On April 14, 2014, Islamist sect Boko Haram abducted some 276 girls from their high school in Chibok, Borno State, an incident that brought the terrorist group an extended global media attention. While more than 50 had escaped, leader of the group Abubakar Shekau said he had married off the remaining girls. However, recent events suggest that the Islamist militants might have kept the girls to carry out suicide attacks.

The group has stepped up its campaign of suicide bombing using girls, usually veiled, to blow up targets in Nigeria’s northeast. At other times, the militants storm villages on motorcycles and pick-up vans shooting indiscriminately at villagers and burning down homes.

An attack, on Monday, by two girls who blew themselves up at a fish market in Maiduguri, the birthplace of the Islamist sect, led to 30 deaths. Another followed in Yobe State, where a girl believed to be aged about 12 years blew herself up at a market. Although it could not be confirmed whether the suicide bombers wore veils, most women in the region wear veils for cultural and religious reasons. Boko Haram had exploited this, with several female suicide bombers to have perpetrated attacks in recent times using their veils to conceal bombs.

Buhari’s vow

During his electioneering campaign, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari promised to stop Boko Haram if voted into office. But the country has only witnessed more attacks since his inauguration. More than 150 people have been killed in the last three weeks. As part of efforts to end the militant attacks, the president has met with leaders of Chad, Niger and Benin Republic and has an invitation to visit Cameroon to discuss how the neighbours can collaborate to end insurgency. He also moved the Command and Control Centre of Nigeria’s Defence to Maiduguri and directed all soldiers manning checkpoints across the country to return to the barracks to focus on the work they signed up for. But attacks have continued regardless of the efforts.

Ban the veil?

Boko Haram’s use of female suicide bombers raises two questions. Were they used so they could conceal bombs under their veils? Or is the sect playing on the emotions of Nigerians by using girls who may well be the abducted Chibok girls as the perceived age range suggests? Although these questions may never be answered, one thing is clear; Nigeria needs to end Boko Haram’s insurgency as soon as possible.

When suicide bombers wearing veils attacked Chad, Nigeria’s neighbour and partner in the fight against insurgency, the country banned the use of the burqa (the full body covering, head to toe) and tinted cars. After suffering series of attacks by veiled girls, maybe it is high time the country considered toeing Chad’s path. But it will be a tough call for President Buhari who may be seen as working against the tenets of Islam, especially by the northern Muslims who are one of those to have suffered attacks the most.

Although studies show that the burqa’s true origin is cultural, not religious, fears that such ban could stoke religious tension in the country may never make Nigerian authorities regard it as a possible way of fighting insurgency. There have been several riots between Christians and Muslims in the country since the 1950s, usually triggered by extreme leaders. Such leaders still exist in the country.

President Buhari, himself, does not think he is out of options yet. In fact, the president believes the current approach will end the insurgency. A ban on the burqa is thus unlikely, at least not anytime soon. But if female suicide bombings continue, should Nigeria ban the veil?




http://venturesafrica.com/if-female-suicide-bombings-continue-should-nigeria-ban-the-veil/

Ladies!

They should ban it.....that was how one day I saw one woman wearing that veil from head to toe cover eyes even in the dark.....I thought she was a witch who was dared to come out by 8pm

Dem dhe deceive us, say d veil good. Many of dem no dhe wear "kpata", for easy "fingering"
For dose weh know ilorin wella, alikmha university grls dhe wear am enter princess club, wen dem pull d hijab, u go see "gussy" and azz

I think in only sensitive areas, it should be. I understand what it is to go against once religion teachings and obligations. People are dying for crying out loud. Let it be banned in those casualty areas. For now.

Don't ban it, let them enjoy the fruits of their labour. . There used to be a time when heavy veils were not envogue in the muslim world, remember the northern female newscasters on NTA in the 80s? Then came the talibans/osama/America is this, America is that. . The muslim worlds knee-jack reaction was to deepen conservatism on all fronts and as usual, the weak women folks bore/bear the brunt. I don't see the good reason why you should insist on folding up your fellow woman like an 'ogiri' in this kind of tropical sahara heat. But then a respite might be here. Ironic.

they should also ban cars used for kidnapping

Why cant they wear the short veils that cover only the upper part of their body & head like those Emirates air hostesses?

axiliborha:
They should ban it.....that was how one day I saw one woman wearing that veil from head to toe cover eyes even in the dark.....I thought she was a witch who was dared to come out by 8pm

+49k likes

My people perish for lack of information. Do you think the suicide bombers wear veils? Or do you think if a particular form of clothing is stopped, the terrorist wont find a way of bypassing that?
Solution is for the DMI to take over SSS jobs and be more proactive.

olapluto:
My people perish for lack of information. Do you think the suicide bombers wear veils? Or do you think if a particular form of clothing is stopped, the terrorist wont find a way of bypassing that?
Solution is for the DMI to take over SSS jobs and be more proactive.

Bros, when dynamite sticks and bombs are hidden under a burqa, who will see them? If you like, hire 1 million DMI staff to take over the job of the SSS. The end result will still be the same.

The lives & safety of people are more important than the burqa or full-length veil.

laudate:


Bros, when dynamite sticks and bombs are hidden under a burqa, who will see them? If you like, hire 1 million DMI staff to take over the job of the SSS. The end result will still be the same.

The lives & safety of people are more important than the burqa or full-length veil.

A person that can hide dynamite under a burqa can as well hide it under a 'senegalese' or baba riga. I would have thought the solution is to prevent them from getting these dynamites.

Jregz:
+49k likes

axiliborha:

I don't speak emoticons

olapluto:

A person that can hide dynamite under a burqa can as well hide it under a 'senegalese' or baba riga. I would have thought the solution is to prevent them from getting these dynamites.

Sure, the best way is to prevent them from getting the dynamites. At least in the case of the Senegalese & Babanrigas, you get to see the faces of the perpetrators and can quickly spot if something is amiss, from their body language and countenance.

axiliborha:
..

holy hell, I'm human, I don't understand all those

axiliborha:
g

said I don't understand emoticons so you'd write Shakespearean English or plain Yoruba

Jregz:

said I doesn't understand emoticons so you'd write Shakespearean English or plain Yoruba

I study Chinese do you want me to write it in Chinese pinyin

yes, strongly supported...the face covering makes them look like outcast and it's not fair

axiliborha:
I study Chinese do you want me to write it in Chinese pinyin

nay

Richiez:
yes, strongly supported...the face covering makes them look like outcast and it's not fair

hehe,more like self inflicted evils

Jregz:
nay

Kay

Jregz:
nay

O'Kay

Jregz:

hehe,more like self inflicted evils

well, something like that, but i mean no insult to those that cherish it anyway.

It should be banned & replaced with ordinary head tie.

bad ideal

If Chad which is predominantly Muslim banned it; why cant Nigeria do the same.

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Dem dhe deceive us, say d veil good. Many of dem no dhe wear "kpata", for easy "fingerring"
For dose weh know ilorin wella, alikmha university grls dhe wear am enter princess club, wen dem pull d hijab, u go see "gussy" and azz

What some girls do under the guise of wearing hijab ehn...You need to see them at princess you go cry for their mama...