According to the report from the Vanguard, The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has suggested that the recent suicide bombings in Gwoza, Borno State, may have political motivations. Dr. Bitrus Pogu, National President of MBF, highlighted that the timing of the incident coincided with the Federal Government's efforts to repatriate over 120,000 Gwoza indigenes currently taking refuge in neighboring Cameroon, raising suspicions about the attacks' true intent.
Dr. Pogu stated, "On the Gwoza suicide bombings, I can tell you that up till now there are a lot of insurgents on top of the Gwoza hills who have not been flushed out. The fight against insurgency is being stalled by political interests who put pressure on military commanders not to do anything. And these boys are from one particular tribe mainly, they are called Duwhade, and the majority of them are butchers. It is the people from this tribe that are mainly insurgents on top of the Mandara mountains, which is an extension of the Gwoza hills. Because of insurgency, as we are talking, about 120,000 people from Gwoza Local Government, mainly behind the hills, have found refuge in Cameroon as refugees."
He further explained, "There are serious efforts, especially when this government came on board, to bring these people back to their ancestral land as promised by the President. But some political interests, who believe that the people will not vote for them because they are predominantly Christians, do not want them to return home. And I believe they are creating this unnecessary insecurity through attacks and suicide bombings so that these people will not be brought back to Nigeria to their ancestral land."
Dr. Pogu called on political leaders to address the issue, stating, "So the political leaders, particularly the Governor and the Senator from Southern Borno, should explain why these things are happening at a time when there is objection to the coming back of the people for political reasons. Efforts to bring back IDPs and refugees to their ancestral homes by the Federal Government are being undermined, and I believe that what has happened in Gwoza was purely political."
On the nature of the suicide bombings, Dr. Pogu expressed skepticism about religious motivations, saying, "On the issue of suicide bombings, I don’t believe somebody would blow himself up because of religion, no. I believe the criminals would tie explosives on the people and tell them, You either do what we have directed you to do or we deal with you, and the victims would go in fear and somebody somewhere may be the one detonating the bombs. So, it may not be that the bomb carrier wanted to commit suicide and blow others up."
The MBF's allegations point to a complex interplay of political interests and security challenges in the region, emphasizing the need for transparent investigations and concerted efforts to address the root causes of the conflict.