While Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief following a relative lull in the onslaught by terrorists and other agents of insecurity, fresh reports indicate that record has been shattered, thus sparking concern from not a few across the country.
It is worrisome that there is a resurgence of terrorism as Borno and Niger States were the latest theatres of absurdity.
According to reports, more than a dozen soldiers were killed recently in multiple attacks on a military base in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State.
The terrorists attacked the base in the remote town of Kareto in the Mobbar Local Government Area with improvised explosives and shot at it from different directions according to sources.
This affront suggests that our military may have been caught off-guard and need to fortify their fronts in a better stead to put attackers at bay.
With the heavy shooting as reported in the base Boko Haram terrorists should indeed not be taken for granted henceforth. The sources said the terrorists returned hours later to resume their attack with some civilians also hit by bullets. This calls for a review of their operational tactics so as to repel any attack.
Sadly, we learnt the attacks came days after a raid by Boko Haram that led to the deaths of some soldiers.
We appreciate the state governor, Babagana Zulum, Who promptly conveyed his condolences to the military and the families of the fallen heroes, stressing that they died as patriots.
It is devastating that we have been experiencing 14 years of terrorist attacks which have led to the deaths of more than 100,000 people and the displacement of 3 million, given the National Emergency Management Agency data.
Besides the Borno onslaught, there was another deadly encounter when the military neutralized at least 50 Boko Haram terrorists following an ambush in northwest Kaduna State in which the nation recorded some casualties within the same week.
The incident occurred as special surveillance forces returned from operational mission of a major hydro-electricity station in Niger State.
Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp. spokesman Babawale Afokabi said the special forces comprising 80 officers and personnel were ambushed by the terrorists at Farin-Kasa in Chukun Local Government of Kaduna State.
The monitoring team for the National Grid Installation located in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
They were said to be crossing from the Shiroro axis after the surveillance and monitoring oversight of the installations.
We are worried that the authorities announced that over 200 dreaded armed Boko Haram elements had laid ambushed on a vengeful mission against security operatives who they claimed had been their albatross in the area. They were said to have opened fire from the top of a hill located at Farin-Kasa, on sighting the long convoy of the NSCDC monitoring team using different sophisticated weapons.
This is a disturbing scenario that over 200 terrorists could escape all intelligence and encamp in a state where the military, security agencies and local vigilance groups operate.
There is need to work hard on our intelligence response to the dreadful situation at hand so as to ensure that we are not overwhelmed by these deadly elements who have been infiltrated by foreigners.
We are concerned that no fewer than seven operatives of the NSCDC are currently missing in action even as efforts are currently underway to locate them in the bush, while a few others who sustained various degrees of Injuries are currently undergoing medical treatment in a medical facility. This is of grave national concern and there ought to be drastic moves to curtail these fresh distractions and pain arising from the insurgents’ challenge.
Given the renewed offensive, there is a need to revisit Governor Zulum’s request at a time for a combined multi-national assistance to track financiers of insurgency in the country.
