Can You See What I See?

At the onset of the Boko haram saga, most of the bombings were reported from Maiduguri, and then came news of a jail break in Yola, Adamawa. The United States sent a high ranking military official to Nigeria to offer their support and warn the country on the notoriety of the group. He was received by the Minister of State who maintained that Nigeria was not under threat, did not require military assistance from the U.S.A but will welcome training assistance.

The US emissary returned home but Boko Haram did not deter. They dared the Nigerian Police by launching an attack on their headquarters. The news went out that it was a suicide bomber, the police denied it but Boko haram released the picture of the suicide bomber to the press.

This marked their first suicide mission in Nigeria and from that point; I sensed in me that their action had taken a dangerous turn. I began pondering on the situation and wondered what they wanted. A careful look at the map of Nigeria and I was left aghast. Was I the only one seeing what I had just noticed and privy to their possible intent? Their first concentrated bombing attacks were in Maiduguri, then Yola and Bauchi. Could it be that they want to gain grounds in the country state after state?

As the attacks continued in north eastern part of the country, the police stood their ground on what they knew about Boko Haram – They are not affiliated to Al-qaeda. Then a bomb went off at the UN House killing 24 people. I think the bombing boomed –  Boko Haram is not a mere local struggle, we are  part of a global one.

Did the Police, Military and Nigerian Government get it at all?

The bombings didn’t cease. They launched in Yobe, did not hold back on Bauchi and Jos. Then, they dared Kaduna, and succeeded, Kano buckled at the knee at their command performance, security temperature of Niger and Gombe states were tested and was found wanting.

When I heard about the incident at Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene, Kogi state, this information sparked a light in my head as I tried to connect it with a previously reported shoot out between military forces and Boko Haram and a further connection to the discovery of a bomb factory in Kogi State. This prompted another quick dash to the map of Nigeria and my heart skipped a beat. Take a look at your map. Can you see what I saw? Try again.

I strongly hope the Boko Haram saga will not be likened to a household who found a cub in their backyard but refused to crush it. They even attempted to befriend it. The cub grew older and behaved true to type and had all the members of the household for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Dear leaders, the time to act was yesterday…. but we can still take the right steps and make the bold decisions.