Terrorists who attacked, bombed and kidnapped passengers boarded Abuja-Kaduna train have issued a new threat. The terrorists in a short video clip released were seen flogging the helpless train abductees and threat to kidnap the Kaduna state governor, Nasiru el-rufai and president Muhammadu Buhari. Governor elrufai stated that president Muhammadu Buhari is not aware about the threat until he told him. The presidency has described the threat as laughable and mere propaganda.
However, for Nigerians who have continued to witness frequent attacks by bandits or kidnappers, their threat should not be seen as propaganda or treat with kids gloves. There are many incidences which prove these criminals’ nefarious activities have embolden in recent times. Firstly, the bandits ambushed president advance team in Dutsenma,katsina state and killed two of his security officers. They attacked kuje correctional centre and freed hardened criminals including members of dreaded boko haram. The latest attack on guard brigade which led to the dead of two soldiers who responded to distress call from law school Bwari an outskirt of Abuja, buttressed their audacity and seriousness to attack more targets.
The dangerous activities of bandits in katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger state which border FCT have made it unsafe and vulnerable. There have been spike of abduction in FCT communities by suspected bandits. The rampant cases of kidnaping for ransom in the villages of nation’s capital did not come to us as surprise. Last year, governor Sani Bello of Niger state raised an alarm of infiltration of boko haram in his state. The governor stated that,the murderous members are few kilometers away from the Nation’s capital. The statement credited to the governor has put to rest the rumors of their likely presence in Abuja. If terrorists could be so daring to carry out such coordinated attacks in strategic locations and got away with their destructive actions,any threat from them should become source of worry to nigerians. Already, the Kaduna-Abuja road has become no go area. The train services which serve as alternative to nigerians have been severally attacked. Even our airports are not longer safe. Many nigerians have expressed fears that the criminals want to take over the nation capital after they kill, abduct and drive thousands of villagers from their ancestry homes in north west states.
Instead of describing their threat to kidnap our president as empty, the government should act fast to thwart their plans. The terrorists will attack more places unless their evils plans are exposed. They need to succumb to fire superiority of our security men. The current war against terrorism in the country has failed to produce tangible results. There is the need for government to re-evaluate its strategies and come up with workable solutions. Let government finds out whether there is correlation between banditry and illegal mining in Zamfara and other states in North West. Disturbingly, it seems the bulk of ransoms paid to the kidnappers usually ended up in the pockets of their sponsors. Evidence has shown, whenever these fulani kidnappers are apprehended, they looked famished and dejected.
This has proved, they are being armed, funded and controlled by conflict merchants. Through effective intelligence gathering, government can identify their sponsors, arrest and prosecute them according to the laws of the land.
There is the need for government to embrace technology in its war against terrorism. With drones and other technological based weapons, the hidden places of these criminals could be spotted and bombed. At 21 century, We don’t need to stick to analog or asymmetric war against terrorism. The country should rather go digital.
Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua
