They're back: Boko Haram's return under Buhari


In less than three months of Buhari's reign, the gory era of terrorism is back in Nigeria.

15 Aug 2015 06:43 GMT | War & Conflict, Politics, Boko Haram, Nigeria, Africa

In the week of July 5, there was not a single day without an attack. In the preceding week, 145 people were murdered in twin raids in the northeastern Borno state.

On July 16, Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated bombs in Gombe, another state in the northeast, killing 49 people at first count.

In its most recent attack, the insurgents killed at least 47 people in Borno in a trademark bomb blast on August 11.

The constant fear of Boko Haram attacks is not only palpable in the northeast.

Attacks and death threats

In July alone, there have been bomb attacks in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau as well.

In the southwest, a Lagos-based journalist, Adeola Akinremi received a death threat from the sect in May.

While Boko Haram may not be seizing territories and controlling local governments at it did under the rule of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, its attacks in the last month - plus a death toll now nearing 1,000 - are a negative turnaround from the victories recorded in the final weeks of Jonathan's presidency.

For much of the Jonathan years, the overriding public complaint about the war against Boko Haram was focused on how the president positioned himself in the aftermath of attacks.

A few weeks before the presidential election, Jonathan - helped by a coalition of Nigerian, Chadian, Nigerien, and Cameroonian forces - seemed to make up for his shortcomings by nearly exterminating Boko Haram from northern Nigeria.

Jonathan may have handed over a battered federal purse with external and domestic debts to the tune of $63.7bn to his successor, but he managed to hand over an insurgency challenge that was lower in scale and intensity than the one he met.

Botched progress

Buhari has no excuse for botching all the progress that was recorded before his ascendancy.

It is not known what spell Buhari has cast on Nigerians, but the loss of nearly 1,000 lives in almost two months has not generated the kind of admonishment Jonathan faced in similar circumstances.

“The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.”




He may not have danced away at campaign rallies immediately after Boko Haram attacks like his predecessor, but he has yet to personally visit a single blast scene, and official government statements on the killings have been sparse.

Aside from relocating the military command centre to Borno state on his first day in office, travelling out of the country to solicit the help of world leaders in battling the insurgents, and sacking his predecessor's service chiefs and national security adviser, Nigeria can hardly point to a single Boko Haram success story under Buhari.

Therefore, it is no surprise that questions are being asked in the media if Nigerians are more lenient with Buhari on Boko Haram.

On July 20, Buhari travelled to the United States for what was obviously a very important engagement with Barack Obama, and partnership strategies for combating the insurgents was one of the headlines of their bilateral talks.

It was an important trip. The US remains one of Nigeria's long-standing partners against terrorism, committing at least $34m in equipment and logistics support for Nigerian, Chadian, Cameroonian, and Nigerien forces.

That excludes a $5m contribution to the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Buhari's fight

But it is actually at home that Buhari's greatest work against Boko Haram lies.

The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.

The president will do well to concentrate his greatest energy on boosting local surveillance capacities in the entire northern region in order to pre-empt attacks and foil them.

But Buhari does not need to be told what to do





This is not the Nigeria that Muhammadu Buhari promised us in the build-up towards the presidential election. Neither is it the one he promised after he had won.

In a nationally-televised speech, hours after his declaration as president-elect, Buhari had told Nigerians: "Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will."

Fast-forward three months, and it instead looks as if it was the Boko Haram commander who directed that statement towards the Nigerian people.

In less than three months of Buhari's reign, the gory era of terrorism is back in Nigeria, and the insurgents are furiously striking the people again and again.

In the week of July 5, there was not a single day without an attack. In the preceding week, 145 people were murdered in twin raids in the northeastern Borno state.

On July 16, Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated bombs in Gombe, another state in the northeast, killing 49 people at first count.

In its most recent attack, the insurgents killed at least 47 people in Borno in a trademark bomb blast on August 11.

The constant fear of Boko Haram attacks is not only palpable in the northeast.


RELATED: Note to Boko Haram: Western education is NOT a sin


On April 1, in one of his first interviews as president-elect, BBC's Peter Okwoche asked him if he had thought about how to go about fulfilling all his promises to Nigerians.

And this was his response: "I think I wouldn't have made the promises if I didn't know how to fulfil it".

Now, Boko Haram is asking quick-fire questions of a pledge Buhari made in an interview with CNN to "effectively deal with them in a few months when we get into office".

If he truly had a plan for fulfilling that particular promise, now is the time to unleash it on the beasts of Nigeria's northeast.

