BOKO HARAM: INSIDE STORY OF HUNTERS, VIGILANTE AND MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST INSURGENTS *Hunters-strategising-before-departing-for-northern-part-of-Adamawa-State By Mohammed Ismail — Nov 23, 2014 Recent tales of successful recapturing of some towns in Adamawa State from the stranglehold of the outlawed Boko Haram sect have been attributed to synergic efforts of government security agents, local hunters and the Civilian JTF in the area. mohammed ismail Yola writes As federal and state governments and affected communities try to find a lasting solution to the menace of Boko Haram insurgents, who have stepped up their onslaught against communities leading to the fall of many towns and villages of Adamawa State, a synergy has been formed by the military, local hunters and the Civilian JTF to combat the menace. The introduction of local hunters, Civilian JTF and vigilante groups was a welcome response towards bringing a fast and lasting solution to the insurgency which seemed to have overwhelmed the Nigerian troops who seemed to be the underdog in the raging assault, leading to the annexation of many Adamawa towns and villages by Boko Haram insurgents in one fell swoop. The incursion of the insurgents into Adamawa territories became a source of serious concern, as within a spate of two weeks, they were able to capture five local government areas including the second largest town of Mubi, which they renamed Madinatul Islam as they continued to establish their wacky rule and reign of impunity on conquered territories. The swiftness with which the insurgents captured some towns killing, maiming and destroying properties while dispersing communities, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents, has caused a frenzy in Yola, as it became palpable that unless the people took up the gauntlet themselves many of their territories would soon become history, especially with the seeming lackluster disposition of the government and security forces. In the wake of annexation of territories belonging to Nigeria by Boko Haram insurgents, some indigenes of Adamawa State have accused the Nigerian military of aiding the Boko Haram insurgents in capturing more towns and villages of the state. The indigenes allege that the attitude of Nigerian troops who always run away whenever the insurgents struck their towns and villages, leaving them to be overtaken without a fight, made them to believe that the soldiers were working hand in hand with the insurgents to secede the towns and villages in the state to Boko Haram sect. An indigene of Madagali LGA, Dr Umar Duhu, alleged that the soldiers were aiding Boko Haram sect to capture towns and villages in the state, as they usually run and abandoned their duty posts whenever Boko Haram insurgents were about to launch an attack. “I believe that the soldiers are aiding the annexation of many towns and villages, as I cannot understand why they always leave their duty posts and allow the insurgents to overrun our towns,” he alleged. Continuing, he said, “The primary responsibility of the soldiers is to defend Nigeria from aggression, but it seems they have failed to discharge this onerous responsibility, leaving vast territories to be captured on a platter of gold. “I am very sad about how the insurgents captured Mubi without any fight which exerted the belief that the soldiers are playing double games in the whole saga,” he said. Duhu further urged the people to take more action towards enhancing their security, adding that the effort being put in mobilising local hunters and the Civilian JTF is a step in the right direction. While expressing his worry, another indigene of Adamawa North, which is under Boko Haram occupation, Mallam Ahmed Sajoh, said it is most shocking that while local hunters and Civilian JTF have been able to chase away insurgents, the fleeing insurgents also chased away the soldiers, making it easy for them to settle in Hong and Gombi LGAs. Sajoh questioned the rationale behind the soldiers’ action in allegedly leaving their duty posts few hours before towns and villages were captured by the insurgents. “Who ordered the soldiers to leave Mubi two hours before the town fell into the hands of the Boko Haram insurgents?” Sajoh questioned. He alleged further that rather than defending the people, the soldiers were encouraging the insurgents to kill and maim the people, as the soldiers usually prevented the people from escaping from the insurgents’ attack so as to be trapped and killed. While reacting, another indigene of Adamawa North, Abubakar Kwacam, said the lackluster attitude of the soldiers towards the security of the area leaves much to be desired, as he also expressed unhappiness with the soldiers’ attitude. “We are in doubt about the sincerity of Nigerian soldiers in the whole operation, and we sense complicity as what is happening could not be possible without any form of collusion,” he alleged. It was against this backdrop that the deputy governor of Borno State, Zanna Umar Mustapha, who was in Adamawa State to interact with the displaced people of Borno who are currently taking refuge in Adamawa, said unless the federal government takes more serious steps, the three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno would soon be erased from the Nigerian map. Mustapha said, “If the federal government will not add extra effort, in the next three months, the three northeast states will not be in existence. The federal government has tried its best, but it is not enough, because rather than going after the insurgents, it is the insurgents that are going after us. “It is a big crime that the criminals are better equipped and they are just few kilometres from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states,” he said. The deputy governor said already 13 LGAs in Borno, four in Adamawa and some in Yobe are under the control of Boko Haram insurgents, adding that going by intelligence reports, if the federal government does not step up measures, the fall of the three states will only be a matter of time, while urging the government to seek international intervention in order to put a final stop to the raging incursion of Boko Haram sect. “Let us appeal to international communities to come to our rescue; otherwise, in the next few months, the three states may not exist,” he said. As many