The attack on Buhari’s convoy and increasing insecurity

Suspected members of the Boko Haram sect upped their bombing campaign   in the country with a bomb attack on the convoy of former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on July 23. The attack on the nation’s former leader, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Kawo Road, Kaduna, followed a similar attempted bombing

of a popular Islamic scholar, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, on Alkali Road also in Kaduna, on the same day. Mercifully, both men escaped death by the whiskers in the dastardly incidents which left scores of people dead, several injured, and vehicles and other property, destroyed.

Buhari was reportedly traveling through Kaduna to his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State, to celebrate the Sallah festivity when the attack occurred. Since the two attacks in Kaduna, insurgents have intensified bombings in Kano, Yobe and Borno states. They have also introduced the use of young female suicide bombers to launch attacks on unsuspecting victims. Undoubtedly, these attacks on Buhari and Bauchi have further underscored the increasing insecurity in the country. The attempted bombing of a highly placed personality like Buhari, who has a retinue of security personnel on account of his status as a former Head State, indicates that no one is immune to attacks from the insurgents. This further affirmation of the growing insecurity in the country calls for sobriety and more concerted efforts by all Nigerians to battle the insurgents. This is a war in which the country needs the support of all its citizens, irrespective of tribal, religious or political party affiliations.

In this regard, the highly inflammatory comments that followed the attempted bombing of Buhari’s convoy are unfortunate, and clearly uncalled for. They are not only diversionary, they are also counter-productive and will not in any way contribute to the efforts to stop this insurgency. The times we are in today do not require further overheating of the polity. We, therefore, urge all Nigerians, especially our politicians, to exhibit a high sense of maturity and patriotism in their utterances. They must avoid utterances that are capable of setting the nation on fire, because they need a strong, safe and united Nigeria to continue to ply their trade. They must also realise that attempts to promote insecurity in the country could backfire and consume its promoters.

We thank God that Buhari and Bauchi, who were the main targets of the attacks, escaped unhurt. At the same time, we commiserate with those that lost their loved ones to the ugly incidents and pray for quick recovery of the wounded.

Buhari’s escape was probably made possible because of the improvement of his security arrangements by the Federal Government in the wake of his public condemnation of the Boko Haram insurgency, and his report of threats to his life. The government deserves commendation for this. Therefore, those laying the blame for the attack on either the ruling People’s

Democratic Party (PDP), or the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), have actually missed the point. It is high time they realised that the insurgency in the country should not be politicised.

This is why we strongly support the call for a thorough investigation of the two attacks with a view to determining those who carried them out, and their motives.  This is necessary to ensure that the culprits are punished, and to prevent a repeat of such despicable acts. Security agencies should also consider the possible involvement of fifth columnists in the escalating insecurity in the country. If there is such a group, the security agents should fish them out. This will go a long way in the effort to end terrorism in the country.

The Federal Government should also step up the war on terrorism. It should come up with new tactics that can yield the desired results. We say this because it is apparent that earlier approaches to taming this insurgency are not working. Insurgents are hitting their targets almost unhindered, and they appear to be dictating the tempo of the war.

While we acknowledge the fact that fighting insurgents who are waging   guerrilla warfare against the country is not easy, Nigerians expect our security forces to rise up to the challenge. There is the need to stop the insurgents before they take their campaign of terror to other parts of the country. The Nigerian government should realise that we are already in a war situation. There is no need to pretend about it. Therefore, everything humanly possible should be done to win the war. Let Nigerians come together and fight this war with unity of purpose and utmost patriotism. The nation’s unity and sovereignty are being contested and questioned by the insurgents. No Nigerian should be on the fence on this matter. This is the time to defend the country. The war on terror can only be won if all hands are on deck and Nigerians assist the security agents with information that can help to rein in the insurgents.