Africa
Why Nigeria has not defeated Boko
Haram
By Andrew Walker
Nigeria analyst
14 May 2014
From the section Africa
Exactly a year after Nigerian President
Goodluck Jonathan declared a "state
of emergency" in north-eastern
Nigeria, it seems to have had little
effect in curbing the Islamist
insurgency.
Attacks by the Boko Haram group that
provoked the move included an assault on
a military barracks, detonating a bomb at a
bus station in the northern city of Kano
and the kidnap of a French family,
including four children, which grabbed the
world's attention.
The declaration would bring
"extraordinary measures" to bear against
the insurgents in order to "restore
normalcy" to the region, the president
said.
"The troops have orders to carry out all
necessary actions within the ambit of their
rules of engagement to put an end to the
impunity of insurgents and terrorists,"
President Jonathan said.
Now, after 12 months of state of
emergency powers being in force, in the
past few weeks Boko Haram has attacked
several military bases, bombed a busy bus
terminal in the capital, Abuja - twice - and
launched an audacious kidnapping of
more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok
which has set the world on edge.
"When they declared it I thought it had to
be tried," says Habeeb Pindiga, editor of
Nigeria's Daily Trust newspaper, "but
honestly it has not succeeded."
In the year leading up to the state of
emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe
state, there were 741 civilian death
reported, according to data collected by
the University of Sussex in the UK.
In the 12 months since the figure of
civilian causalities has more than tripled to
2,265.
Catch-22
Mr Pindiga says the military has not dealt
with big problems it faces.
Because of the military's human rights
record people do not trust them, plus they
lack modern equipment, training and
motivation.
Attacks in the three states have increased
since the emergency rule was brought in
last year
Civilians do not trust the security forces
deployed to the north-east
A UK military officer who has worked
closely with the Nigerians says they are
stuck in a Catch-22 situation.
"The trouble with the Nigerian government
is that they want a big red button, which
you can press and it will fix everything,"
says James Hall, a retired colonel and
former UK military attache to Nigeria.
"I was asked by a senior commander if we
could sell them the machine that can tell if
a car driving down the road contains a
terrorist," he added.
"I tried to tell them that such a machine
doesn't exist, but then they just thought we
were hiding it from them."
The UK is very wary in giving training
assistance, and sales of better equipment
are also problematic, he says.
Who are Boko Haram?
Founded in 2002
Initially focused on opposing Western
education - Boko Haram means
"Western education is forbidden" in the
Hausa language
Launched military operations in 2009 to
create Islamic state
Thousands killed, mostly in north-
eastern Nigeria - also attacked police
and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
Some three million people affected
Declared terrorist group by US in 2013
Who are Boko Haram?
Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar
Shekau
"We have reduced dramatically the types
of training and equipment we're willing to
provide."
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty
International have both criticised the
Nigerian military for their tactics.
Amnesty reported that some 600 people
were killed by the military after an attack
on Maiduguri's Giwa barracks in March.
The sale of lethal weapons to Nigeria is
prohibited by UK law because of such
concerns.
"Without the training, they won't be able
to get the equipment, and we aren't giving
them the training either," Mr Hall said.
Conflict leads to exodus
Although Nigeria's military has enjoyed a
good reputation internationally because of
its involvement in several peacekeeping
missions in Africa, it has not quite escaped
the legacy of its past.
"What they say about former military
regimes is true," Mr Hall said.
"They cripple their militaries so that there
can't be further coups."
The Nigerian military rejects such
criticism.
Speaking to the press on 7 May in Abuja,
Brigadier-General Olajide Laleye told
journalists that the military were doing
what they could to stop the insurgency.
"Prosecuting large-scale counter-
insurgency operations as well as numerous
other operations in aid of civil authority in
virtually every state of the federation has
put pressure on the personnel and
resources of the army," he said.
In a bid to improve morale, he was
announcing soldiers' salaries would be
paid to their families after their death for
longer than currently allowed.
Payments usually stop a regulation three
months after a soldier is killed, it was
reported.
But observers say that there are other
factors at work beyond just military
capacity.
"There's a lack of trust all across the board,
politically," says Ledum Mitee, a former
activist from the oil-rich southern Niger
Delta.
'Playing politics'
He has followed closely the career of
President Jonathan, who is also from the
Niger Delta.
At the moment, the political leadership of
the three states in the north-east are
aligned with the opposition All
Progressive's Congress ( APC).
"People around the president, his closest
allies, all tell him this Boko Haram is
manufactured by the northerners to play
politics," Mr Mitee says.
"This leads him to distance himself from
the whole affair."
Military commanders on the ground also
have to play politics, he said.
Reports last year that Boko Haram's leader
Abubakar Shekau had been killed were
proved wrong when he appeared in videos
It is not clear if President Goodluck
Jonathan (L) is being given the full picture
about the security situation
International teams have arrived to hunt
for the schoolgirls but not to train the
military in counter-terrorism
"If they give the impression it is a very bad
situation, they risk being branded
incompetent, so they give a less bad
picture to their bosses."
Then when crisis erupts no-one is able to
deal with it effectively because it is so
confused, Mr Mitee said.
It is international pressure over the girls
from Chibok that has forced the
government to change.
It has allowed advisers from China, France,
Israel the UK and the US to help its forces.
But their presence is likely to be limited to
assisting the search for the kidnapped girls,
and will not include a general role in
improving the Nigerian military's capacity.
Even if they could, the job would be too
big, Mr Hall thinks.
"It would take years of total engagement,
training group after group to have any
effect," he says.
"And no-one is really prepared to commit

sostoz:
I wont waste my time by reading ur history...nigerian soldiers are unproffesional they scared of BH i saw several videos of em beating innocent boys...il be happy if ur igbo boys can fight BH instead of wanting to buy sa citizenship from low life gals.

Again an ignorant response not worth a reply.

When you figure out the correct answer come back and I will respond.

Again the question was, why would IGbo boys fight BOko haram?

PS. If they are buying SA citizenship from low life girls, as a civilized exemplary so called African state, lobby your government to kick them all out of your country back to Nigeria rather than resorting to Xenophobic attacks.

we have business interest in ur country so if we kick em out...u will kick out shoprite and mtn...and ur millionairs we still need em coz they spend a lot on our poverty striken lowlife golddigging hoes. at least we gaining still u are good in small business. ur barber shops and saloons are needed.

sostoz:
we have business interest in ur country so if we kick em out...u will kick out shoprite and mtn.

At least you have a little common sense.

sostoz:
..and ur millionairs we still need em coz they spend a lot on our poverty striken lowlife golddigging hoes. at least we gaining still u are good in small business. ur barber shops and saloons are needed.

Point one... The poverty striken hoes are moving up the economic food chain in terms of a better outlook in the future
The under skilled/Semi skilled barbers and hair dresser Nigerians are replacing the lazy un-skilled Shebeen drinking Saffers who keep waiting for government handouts. Solution....Treat these hoes better and they will not galavant outside of your "tribe" looking for comfort and security in the hands of other Africans including Nigerians.

Point two...The Nigerian middle class and millionaires who are buying up all kinds of Pent house and beach front apartment property in SA are invisible to you cause you are obviously low on the food chain, so the barber shop owners and saloon ladies are a point of reference for you in terms of your general perception of what Nigerians are doing in your country.

STAY IGNORANT. It serves its purpose.

morpheus24:

At least you have a little common sense.




Point one... The poverty striken hoes are moving up the economic food chain in terms of a better outlook in the future
The under skilled/Semi skilled barbers and hair dresser Nigerians are replacing the lazy un-skilled Shebeen drinking Saffers who keep waiting for government handouts. Solution....Treat these hoes better and they will not galavant outside of your "tribe" looking for comfort and security in the hands of other Africans including Nigerians.

Point two...The Nigerian middle class and millionaires who are buying up all kinds of Pent house and beach front apartment property in SA are invisible to you cause you are obviously low on the food chain, so the barber shop owners and saloon ladies are a point of reference for you in terms of your general perception of what Nigerians are doing in your country.

