Northern Bureau Chief MUHAMMAD SABIU looks at the issues surrounding the recent suicide attack in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State where over 32 people died while over 50 others sustained serious injuries.He reports:
Borno State has been relatively peacefully in the last few years having witnessed the terror of Boko Haram for almost a decade. Boko Haram insurgency has been a major threat to the security of the people in the entire Northeast zone since its leader, Muhammad Yusuf, was killed by security forces in 2009. To say the least, peace did not only elude the zone; there was wanton destruction as well as the displacement of people at unprecedented levels.
However, findings gathered that with the coming of the President Muhammadu Buhari government in 2015, efforts were put in place to fight the insurgents until they were degraded. Thus, the infamous suicide bombings which targeted schools, markets, weddings and so on eventually disappeared and peace returned to most parts of the state.
To take things further, the Federal Government with the support of the National Assembly established the Northeast Development Commission. The commission in collaboration with the state government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Zulum embarked on aggressive reconstruction of the ravaged communities leading to the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.
However, one would have expected that with these, Nigeria had seen the end of suicide bombing in the Northeast especially in Borno State. However,with the scale of the recent bomb attack in Gwoza Local Government Area of the state where over 30 people lost their lives, while dozens sustained serious injuries, it could be asked whether suicide bombing has returned.
What is even more disturbing is the recent revelation by the State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Lawal Yusuf, on the recent attack in Gwoza. He said that from intelligence – available to the security agencies, about 30 suicide bombers were let loose by the Shekau insurgency group last week.
Explaining how Gwoza was attacked, findings by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that contrary to reports published in both the traditional media and social platforms that a female vest suicide bomber had carried out the attack, information from authorities had discovered the bodies of four suicide bombers within the vicinity of the attack.
Also, it was gathered that the said suicide bombers were part of the 30 that were let loose by the Shekau group to different parts of the state.
However, the state police chief, Yusuf Lawal, has assured the citizens of the state that they have no cause for worry as the police, in collaboration with other security agencies,are on top of the situation.
He said two suicide bombers were already arrested following the recent attack in Gwoza. Taking a peep into the recent attack, 24 suicide bombers are currently on the loose according to security information obtained by the Nigerian Tribune. Thus, security forces have informed residents of the town to be the alert and report any suspicious moments saying such information would be treated with utmost secrecy.
Findings by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that Boko Haram insurgents are currently regrouping following the murder of Shekau two years ago. It was learnt that there are three groups still in the Northeast. The Shekau group is being led by one of the boys of the late Muhammad Yusuf. The other two groups are currently led by terrorists named Habib and Mamunur.
While Habib and Mamunur appear to be working together, the Shekau group is operating alone. A source who pleaded for anonymity gave more clarity on how these groups operate in Borno.
He told the Nigerian Tribune that the two commanders, Habib and Mamunur, were merely concerned about attacking security agents, saying: “They don’t attack civilians like the Shekau group, except if they found out that a community or someone is working with the state.”
He posited also that the Shekau group has been degraded by the military, pointing out that the military had destroyed the strongholds of Shekau group thus rendering them weak.
“If you recall, many Chibok girls have returned leaving Shekau camp. That’s because Shekau group are no longer strong. Towns like Darulsalam, Sabiul’uda, Lawanti, and many towns once under the control of Shekau were secured by the military.”
On the other hand, it was gathered that Habib is still in Sambisa, and Mamunur operates in Northern Borno where we have towns like Kukawa, Baga and the Lake Chad basin
Thus, it was gathered that the remaining members of the Shekau group led by one of the boys of the late Muhammad Yusuf were responsible for the recent bombing and security breaches in Gwoza town the headquarters of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
How the suicide attacks were carried out
The June 29 suicide attacks in Gwoza came after a similar attack in the community took place in 2017 where three people were reported dead and 13 people injured. It was caused by a female Boko Haram who detonated a device in a mosque at the outskirts of Gwoza thereby killing those people.
However, the recent attacks in Gwoza were carried out in four different locations in Mara, Gwoza and Pulka. The first attack was carried out by a little girl who posed as a beggar and approached a wedding party around 3pm at the Central area.
A resident of the town, Usman Abubakar had told the Nigerian Tribune that, “I was just about to go home when I heard the sound of aheavy explosives and people shouting calling the name of God. When i rushed to the scene we saw some dead bodies, human parts. Very gory sights of human beings littered the ground.
“Yes, we saw the body of the suicide girl. We could identify bodies of Malam Abba, a petrol attendant; Musa leader, a secondary school teacher; Hamisu Umar, a recent university graduate, and a humanitarian worker Danjuma Garawa and others.”
Suicide bombing raises concerns among Nigerians
Some residents in the area have raised concerns over the return of suicide attacks in the community. A community leader in Gwoza, Yusuf Galadima said, “Fear is gradually returning to our communities as a result of the recent suicide attacks. We were earlier happy with the achievements recorded. The military had done well by ending this menace, but recent happenings seem to return us back to the past.”
Another resident, who pleaded for anonymity, remarked that “our military has gone to sleep. We know that we have not completely defeated Boko Haram. We expect our soldiers to put in more effort in order to end it.”
The Senate urged the Federal Government to deploy technology in the fight against Boko Haram and other related crimes.
Making their position known amidst pressure from the public, Senator Ali Ndume who also represents the area in the upper legislative chamber citing order 41 and 51 of the Senate’s Standing orders, said these suicide attacks on unsuspecting citizens have raised fresh concerns about the security situation of the region which has been a flash point for terrorist attacks over the years.
Also, the vice president, Kashim Shettima, had during a visit to the state to commiserate with the people, described the incident as pathetic, saying that one life lost in cold blood is as gruesome as millions lost in cold blood.
Shettima also remarked that “the heart of the President Bola Tinubu is with the victims and he specifically instructed us to come and offer our condolences as well as to commiserate to the victims of this incident.”
Security forces vow to join hands to tackle suicide attacks
The Nigerian Army and Police have joined forces to prevent the resurgence of suicide bombings in Borno State.
The assurance was given by the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 15, AIG Abdu Umar, during a farewell address on Tuesday.
He said the collaborative effort will lead to a major success to stem the emergence of suicide bombing in the state.
According to him, the joint effort will focus on intelligence gathering and collaborative security measures to proactively detect and neutralise potential threats. He said, “This aims to ensure citizens’ safety and prevent the re-emergence of suicide bombings in the state.”
The AIG Zone 15 revealed that discussions have taken place with the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Waidi Shuaibu, to develop a strategic plan to combat the resurgence of Boko Haram suicide bombings in the state.
It is hoped that this coordinated approach by both security forces will ensure the safety and security of citizens and possibly end the resurgence of suicide bombing.
In an interview, the state police chief, Muhammad Lawal Yusuf called on citizens to “cooperate with the security agencies in order to fish out suspected bombers in our midst,” insisting that, “the issue of security is a collaborative effort involving everyone.”