For more than a decade, Nigeria has been suffering from the menace of terrorism.
The Boko Haram terrorist group has meted out terror on the country, especially the North eastern part.
After the death of Mohammed Yusuf the founder of the group, this terrorist group became intensely violent and it activities has lead to the deaths of thousands, displacement of many more thousands and the destruction of properties and distortion of economic activities.
It is over a decade now, yet Nigeria have not been able to do away with it.
After the demise of Mohammed Yusuf, the founding leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau popularly called shekau took over the leadership of the group.
At a point in time, the Nigeria military reported that it has killed Shekau but within a space of time, he resurfaced again on a video claiming leadership of the group.
He has subsequently been regularly reported dead and is thought to use body doubles. At some point, we were told that “shekau” is a title for leaders of Boko haram terrorist group, however, the same face continued to appear on videos from the group.
Shekau has died many times according to reports, so has he ‘resurrected ” many times.
The multiple reports of his death and his continuous reappearance created doubt in the minds of Nigeria’s about the fight against insurgency in Nigeria.
Nigerians received the news of his death resulting from confrontation with Boko Haram splinter group The Islamic State in West Africa Province ( ISWAP).
There were different strands of the reports of the incident that lead to his death.
While some reported that he was captured and forced to surrender, other reports said he committed suicide, while others also reported that he suffered from severe injury from the confrontation, which lead to his death.
Whichever of the report is right, it all pointed to and emphasized his death.
While some received the news of the death of Shekau with joy, some received it with a critical mind, raising up some critical questions.
Some of which are, Could it still be the usually story of his death again? Who were the one’s who brought the report’s of the confrontation between the terror group’s and how for sure do they know Shekau is dead?
Why would ISWAP want to overthrow shekau? Should Shekau’s murder by ISWAP call for celebration or fear and in depth thought considering the recent activities of ISWAP in the country?
These and more are the critical questions that some critical thinkers have raised.
Dr. Hassan Gimba put his own question thus:
“Shekau is dead. And so what as long as the Boko Haram ideology isn’t? The fear is, can we beat ISWAP that killed him considering that we couldn’t kill him all these while?”
While some have seen the killing of Shekau by ISWAP as good and praised them for it, my question is, does ISWAP have a different Ideology from boko haram? Are they not all terror groups?
Another question is, why will ISWAP want to overthrow shekau? Could it not be that they want full dominance of the group and also expand their network?
Some of also claimed that ISWAP is not a threat as boko haram because of the reports of it’s disagreement with Shekau of being too violent which lead to division among them and also reports of the kind gesture’s ISWAP has extended to locals of some part of the North.
My question to those who have this views is, is this not a clandestine approach my ISWAP to capture the hearts of these people, using this gesture’s to secretly recruited them in other to have large member’s?
I may be wrong but I sense a more sophisticated trouble with thre reported act of overthrow by ISWAP.
ISWAP is a more organised terror unit with reported direct link to ISIS.
The Nigeria Government, its security apparatuses and citizens should better wake up and swing into action before its too late.
Government shouldn’t be lackadaisical about this at all.
A stitch in time saves nine!
Isaac Ochegbudu can be reached at Isaacochegbudu@gmail.com or 08106194657, 09047416032
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