Fisayo Soyombo edits the Nigerian online newspaper TheCable.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.


http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/07/boko-haram-return-buhari-150726100653152.html

Op make I help you add sauce, before the masturbaters come to eat.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/07/boko-haram-return-buhari-150726100653152.html

This is what we have become, the joke of the international media.

Buhari is one man who has continue to work against the prayers of many Nigerians who earnestly hope that his government is the change they seek.

See this extract:

It is not known what spell Buhari has cast on Nigerians, but the loss of nearly 1,000 lives in almost two months has not generated the kind of admonishment Jonathan faced in similar circumstances.

The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.

He may not have danced away at campaign rallies immediately after Boko Haram attacks like his predecessor, but h[b]e has yet to personally visit a single blast scene, and official government statements on the killings have been sparse[/b].

.

I only believe the words of Superman, spiderman and Thor.

Pls stop misleading people this is not AJ's view.For all we know this might be another wailer, coz on ground all we know is BH capacity is being seriously diminished.

This is what AJ clearly states at the end of the article
Fisayo Soyombo edits the Nigerian online newspaper TheCable.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy

Relax, the General will not lose sleep until the last BH member is flushed out of west Africa.
Sai baba

..

This is a mindless statement.

Please tell this to all who have lost lives and relatives to Boko Haram attacks under Buhari...sit behind your screen and assume that you are safe....

divinehand2003:
Relax, the General will not lose sleep until the last BH member is flushed out of west Africa.
Sai baba

.......Pmb serves as an example 2 all aspiring politicians dat in order 2 attain their desired positions they all must make promises backed up with deadlines....and most importantly get d media 2 back dem up.......

In simple terms....corruption can also be not fulfilling promises b4 their stipulated deadlines......hence...Pmb has achieved a huge feat.....he jst introduced a new form of corruption 2 nigeria

UmuEri:



They're back: Boko Haram's return under Buhari


In less than three months of Buhari's reign, the gory era of terrorism is back in Nigeria.

15 Aug 2015 06:43 GMT | War & Conflict, Politics, Boko Haram, Nigeria, Africa




This is not the Nigeria that Muhammadu Buhari promised us in the build-up towards the presidential election. Neither is it the one he promised after he had won.

In a nationally-televised speech, hours after his declaration as president-elect, Buhari had told Nigerians: "Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will."

Fast-forward three months, and it instead looks as if it was the Boko Haram commander who directed that statement towards the Nigerian people.

In less than three months of Buhari's reign, the gory era of terrorism is back in Nigeria, and the insurgents are furiously striking the people again and again.

Ur signature describes who you are...*spits on ur fathers head*

Maistatine rebel comes to mind. Is Buhari no longer the man that sent those rebels packing from our Country back then?

He even promised to end Bokoharam in 3 months. Now he has given December deadline to end the insurgents.

#Babawhythegoslow?

tucky200:
Ur signature describes who you are...*spits on ur fathers head*

That's because your father died of Ebola in Liberia right?

I strongly disagree on this one Aljazera.

Get ur facts right.

No be only Nigerians enter one chance,Aljazeera don enter one chance too

D article is not far from the truth.. *make I comot b4 dem call me wailer*

When we see 1000 people have died written in the dailies buharians easily wave it aside and say give him time forgetting that these are human beings who but for God's grace would have been your relations and they will never be brought back to life when he is done taking his time. One begins to think deeply for the real meaning of "we are winning the war". On whose side is the winning ascribed? we can't be winning the war when our compatriots keep falling to our enemies in numbers.

Buhari is the chairman of one chance bus drivers association

UmuEri:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/07/boko-haram-return-buhari-150726100653152.html

this is an opinion of a writer in the cable..his opinion tho coz in three month you shouldn't be expecting change

Okay, the writer took coffee over nite and smoke Indian hemp from chad while composing this story......

Foreign Media sha!!!

Whether it is Al-jazeera's view or not. It is the gospel truth.

Buhari cannot tame the boys he unleashed to make GEJ tenure ungovernable.

If people like they can wake up,the reality cannot be changed. 3months deadline has been given. We dey wait.

IPOB Youth

Obijulius:
Op make I help you add sauce, before the masturbaters come to eat.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/07/boko-haram-return-buhari-150726100653152.html

This is what we have become, the joke of the international media.

Buhari is one man who has continue to work against the prayers of many Nigerians who earnestly hope that his government is the change they seek.

See this extract:

una never tire for all this tips tips syndrome.my we bros.bitterness no pay.cheer up.