continued to pour out their dismay, the security degeneration became more worrisome against the lackadaisical approach of Nigerian troops who always run away and leave their duty posts whenever Boko Haram insurgents are about to strike. More worrisome was the concern over the capture of Mubi town, which occurred without any challenge from the soldiers, as according to reports less than 70 insurgents captured the town which is equipped with a full military barracks and Nigerian troops in it. As a result of mounting anxiety, the people, especially the local hunters, the Civilian JTF and vigilante groups in Adamawa State organised and initially launched attacks at the insurgents in Mubi, which led to the recapture of parts of the town, making the insurgents to flee the town and later settled in Hong and Gombi LGAs. But the success which the local hunters and the Civilian JTF recorded seemed to be short-lived, with teething problems arising mainly from rivalry by security agencies who felt slighted that the local hunters and the Civilian JTF had outshone them through a rare feat of defeating the insurgents from a territory they captured from the soldiers. No sooner than the hunters made the victory that news began to filter that security operatives were frustrating the efforts of the local hunters, as it became glaring when they tagged the operations of the Civilian JTF an illegality. A source from the camp of the local hunters confided in LEADERSHIP Sunday that they had made tremendous success as their initial operations led to the recapture of many parts of Mubi and had sent the insurgents fleeing from the area. “After we captured Mubi, we told the Nigerian troops to maintain surveillance of the area, so we could proceed to recapture other territories, but to our dismay, the soldiers ran away and allowed the insurgents to recapture the place, and we became disenchanted. So, we began to retreat,” he alleged. But another account from the hunters camp said parts of the problems they encountered included sabotage and logistics problems, as the operation needed a lot of logistical support which was seemingly in short supply. “Apart from the sabotage we encountered from the security forces, we also encountered serious logistical problem, as our operational vehicles and other apparatuses needed for the successful operations were lacking,” he said. “We similarly encountered aerial attacks from helicopters of the Nigerian Air Force. When we realised that it would be difficult to go ahead with the operation, we left the area,” the source noted. Secretary of the local hunters, Philip James, said they have overcome their initial problems, and are continuing with their operations to rout the insurgents. James said they have started mobilising their kith and kin across the northeastern parts of the country with the resolve of flushing out the insurgents completely from the zone. “Some of the terrorists have already fled Adamawa North through Chibok and are hiding in a school in Manjakwa, Hawul local government area. That’s why we are now mobilising across the northeast to join hands with hunters and the Civilian JTF from other states to fight the insurgents,” he said. Young Morris, who is one of the hunters unit commanders, noted that they have started mobilising and are battle-ready to go into the trenches to flush out the insurgents. Similarly, the administration officer of the Hunters Association, Adamawa State chapter, Alhaji Sulaiman Namtari, expressed the readiness of the hunters to go into the trenches to flush out Boko Haram insurgents, adding that, “I feel proud to go and face these people, and by God’s power, we shall flush them out, because our hearts are very sincere and committed to help our people.” And while affirming the operations of the local hunters, Adamawa State government said, so far, the joint operation to rout Boko Haram insurgents is on top gear, adding that it is working on modalities to integrate the local hunters and the Civilian JTF into the operation. While dropping the hint, the director of press and publicity to Adamawa State governor, Mr P. P. Elisha, noted that there was no problem of any sort between the security operatives and the local hunters in the operation, adding that in view of the need to inculcate sanity into the operation, the security operatives had said they wanted to register those that would partake in the exercise for acknowledgement and recognition, and to make administering the unit effective. Elisha said there was no iota of truth in rumours being peddled around that the security operatives were sabotaging the activities of the local hunters, adding that the need to streamline the operations was what led to the registration exercise, noting that the government is working to enlist about 10,000 local hunters, the Civilian JTF and vigilante groups so as to incorporate them into its payroll. “The main duty of the new vanguard christened as Civilian JTF is to assist law enforcement agencies in their job of providing security to the society. That is why they sometimes join the military at the checkpoints,” Elisha said, denying rumours that the local hunters and Civilian JTF were withdrawing from the operations, just as he debunked rumours of the arrest of the leader of the local hunters. “What actually happened was that the security chiefs had asked the local hunters to stay behind instead of being in the frontline, with a view to avoid being hit during air strikes. They have been helping the military tremendously, and that prompted the government to see ways of cushioning their hardship,” said Elisha. He also noted that both the government and people of Adamawa State have lauded the collaborative efforts of vigilance groups, hunters and the military in combating the Boko Haram insurgency in the state, adding that such efforts should be encouraged by communities in the northeast to curtail the activities of the terrorists. The inspector general of police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, had earlier directed commissioners of police across the country to ensure adequate screening and supervision of vigilante groups, following their involvement in the fight against insurgents. LEADERSHIP NOVEMBER 23. 2014.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 07:26:31 +0000
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