The retired Chief of Army Staff, during his handing over speech, boldly claimed that his administration successfully curbed the Boko Haram insurgency. However, Governor Prof. Babagana Zulum of Borno State has alarmingly reported renewed attacks on farmers by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in local communities. The governor accused certain individuals of sabotaging the state’s security restoration efforts.
Tragically, eight farmers and scavengers were brutally murdered in Shuwari, Kaleri, Tamsu Ngamdua, Baram Karamwa, and Muna communities. These recent killings add to a series of similar attacks on farmers in Borno. A reliable military source confirmed that 16 farmers in Molai and Kayamla communities were killed because they ventured beyond the designated farming area, despite warnings.
Governor Zulum uncovered an attempt to undermine the Federal Government’s counterinsurgency fight and the military’s operations. He expressed concerns about the difficulties farmers face in accessing their farmlands, proposing the relocation of military roadblocks along the Maiduguri/Mafa Road to facilitate their agricultural activities. Additionally, he pledged to hold a security meeting to address the insecurity and explore the revival of agro-rangers and a joint security task force.
These revelations shed light on the weakened state of our security system and place a tremendous burden on the new leaders of the security agencies. The fulfillment of their promises will determine the success or failure of the current administration. The hopes and expectations of many Nigerians rest on the capable shoulders of these security personnel, who bear the responsibility of securing the country.
It raises a pressing question: Has there ever been a time when the security forces effectively curbed terrorist insurgency? The strategies employed seem largely unchanged, our ammunition falls short compared to that of the terrorists, and our security system lags behind in technological advancements. This situation leaves us wondering if any meaningful change is on the horizon.
Is our security system truly doomed?
