Guard against soft landing for terrorists
Rounds over recent reports of surrendering turn of Boko-Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have been taking a toll at a dimension which calls for deep thoughts. It is rational enough that depth of thoughts be given to the sides which such development encode, particularly with the reality of diverse reactions which necessarily have greeted and would continue to greet the trend. Questions over their genuine penitence have been raised from some quarters, as critical thinkers believe integrating them again into the society without caution, holds security threats to the society. While some believe the discretion of their integration is a decision the government must make based on assessment of security situations, there are Nigerians whose position, having been pained by the terror unleashed by the insurgents, express nothing but deep grievances showing refusal to accept the integration of such persons into the society on the guise of repentance without facing the wrath of the law.
In the expression of divergent views, is also the position of those who have questioned what would be the compensation for those who have lost loved ones to the gruesome dehumanising machinations of the terrorists. Those doubting the genuineness of the penitence of the surrendered terrorists have raised warnings to justify why the States where these persons have surrendered have to beware of the development as a potential plot to overpower and take over key communities without much challenge. The school of thought , believes the terrorists should not go unpunished have argued that absorbing them into the society, without the force of the law, is a cheap ticket to encouraging ill-disposed persons to further their escapades with an orientation that there are chances of forgiveness for them after unleashing inhumane crimes against the society.
The dilemma which surrounds the trend with clumsy sides appear to be pushing government authorities to the walls of confusion. Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, whose jurisdiction has been worst hit by the terror of the insurgents, last weekend, in a reflection expressing the difficulties before the State with the recent trend, had said: “We have to critically look between two extreme conditions and decide our future. We have to choose between an endless war or to cautiously accept the surrendered terrorists which is really painful and difficult for anyone that has lost loved ones; difficult for all of us and even for the military whose colleagues have died and for volunteers.”
Clouds began to gather over the controversially disputed development when on 9th August, 2021, another whooping troop of 1,081 Boko Haram terrorists, including some senior commanders of the sect and their families, were reported to have surrendered to troops of the Operation HADIN KAI after sustained military land and air bombardments of their enclaves and hideouts in the North East. Reports had emerged that the surrender, among others, may not be unconnected with internal discontent within the sect, worsened by unsavoury conditions of famine and health challenges, as well as, untold hardship which have combined with the military onslaught to make life unbearable for many of the terrorists. In a statement on Monday 9th, August, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, had disclosed that more arms and ammunition were also recovered from the surrendering terrorists. The statement had read partly: “Following the recent escalation of offensive operations coupled with non kinetic efforts by troops of operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) which yielded massive surrendering of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province Terrorists in the North East, the Chief Bomb Expert of the terrorists group known as Musa Adamu a.K.a Mala Musa Abuja and his second in command Usman Adamu a.k.a Abu Darda along with their families and followers have also finally surrendered to the troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
“The acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 OPHK Brigadier General Abdulwahab Adelokun Eyitayo was at Headquarters 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama on Saturday, 7 August, 2021 to receive the set of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists and their families. During the visit, the GOC said their decision to drop their arms and come out is highly commendable, adding that they should also try and talk to their brothers and colleagues in the forest to come out and embrace the new life of peace and rehabilitation.
“General Eyitayo who spoke through an interpreter further disclosed that they will undergo some rehabilitation process at a Government facility before reintegration into the larger society. While distributing new cloths and assorted food items, groceries and toiletries to the surrendered terrorists and their families totalling 335 fighters, 746 adult women and children including one of the abducted Chibok girls, it was observed that the reasons for such massive turn was basically due to the intensified Nigerian military campaign on their enclaves and environs and also with the overwhelming famine, discontent, internal skirmishes, health challenges as well as untold hardship.
“The Nigerian military has resolved to intensify its both kinetic and non-kinetic approach towards the ongoing fight against insurgency in order to leverage on the knowledge of Musa Adamu and Usman Adamu and also with the current wave of turnout by terrorists to enable her achieve both short and long term counter-insurgency gains in the North East.”
As the trend continue to take toll, another rounds of the insurgents and their families had subsequently followed suit. On Monday August 16, 2021, the Nigerian Army had disclosed that 219 more Boko-Haram fighters and children have surrendered to troops in the north-east region of the Country. The Army’s spokesman, Nwachukwu, had consequently in a statement said the feat was recorded in Borno State.
A statement from the Army spokesman had read: “Following the recent unprecedented and massive surrendering of Boko Haram Terrorists in Bama Operational area on 2 and 4 August, 2021 respectively, there has been confusion and severe apprehension in the camps of the Islamic State of West Africa Province especially amongst its top ranking commanders over the depleting strength of its members, which has drastically dwindled their overall fighting efficiency. It is against this back drop that the terrorists group opted for the use of propaganda via AMAQ Terrorists Media Wing with the aim to portray the group as if it is still a potent force in the North East.
