Still on the Boko Haram Insurgency

The Boko Haram terrorist group is one of the major challenges facing the security architecture of Nigeria.

The terrorist group was quiet for over 2 years after general elections in 2015 but they are now louder than ever. They first gained attention this year after they kidnapped 110 Dapchi school girls which some of them were released a few days later in February 2018. Then there were reports of minor attacks in some part of the North East but they became popular again after the attack on a military base in Metele, Borno state.

The Metele attack that left more than 100 soldiers dead was not initially reported by local News outlet till some foreign media outlet reported the news. Not long after the report by some foreign media outlets, the news became a trending topic. The Nigerian Army headquarter responded to the news and claimed a little over 50 soldiers were killed and warned the public to stop spreading false information.

Soon after the news of the attack on Metele Military base broke a video emerged online and in the video some soldiers were complaining about how their weapon is inferior to that of the terrorist group. In response to this video, the Nigerian Army claimed the video was an old video. Days later in a statement by the Chief of Defense signed by Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman it was revealed that the terrorist group is now using drones and foreign mercenaries to combat the Nigerian soldiers.

A few days ago there is a new report of the terrorist group attacking Baga a community in Borno state that the headquarters of the Multi-National Joint Task Force is located. Soon after the report of the attack in Baga, another video surfaced online and in the video a soldier can be heard saying they are fleeing from the battlefront due to the fact that they are not well equipped to face the terrorist group. Although the Nigerian Army has claimed that the video is an old video but one thing is loud in all of this reports and statements and it is the fact that Boko Haram is now well equipped to face the Nigerian Army. This then begged for an answer to a particular question and the question is: Is the Boko Haram terrorist group richer than Nigeria?

Another observation from the sudden popularity of the terrorist group is that the last time they were this powerful was 2014 when we preparing for the 2015 general elections. Is the terrorist group sponsored by politicians to hold on to power?

There are several questions concerning the terrorist group which needs answers but there are way too many cover-ups by the present administration.

Another important question is why is it hard for Nigeria to smash a terrorist group that has been killing thousands and displacing millions of it citizen since the emergence of the group in 2002.