hope my fears will not be unfounded, I see a situation where the next few years will witness upsurge in terrorism, not just in the Middle East but globally. I don’t want to talk much about the Nigerian part of it. I read on some platforms that some people were rejoicing, celebrating the takeover by the Taliban. You see, I don’t know what some people in government are doing. Even during the military, when some people can maneuver themselves; you might say they are untrained, uneducated, you can use whatever derogatory word you want; but the moment that person is able to maneuver himself and become the head of a military junta, don’t underestimate such people. They are intelligent and smart. They may not have all the degrees in the world but don’t underrate them. They normally have this agenda and they pursue it with relentless vigour. So this is my fear about Nigeria. Look in other climes, when you make accusations or allegations against some people in power, and these allegations are true, they would resign even before their government takes action, and say ‘I have done no wrong.’ That way the government can look for something else for them that will not bring them into prominence. We are not seeing something like that in Nigeria. Some of the people that are so prominent now in Afghanistan are the so-called repentant terrorists. Can a terrorist repent? We have a Minister who is in-charge of every data, every information, intelligence, everything who is now said to be a repentant terrorist sympathizer. I’m worried about that. All these claims about amnesty for these and that, look, this is not the time to grant amnesty. You can keep these people who claim to have renounced terrorism in a camp for some time until this war ends. When this war ends, of course, some of them are Nigerians and a few foreigners. It is at that time you can be talking about deradicalisation or whatever word you want to use. Even with what happened in Afghanistan, the Nigerian President and his team, unless they have an agenda that is different from that of national interest as a united peaceful country, should put those who have surrendered in camps, monitor and prevent them from escaping. After you would have conquered Boko Haram or bandits, whatever new names they are now given, (they have now been baptized and granted confirmation, and given baptismal names), because they don’t want to tell us what they are, but we know they are terrorists, but they don’t want to call them that, but treat them well, keep them in a camp until this war is over. Then you can do radicalization or amnesty, not when the war is going on. Afghanistan should be a lesson for the Nigerian leader unless they have an agenda that is different from the Nigerian national interest.

What precautionary measures should be taken for now?

What I consider very important is the abolition of the poorly thought out policy of deradicalisation of so-called repentant Boko Haram members. Secondly it is very nauseating to say that you are deradicalising some people and may be integrating some into the Army and the people whose livelihood have been plundered and relations killed are languishing at one dingy IDP camp. That is not good enough. We should do something to improve the livelihood of these people. Third, they should learn from what has happened in Afghanistan and ease out all Boko Haram sympathisers out of government. They need to give Nigerians confidence that they are not supporting these radical Islamic groups. It is not a crime to be a Muslim and there are many peace-loving Muslims all over the place. Also, they should remove our data from the hands of Isa Patami. He should be fired. Apart from all these allegations on the social media that the government is fighting corruption and we are not seeing it, such allegations should be thoroughly investigated and if it is true, people should be made to face the consequence.

How do you see identification of over 365 grazing routes as a precursor to return to them?

That is what I am saying. Buhari’s government should behave in a way to show that we have a government that is for the people, and not one for a section of the country. We are not even sure of how many of these herders are Nigerians. Look at what is happening in the entire world. The United Arab Emirate has sent ship to space and here we are identifying over 360 grazing routes in this 21 century. It is shameful. Let them identify them, after all, some states, especially the Southern states or even those states of the Middle Belt, have banned open grazing. The Land Use Act puts the control over land under state government. Let us see whether the government will impose it on them. Government should work for peace and pursue things that are for the general interest of the people and not a section of the country.

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