* AU Chairman condemns recent suicide bombings in strong words
* Masses in panic mode
* As FG, military strategies
Last weekend s multiple suicide bombings in Borno have rekindled the fear of Nigerians of a possible comeback being staged by terrorists, DAUDA ISMAIL writes.
The multiple explosions by suspected suicide bombers last weekend that killed at least 18 people, including children and a pregnant woman, in Borno State, have rekindled palpable fear of terrorists staging a comeback.
Many have expressed worry, recalling the gorry days of about a decade ago when suicide bombing by terrorists held away.
Saturday last week, suicide bombers targeting a crowd of people at a funeral event and marriage ceremony in Gwoza, a town in n Borno State, detonated explosives. A third explosion occurred near a government hospital minutes after the first and second blasts in the town. About 18 deaths, comprising children, adult male, females, and a pregnant woman were immediately confirmed, while 19 people who were seriously injured were taken to a public hospital in the state capital Maiduguri.
A total of 23 other injured were evacuated early Sunday from the town to receive further treatment.
The incident marked the first multiple explosion in the region this year in the face of over a decade of terrorist attacks by the terror groups Boko Haram and ISWAP.
And while Nigerians were yet to come to terms with the resurgence of suicide bombing, nay terrorist activities in the country, analysts were quick to point out that this was not an isolated case. It would be recalled that on Sunday May 12, five soldiers of the Nigerian Army were killed and 11 others injured by terrorists who attacked a military camp in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to the memo, the incident occurred at about 2 p.m. on Sunday when over 200 terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons and led by a terrorism kingpin, Ado Aleiru, attacked the military camp situated at the village of Yar Malamai.
On receipt of the information, Supol Faskari, proceeded to the scene with his team and engaged the bandits on a gun battle as reinforcement (of) Air Components were also called upon and responded promptly.
“The battle lasted for over two hours after intervention from the Air Force; sadly five soldiers and one vigilante by name Aliyu Tukur, 30 years (old), of the same address, lost their lives.
“Eleven soldiers sustained different degrees of gunshot injuries, all the injured were rushed to hospital by the military, all the corpses were also removed.
“The attack led to the withdrawal of all the remaining military personnel from the village to a nearby camp 25 kilometres away situated at Ali Kere village due to heavy casualty recorded.
“The bandits also suffered heavy casualties but have succeeded in removing them away from the scene (sic). Residents of the area are currently migrating
“Investigation has commenced further development would be communicated above for your information, please,” the internal memo had stated.
For citizens especially in the Northern part of the country who thought the gorry days of brazen attacks by terrorists were over, these recent attacks have jolted them back to reality that it wasn’t yet Uhuru for terrorism in the country.
Expectedly, the recent attacks have elicited condemnation from world leaders. For instance, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, strongly condemned the coordinated attacks by suspected suicide bombers at community gatherings of a wedding and a funeral ceremony respectively, and a hospital in Borno as he extended his sincere condolences to the Government of Nigeria and the families of the victims, wishing the injured a full recovery.
He reiterated the African Union’s unequivocal rejection of all forms of violent extremism, terrorism, and other acts of violence against innocent civilians, and calls for urgent collective action to strengthen the prevention of the recruitment of children for terror attacks, as well as its solidarity with and support to the efforts of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in effectively countering terrorism and violent extremism in the Region.
Condemning the recent terrorist attacks attributed to Boko Haram which resulted in a large number of dead and wounded, the United Nations Security Council called on all States to cooperate in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” the 15-member body said in a press statement, which condemned the attacks in restive Borno state.
According media to reports, Boko Haram, armed with machine guns, raided the village on Saturday, leaving more than 50 people dead and wounding dozens more.
“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice. They stressed that those responsible for these terrorist attacks should be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard.”
It expressed their deep condolences to the families and friends of those killed and injured by “these heinous acts” and commended regional efforts, including through the Multi-National Joint Task Force, to combat Boko Haram.
Reiterating that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever and whenever, and by whomsoever committed, the Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, within the framework of international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.
Speaking to AljazirahNigeria Newspapers, Ibrahim Macido, a resident of Damatu, the Yobe State capital, said: “In Nigeria, we are all afraid now. This is because we all thought we had seen the worst of terrorism from Boko Haram, ISWAP and others, but after the multiple suicide bombings of last weekend especially, we have been rudely awakened to the fact that it is not yet over. And I can tell you that we are all in fear, not.just in the North East, but in every other part of the country especially in the Northern part as a whole.”
According to the Global Terrorism Index, GTI 2024, Nigeria is one of ten countries responsible for 87 percent of global terrorism-related deaths, with its share amounting to 6 percent.
While Burkina Faso, Israel, Mali, Pakistan, Syria, Niger, Somalia, Myanmar, and Cameroon account for 23 percent, 14 percent, 9 percent, 8 percent, 8 percent, 6 percent, 5 percent, 4 percent, and 3 percent of global terrorism-related deaths respectively, the rest of the world collectively represents 13 percent.i
Ngeria is one of ten countries responsible for 87 percent of global terrorism-related deaths, with its share amounting to 6 percent. While Burkina Faso, Israel, Mali, Pakistan, Syria, Niger, Somalia, Myanmar, and Cameroon account for 23 percent, 14 percent, 9 percent, 8 percent, 8 percent, 6 percent, 5 percent, 4 percent, and 3 percent of global terrorism-related deaths respectively, the rest of the world collectively represents 13 percent.
For Nigeria, it once again found itself in an uncomfortable position with the ongoing battle against terrorism, with its recent ranking in the GTI underscoring the persistent challenges the nation faces in combating extremism.
In April, African leaders discussed anti-terrorism solutions on the continent during a high-level security summit in Abuja amid a rise in terror attacks. According to the African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism, ACSRT, Africa witnessed an average of eight terror-related incidents and 44 daily casualties in 2023. The toll included 7,000 civilians and 4,000 military personnel killed in attacks.
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser and organizer of the summit, Nuhu Ribadu, emphasized the urgent need to combat terrorism in Africa. He highlighted the diverse threats posed by terrorist groups and stressed the importance of integrated security strategies.
On his part, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, chair of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, urged the proper establishment and strengthening of a regional standby military force. This force, initially proposed in response to the July 2023 coup in Niger, would act as a deterrent against large-scale terrorist operations, he said.
However, political instability in the Sahel region has hindered regional unity. Leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, severely impacted by insurgency, were absent from the summit after facing sanctions for coups.
According a senior security personnel who pleaded anonymity since he wasn’t authorised to speak for neither the Nigerian government nor the military said: “I can comfortably tell you that the government and it’s military are aware of this seeming comeback of terrorism and are strategising to meet these terrorists with the needed and force and strategy to nip it in the bud before it conflagrates into a full blown fire if renewed insurgency.
“Since government’s primary responsibility is to secure the lives and property of the citizens and to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, Nigerians should rest, assured that those destructions of the past and ita.attendant fear and panic shall never be experienced again.”
