A Recap Of Failed Promises On When Boko Haram Will End

The Nigerian government has come out several times
to tell members of the public, especially those who
have been directly or indirectly affected by the Boko
Haram insurgency when the sect’s menace will end.
It is based on these failed promises that it became
imperative to embark on a personal reflection to
ascertain if our government is taking us for a fool by
deliberately announcing deadlines it knows is not feasible,
or maybe it believes that is what Nigerians would want
to hear in a depressed time like this.
It is a known fact that members of the Boko Haram
terrorists group have been ravaging the North-Eastern
states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. The sect has
killed scores of innocent people, kidnapped several
others, captured some towns, attacked security
formations, burnt houses as well as destroyed other
properties worth billions of naira in its onslaught against
the government and the Nigerian people.

Boko Haram which means ‘Western education is a sin’
is officially called ‘Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’Awati
Wal-Jihad’, which means people Committed to the
Prophet’s Teachings for Propagation and Jihad. It has
its base in the North-Eastern part of the country. The
United States designated it a terrorist organisation in
November 2013.
The Nigerian military has been fighting the terrorists
group for almost five years now and there have been
reports of soldiers being killed by the terrorists or simply
abandoning the battlefield to flee to neighboring countries
like Cameroon, Chad after intense gunfight. But the
Nigerian military is currently clamping down on the
terrorists group, dislodging them from their hideout and
turning them to the destitute it ought to be.
On February 21, 2014, a Kaduna-based Islamic
scholar, Sheikh (Dr) Ahmed Gumi while receiving the
leader of Sam4Nigeria, Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, and
his team at his residence said the exit of President
Goodluck Jonathan from office will mark the end of
Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
On May 11, 2014, Governor Babangida Aliyu, the
Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum
while addressing a joint Northern States Governors/
United States investors’ summit held in Abuja said all
elements of the Boko Haram terrorists will be wiped
out within three months. My understanding of three
months here should be June, July and August which
have long elapsed.
On August 3, 2014, the commander in chief of the
Nigerian Armed Forces, President Goodluck
Jonathan was diplomatic enough, not to have set a date
but cleverly assured Nigerians while speaking in Ile-Ife
during his homage visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba
Okunade Sijuade, while on his way to the Peoples
Democratic Party campaign rally in Osogbo, that the
Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria will soon be a thing
of the past.
On November 30, 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan,
who played host to some Igbo market and town union
leaders in Lagos under the auspices of the
Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria led by
billionaire businessmen Arthur Eze and Ifeanyi Ubah,
also assured Nigerians that Boko Haram insurgency in
the country will soon end.
“I just want to tell Nigerians that this phase will surely
pass. This intimidation will not last. We will continue to
improve on the technology needed to combat terrorism,”
Jonathan said.

Finally on December 3, 2014, Senate President,
David Mark, maybe after a personal reflection and
critical analysis of the lingering war against the
insurgents, decided to turn to God for prayers and as a
good leader, he urged Nigerians to follow suit.
Boko Haram reportedly killed more than 5,000
civilians between July 2009 and June 2014, comprising
no fewer than 2,000 in the first half of 2014. The
attacks are mainly carried out in northeast. The sect has
kidnapped more than 500 women and children, including
the abduction of over 234 female students from
Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno
State on April 14, 2014.
The kidnapping, however sparked a nationwide protest
against the sect and the Nigerian government as
concerned citizens formed a group known as
#BringBackOur Girls campaign.
Boko Haram has also forced a lot of people out of
their homes, a current report by the European Union
indicates that a total number of displaced persons in
Adamawa State alone is estimated at 500,000 while
there are another 350,000 around Maiduguri in Borno
State.