Terrorism and insurgency have graduated from being isolated occurrence into regular incidents at the turn of the 21st century. One of the most used instruments of destruction and instilling of fear in people is bombs and improvised explosives.
Every continent has had its share of senseless bomb explosions targeting buildings, cars, airplanes, markets and in Nigeria, even churches and mosques.
Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Libya, Somalia, Mali, Chad, Niger, are some of the African countries which have suffered bomb blasts on places of worship, embassies, shopping malls, schools, military bases and markets.
For many years while other countries experienced the shock of insurgency and terrorism, Nigeria seemed safe and insulated from such security threats. But with the emergence of Boko Haram, the scenario changed drastically.
As experts have noted, “terrorism and its allied forms of violent extremism (were) relatively new variants of internal security threat to Nigeria”. This is because Nigeria’s most visible and unending internal security problems were more of crime, communal clashes, sectarian and ethno-political violence.
The return of democracy in 1999 after decades of military rule not only opened up the space for popular participation in elections, but released a wave of agitations by different groups. The new found freedom unfortunately released the political space for ventilation of hitherto bottled-up anger against the state.
Various forms of threats thrived in various parts of the country: the Niger Delta became a hotbed of violent agitation and crime. For years, the Nigerian state battled Niger Delta militants who used all forms of violent tactics to draw national and global attention to their cause through attacks on oil installations, hostage taking and kidnapping.
Late President Umaru Yar’Adua working closely with stakeholders within and outside the region brought the agitators to the table and ensured an end to the Niger Delta crisis. While President Yar’Adua worked towards resolving the Niger Delta crisis, a new group, Boko Haram, burst unto the scene in Borno and environs.
When Boko Haram first confronted one of the symbols of national security, the Nigerian Police, in Maiduguri in 2009, the group was considered an insignificant entity that could be quickly crushed by the security agencies.
Despite the elimination of Mohammed Yusuf, its leader, the group persisted and went on to become a major national security threat. With their initial running battles with law enforcement agents, no one foresaw their escalation into the use of bombs and high calibre weapons and equipment.
And even when the group started using such tactics on soft targets, it was assumed, for good reason, that the crisis would remain within the North eastern part of the country. But history has since proved the contrary.
The group spread terror from Borno to Yobe, Adamawa and Taraba through attacks on soft targets such as market places, schools, places of worship, destruction of communities as well as targeting of very important personalities. Assassination, kidnapping, jail breaks, bombings became common tactics.
While the security agencies were focused on crushing them, the group gradually began to establish cells across the northern part of the country. Through these cells, the group began to launch systematic attacks on soft target across the north outside their home base in the northeast.
Abuja, the federal capital, which is considered the most secure city in Nigeria, became a fertile ground for series of bomb blasts.
On May 29, 2011, shortly after the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan at the Eagle Square few metres from the Presidential Villa, a bomb blasted. Although this incident later turned out to be an effort by Niger Delta militants, on June 16, 2011, Nigeria witnessed what was to become the first suicide bombing mission by a Nigerian in Nigeria, when the Nigerian Police Headquarters in the heart of Abuja was bombed, almost killing then Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim.
On August 26 of the same year, Boko Haram drew global attention and placed Nigeria on international terrorism map with the attack on the United Nations building also located in a secure environment in Abuja.
On Christmas day in 2011, a most horrendous and dastardly explosion went off in a Catholic Church in Madalla, also within the precincts of Abuja.
In 2012, there was a blast in Jabi, a commercial hub in the FCT ripping through the office complex of Thisday, a newspaper publishing company. In what seemed like a coordinated operation, blasts went off in newspaper offices in Kaduna on the same day.
From 2011 to 2015, the attack on soft targets continued in Abuja. On April 14, 2014, there was a twin bomb blast at Nyanya, outskirt of Abuja. On May 1, another car bomb occurred at busy shopping area, Banex Plaza, Abuja.
Boko Haram continued its coordinated attacks from various cells across Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, etc, while it continued to unleash terror on people in the north through gun attacks and kidnap of women, students —both boys and girls.
Hence, one of the most commendable successes against the group by the Buhari administration has been sustained effort at ensuring that no bomb goes off in Abuja again.
It is against this background that the recent successes achieved by the security agencies in dislodging the dreaded Darul Sallam cell in Nasarawa and Kogi states is commendable and a proactive step in ensuring that criminal non-state actors are apprehended at the planning stage before any form of collateral damage can be caused.
Through a joint operation code-named ‘OPERATION NUT CRACKER’ led by the Commander, 4 Special Forces Command, Major General MG Ali, troops cleared Boko Haram camps at Uttu in Nasarawa state and Zagana, Makpa, Barada and Agbuchi in Kogi state. “In the course of the operation, several women and children of the group were rescued. 778 family members comprising mostly women and children were handed over to representatives of their states of origin. Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai commended the commander, officers and all the troops of the Nigerian Army, the support of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Airforce and other security agencies that led to the destruction of the terrorists’ camps.
It is also important to note that the security agencies cannot achieve the desired success and expected result from any operation in dislodging criminal elements whether terrorists, insurgents, kidnappers, bandits and other criminals without the support and cooperation of the people.
The success of the operation in Nasarawa and Kogi states enjoyed cooperation of the people of the states and the areas where the Boko Haram had their camps.
For us to continue to enjoy a safe Abuja and other parts of the country and ensuring that bombs never go off again, we must all be united against the common enemy and be extra-vigilant in our homes, communities, offices, motor parks, places of worship, markets and other soft targets.
