Terrorism in Nigeria

This intricate phenomenon called Terrorism is the greatest menace that the world is facing today, which has become unquenchable and has peeved the world powers’ into action that has not yield results.

Historically, “Terrorism” comes from the French word “Terrorism” and originally referred specifically to state terrorism as practiced by the French government during the 1793 – 1794 reigns of terror. The French word terrorism in turn derives from latin verb “TERREO” which means “I Frighten”, the Jacobins, while in power in French imposed a reigh of terror on its citizens, after the Jacobins lost power, the word “Terrorist” became a term of abuse. Although “terrorism” from its origin referred to acts committed by a government, but currently it usually refers to the killing of innocent people for political purposes.

In November 2004, a United Nations secretary general report described terrorism as any act intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population by compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act.
The Dictionary defines “Terrorism” as the act carried out by an individual or group of people who tries to frighten people or governments into doing what he wants by using violence. But according to the encyclopedic definition “Terrorism” is an act that is politically loaded and emotionally charged. Having eavesdropped into the historical and dictionary definitions of “terrorism” I would say TERRORISM is a deliberate or conscious act of killing defenseless civilians in other to achieve a particular aim.

The world powers of today like America has experienced the terrorism triggered of by the Osama bin Laden led AL-Qaeda Militant group which resulted to death of more than 2000 thousand people and the destruction of properties worth billions of dollars. Same with France during the reign of King Terror as seen above, this also goes to 99percent of countries in the world because almost all the country in the world has experienced and is still experiencing “Terror” in different way. It may be by the government practicing democratic and also defiling the constitution with a preposterous act of killing its citizen just because they protested against the government appalling acts.

Relating this trend to Nigeria, terrorism in Nigeria is said to be triggered of by the religious beliefs of some people that thinks that the laws of their religion only should be adhered to forgetting that Nigeria itself is the coming together of the Christians, Muslim and the traditionalist making the country a secular state same with the number of diverse cultures and languages, the citizens of Nigeria and the governments are responsible for the act “Terror” if I am ask to clarify the reason why I said the citizen and the government are responsible for terrorism in Nigeria, I would like to start from the citizenry aspect of it first, let start from the “Maitatsine” that was formed by late Mohammed Buba marwa who is a Islamic preacher in Nigeria, he preached against any other religion, and the government he spoke against the use of radios, watches, bicycles, cars and possession of more money than necessary which we see as civilization. He was sent into exile by the British Colonial authorities but he returned to Kano shortly after independence, then by 1972 he had a notable and increasing militants followers known as “Yantatsine” then in 1980 this terrorist group attack people from other religious group distinct from theirs which made the Nigerian army to become involved, subsequently armed clashes by this terrorist group and the Nigeria army led to the deaths of unspecified number of people but they said 5,000 died that day including the head of the Terrorist group, the maitasine himself Muhammad Buba marwa but despite the fact that this man is dead his disciples continued the killings, in October 1982 more than 3,000 people were killed in Bulumkutta and in subsequent years like in 1984 in Yola more than 1,000 people were killed while 60,000 were left homeless. After all this the then “yantatsine” terrorist group led by Musa Makaniki led to Gombe where more of the killings occurred in 1985, after killing so many people in his home state Makaniki retreated to Cameroon where he remained until 2004 when he was arrested in Nigeria.

This act by just an individual is what can be said as the main cause of terrorism because they killed defenses citizens due to religious segregations and discriminations. Also the government has also committed so many act in Nigeria that could be classified as “terror” because in 1990 when the Ogoni people that was led by Ken Saro wiwa was carrying a peaceful protest against oil extraction by Shell Oil Company and Spillage affecting their source of Food, water agriculture and their peaceful protest burnt some of their houses killed close to 350 people that weren’t carrying amis, I this act by the police not “terror”? after this act by the government in subsequent years this actions of the government were not corrected or rather the government didn’t take corrections but instead the Nigeria military on November 20, 1999 carried out a massacre called the “Odi Massacre” in this massacre, despite the fact that the military were against some militants, they burnt down all the buildings in that town killed so many civilians (terrorism) and laid a claim to have been ambushed on their way into the village. Is this a clear reason for killing 2,500 civilians and after everything the government compensated them with 37.6 billion naira, can someone tell me is this not “terrorism”?