STAY IGNORANT. It serves its purpose.

buying properties where?
its not as easy to buy property in SA when you are a foreigner. maybe you should read the property act and the land act.

14:


buying properties where?
its not as easy to buy property in SA when you are a foreigner. maybe you should read the property act and the land act.

Stay ignorant

http://www.eftngr.com/opal/news/1-latest-news/3262-more-rich-nigerians-rush-to-buy-luxury-property-in-south-africa

seppuku:


Stay ignorant

http://www.eftngr.com/opal/news/1-latest-news/3262-more-rich-nigerians-rush-to-buy-luxury-property-in-south-africa

www.timeslive.co.za/local/2014/07/05/foreigners-buying-up-sa-property

1500 sales in the Cape, 2500 in Jozi, a few hundred more elsewhere. Most of these sales are to Germans and Brits, it's also not smart to brag about your own people investing in property markets of other countries because it helps growth for those countries by locking in value.

paniki:


www.timeslive.co.za/local/2014/07/05/foreigners-buying-up-sa-property

1500 sales in the Cape, 2500 in Jozi, a few hundred more elsewhere. Most of these sales are to Germans and Brits, it's also not smart to brag about your own people investing in property markets of other countries because it helps growth for those countries by locking in value.

my point exactly

paniki:


www.timeslive.co.za/local/2014/07/05/foreigners-buying-up-sa-property

1500 sales in the Cape, 2500 in Jozi, a few hundred more elsewhere. Most of these sales are to Germans and Brits, it's also not smart to brag about your own people investing in property markets of other countries because it helps growth for those countries by locking in value.

the point that was being made MR quick- to- interject was that your narrow minded MR 14 doesn't have a clue who is buying what in SA, not that the so called first worlders aka "WHITE PEOPLE" are the ones who are buying up properties in higher numbers, which if you ask me is a no brainer.

An excerpt from the article:
"What is more, Africa is expected to show the most rapid growth in the creation of millionaires over the next 10 years," Geffen said.

"These individuals are currently growing their real estate portfolios quite aggressively, which accounts for the growing number of buyers in SA from other African countries."

He said First National Bank recently reported the percentage of foreign home buyers from countries such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Angola and Mozambique had risen from 16 percent in the third quarter of 2013 to 19.5 percent in the first quarter of this year

14:


http://www.sacommercialpropnews.co.za/business-specialties/legal-and-policy/6900-new-legislation-to-stop-foreigners-buy-land-in-sa.html

You need read carefully into that proposed legislation, I believe The wordings in the article has a lot to do with buying and outright owning "commercially viable farm land/property" for business reasons versus leasing it.

PS Nigeria has a similar law where land is leased for 30 to 99 years but I really don't think it makes commons sense to restrict a british man from buying a house in Victoria island, lagos does it?

thanx god. Chad is the boss wen it comz to militarry in the ecowas block

sostoz:
thanx god. Chad is the boss wen it comz to militarry in the ecowas block

Stop acting like you know anything bout Africa

stick to Jan van Reibeck history!

morpheus24:


Stop acting like you know anything bout Africa

stick to Jan van Reibeck history!

You are the one who should stop acting like you know everything about everything..

kgr28:

You are the one who should stop acting like you know everything about everything..

Ahhh Kgr28

Are you getting bored on nairaland, no SA topics to jump on?


There are many other threads going on in different sections on here you can chime in on, you might learn a lot.

Stop waiting for the next SA thread otherwise you will get bored.

morpheus24:


Ahhh Kgr28

Are you getting bored on nairaland, no SA topics to jump on?


There are many other threads going on in different sections on here you can chime in on, you might learn a lot.

Stop waiting for the next SA thread otherwise you will get bored.

You are the reason am bored....

kgr28:

You are the reason am bored....

I Luv you too !!!

i cnt wrestle a pig in the mudd coz it will win!

morpheus24:
Stop acting like you know
anything bout Africa
stick to Jan van Reibeck history!

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