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Zabarmari massacre: Matters arising

Last Saturday, scores of farmers were murdered in cold blood in Kwashabe Village, Zabarmari District, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State. The farmers, who were working in rice fields, were said to have been summoned to a meeting by a group of terrorists who were apparently in control of the community. Investigations have revealed that the summons may not be unconnected with the extortionist tendencies of the terrorists, who frequently demanded sundry taxes, levies and protection fees from these farmers.

In the course of the meeting, the farmers were attacked and their throats slit. Many of them were beheaded outrightly, some abducted, while several others who managed to escape the gruesome fate are said to be missing days after the incident.

This is one of the worst attacks in recent months in a region where the Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) groups have remained active for over a decade. There are conflicting casualty figures emanating from the sad and unfortunate incident. While the Borno State government said 43 farmers were slaughtered, the United Nations (UN) said they were as many as 110 victims of this massacre.

It would be recalled that last month, Boko Haram fighters killed 22 farmers working on irrigation fields near Maiduguri. In February, these terrorists had attacked and killed 40 persons at Auno community. In June, they launched an assault on Foduma Koloram village of Gubio District, killing almost 100 civilians, while another attack in Usman Lawanti left 40 people dead. These incidents are far too many and highly embarrassing, especially coming from a region where the Federal Government had repeatedly told the world it had liberated from Boko Haram.

We recall that in December 2015, the Nigeria Armed Forces declared that it had technically defeated and decimated Boko Haram and that the terrorist group no longer had a foothold in the North-East region. But, with the latest developments, these claims have become very doubtful. However, the response of the Federal Government to the latest incident at Zabarmari leaves us in doubt as to whether those prosecuting the counterterrorism war still have anything left to offer.

As usual, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed outrage at the report coming from Zabarmari and has ordered the Nigerian Army to take the battle to the terrorists in their enclave. This is not a new directive and we do not expect anything to change in the battle formation and strategies as a result of the order. In another breadth, the president has despatched a special delegation to Borno to commiserate with the government and people of that state over their loss.

There is also nothing new in this move because we have seen such mourning entourages before and nothing else happened beyond the temporary psychological relief it may offer the living. Those who died are gone and, as usual, nothing significant would be done to put an end to these massacres.

The pronouncements of the Presidency and other officials of the administration have betrayed a sense of helplessness and a tacit admittance that Boko Haram has not been defeated as was previously claimed by some spin doctors.

Regrettably, it appears Nigerians are in for a long night. Excuses such as the ‘rice farmers did not seek clearance from the military’ and ‘foreign countries have denied Nigeria access to procure weapons to combat terrorism’ are no longer tenable or desirable. Nigerians are no longer impressed by these excuses as nothing can justify the huge loss of lives being recorded every day in different parts of the country.

While the delusion of the defeat of Boko Haram lasted, the group has continued to wax stronger and metamorphose into other monsters in the North-West and North-Central regions of the country. We sincerely think that Nigeria needs a new approach to the counter terrorism war at this time. It is time to consider the very many options, which security experts and other well-meaning Nigerians have clamoured for these past months.

It is time to let the present crop of service chiefs go so as to give way to new hands and fresh ideas in the fight against Boko Haram. It is also time to review the successes and failures of the super camp strategy adopted by the military in recent times.

While it has helped in reducing military fatalities, it has left many of the rural areas, farms and road networks exposed to terrorist attacks. There is also an urgent need for a renewal of the pact and mandate of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) to bring back the regional coalition of forces from Niger, Chad and Cameron. Government must also swallow its pride by considering the possible recruitment and deployment of mercenary fighters in the North-East. We implore President Muhammadu Buhari to wake up from his slumber and take full charge of the security situation, not only in the North- East, but in the entire country.

This administration has lived in denial for too long and in the process abdicated its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizenry. We must remind Mr. President that the loss of one Nigerian life to the terrorist represents not just a betrayal of the trust and confidence the electorate reposed in him, but a breach of his oath of office and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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