Can the billions of money bring back the life of the unarmed civilians that was lost in that preposterous act carried out by the military? Similarly on 24th of October 2001 another massacre took place in Benue State killing Hundreds of civilians and burning down houses which was carried out by the Nigerian Soldiers when they went on rampage opening fire on civilians and destroying properties of the populace, it was stated that the soldiers went to revenge the lifes of the troops that were killed, now the questions is are this civilians which was killed by the military the culprit that killed the military troops? But it is clear that this killings had backups from the government, that is why I said Terrorism in Nigeria is caused by the citizen and the government because the military that is suppose or expected to protect the life and properties of the citizen are still the ones killings the citizens. so the Nigerian past and present government and some greedy citizens like maitatsine which speculations as stated that Boko Haram militants groups is a metamorphosis of Maitatsine Yartatsine Terrorist group because this two groups (Maitatsine and Boko Haram )are fighting for the same course which are fight against western education, Sharia law, civilization and against any other religious group distinct from Muslim also known as Islam. Because of this their religious belief BOKO HARAM was created by Muhammad Yusuf in 2001 teaching some group of young followers. The Quran and teaching than that away religious group apart from Islam should not exist in Nigeria that is why this people has been killing and destroying people’s properties, so as to lure the government to sign Sharia law as the highest law in the country.

The loquaciousness of the world and different media channels about terrorism in Nigeria has made our economy gloomy and lurch, the adverse effects is that this phenomenon has mostly affected our foreign policy because international countries no longer come into Nigeria for trade or business in situation like this the country will lose her capabilities of promoting social reformations and also enhancing transformation. As it stands now the country has lost it ability for protecting the live and property of it citizen, protect the citizen for domestic invasion and the country is gradually losing it sovereignty, all this are some of the adverse effect caused by the Boko Haram militant group, in the area of agriculture the North is known to be the backbone of the country food production and distribution but since the eruption of this volcanic and ungodly trend called “Terrorism” which is mostly affecting the Northerners, the commercial farmers has been reluctant to farm and even when they do, they sell at exorbitant prices which is now affecting our country Nigeria the poor can no longer feed three times a day just because they cannot afford it. Same goes in the aspect of employment in a situation whereby the revenue generated by the government had depreciated to minimum level, how would they employ? Their means of income (agriculture, international business partners and offer resources) has been in the state of isolation of which the government of different tenure has been trying to invalidate the actions of the terrorists.

Not being equivocative, what is the government doing to curb the menace? Because Nigeria has turned to be a place where people live in fear due to appalling act perpetuated by some groups of hooligans. With regards to this question if I am to answer I will be dissident because past government and resent government hasn’t been effective in curbing this unimaginable and irrelevant act rather they (government) have been causing more “terror” due to unjust killing of the citizens by the police and the Nigerian Military.

Moreover how can we the citizen help to curb this tragedy happening in the society?

Moreover, according to interviewers carried out by me as the writer and correspondence, when I interviewed some students of Federal Polytechnic Oko how they feel Nigeria can curb the menace of terrorism? An anonymous source of printing technology department send that Nigeria can curb terrorism if the political lords stop the sponsoring of this terrorist group that he is sure that the Boko Haram sect are sponsored by Nigerian Politicians he also added that Nigeria government should provide employment for the youth because they feels that the youth, whenever they are unemployed would be tempted to engage in so many corrupt practices. Another anonymous personnel said Nigeria should equip the army with more arms and ammunitions and churches should continue praying for Nigeria. The citizens of Nigeria can curb or stop this art called Terrorism by being security conscious. Most of us, we live a reckless life being lackadaisical in everything, secondly, make the security personnel your friends, thirdly stop all forms of religious segregations and discrimination finally the government should see to it that the lives and property of its citizens are saved. i.e. any military personnel that kills unharmed civilians should face the law because the law state the principle of liberty of the citizen to carry out their peaceful protest whenever they want to and shouldn’t be killed by the armed forces and live in any part of the country that want to without restriction from

By EZEANI CHINEWUBEZE MALACHY