“The current trend of apprehension in their camps was further aggravated by the recent alarming turn out of members of the terrorists group, who came out in droves with their families to lay down their arms and surrender to own troops at Mafa Local Government Area on 14 August, 2021. A total of 186 Boko Haram Terrorists members led by their Amir, Manye Aga, comprising 67 adult males, 54 adult females and 65 children surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI at Forward Operational Base (FOB) Ajiri. Items recovered from the surrendered terrorists include, several AK 47 rifles and magazines, a locally made pistol and 8 locally fabricated daggers.
“Similarly, on 15 August, 2021, the Theatre took custody of additional Boko Haram fighters, comprising of 4 adult males, 11 adult females and 18 children from Landanli, Azah, Ngaridua and Kondilla villages, who surrendered to own troops of 151 Task Force Battalion, Banki Junction in Bama.”
It is observable that the soft landing given to the terrorists who surrendered early August must have created an atmosphere of convenience for more of them to resort to surrendering under the code of repentance. It would be recalled that about 56 Boko-Haram/ISWAP terrorists were reported in a statement by the Nigerian Army on Thursday, 05, 2021 to have surrendered their arms and embraced peace. The statement came at the heels of a preceding one which was about 24 hours earlier, announcing that some Boko-Haram insurgents and their families which consist of 19 male fighters, 19 adult females and 49 children surrendered due to unbearable conditions in their holdouts.
The Thursday, 5th, 2021 statement, had read partly: “More Boko Haram (BHT)/ Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists are surrendering as troops of Operations HADIN KAI (OPHK), conducting Counter terrorism and counter Insurgency operations in North East Nigeria escalate ground and air offensive operations against the terrorists. Sustained air and artillery bombardments on the enclaves of the terrorists in Sambisa forest and its environs have continued to yield positive results as 56 terrorists and their families laid down their arms abandoning the groups and their illicit course. Recently, the terrorists groups have suffered enormous set back and recorded several casualties as a result of ferocious offensives by gallant troops of OPHK.
“Eighteen male fighters of the terrorists groups on Wednesday 4 August 2021, came out to surrender to own troops with their arms and ammunition, along with their families including 18 adult females and 19 children from Chingori and other surrounding villages around the Sambisa forest. The arms recovered from the surrendered terrorists include, 5 AK-47 rifles, 1 foreign AK-47 rifle with telescopic sight, 1 Fabrique Nationale rifle, 8 AK-47 rifle magazines, 1 FN rifle magazine, 1 Bandolier, 3 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition and the sum of Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred Naira (N7,700.00) only.
“Similarly, a Boko-Haram fighter from Abuja Asamau Village in Sambisa Forest also surrendered to own troops of with his AK-47 rifle, 2 magazines, 1 Magazine holder, 1 round of 7.62mm special and the sum of Five Thousand Naira (N5,000:00).”
The divergence of views which have greeted the subject matter of the surrendering trend of the Boko-Haram/ISWAP insurgents are reflection of the controversial character which the development assumes. While every critical situation requires decisive moves, it is pertinent that such moves are given the breath of deep thoughts to arrive at the most rational position of desideratum to guide against avoidable lamentations for the society.
Giving depth to consider the driving orientation of terrorists in the recent trend towards taking rational moves, is particularly important on the course of decision making which may pose dilemma of critical sides. It is known, as observed, that the process of de-radicalisation is non negotiable before reabsorbing a group of people who have alienated themselves back into the same society they had unleashed terror upon. It could be argued that the heat of unpleasant situations must have been the pressure forcing the insurgents to succumb to surrendering as the best option to save themselves from the nemesis of heavy clampdown. Hence, such resort may be nothing more than an impulsive one which may never be borne out of genuine repentance. In this case, the tendencies of such persons to constitute clogs of unrest and terror within the society if reabsorbed without stringent de-radicalisation processes hold high proclivities.
To this end, it is essential for the Nigerian authorities, rather than mere giving soft landing to the insurgents with crass provisions bearing possibilities of constituting the basis for another internalised formation of unrest and menaces in the society, to take course of deploying strategic mesures to craft a system around the trend, with architectures that would give expression to virile patterns of de-radicalising the insurgents with outcomes which give no chance for doubt. Such architectures should put in place monitoring mechanisms to track the records of such insurgents after re-integration, with potent instruments to recall any who subsequently may be found exhibiting unfriendly conduct with threats to the society.
More importantly, it is pertinent for the Nigerian authorities to capitalise on the necessity to optimise the trend to grill the surrendered insurgents for intelligence gathering, against giving just mere soft landing and crass re-integration into the society. Such intelligence would be needed to expose the formations of the sects to clampdown on the connectivity of their networks. While the Nigerian authorities may see the surrendering insurgents as a good omen, it is pertinent to note that, as much as there may be positivity which can be optimised from the surrendering trend of the insurgents, there are inherent dangers which may portend worse entanglements if the trend is irrationally and crassly handled.
