Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic cleric, has expressed scepticism over the declaration made by the Nigerian government that they have triumphed over the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern portion of the country, as reported by The Sun.
Gumi indicated in a recent telephone interview as part of the "Frontline" radio programme on Eagle 102.5 FM that the battle with Boko Haram is not only a military problem but rather deeply ingrained in ideology, which military measures alone have failed to remove. Gumi's statement was made in reference to the fact that the conflict has been going on for quite some time.
When Gumi expressed his worries, he criticised the administration for what he considers to be an inability to adequately diagnose the factors that are contributing to the instability that exists in the North Central region. In addition to pointing out the absence of local insights, he accused the authorities of taking advantage of the nation's plight for their own personal convenience. This dissident opinion, according to him, brings to light the persistent difficulties that Nigeria confronts in effectively battling terrorism.
In the course of the interview, which was moderated by Olakunle Balogun, the Head of Station, Gumi expressed the pervasive nature of insecurity and asserted that no one in the country is safe. He asked for a reevaluation of the method that the government was taking and recommended a more holistic response that includes interacting with all stakeholders, including the bandits themselves. This would be similar to the tactic that was used in the past with the militants in the Niger Delta if something were to happen.
Gumi stressed the importance of addressing the ideological roots of the conflict, stating, "the military can kill as many as they can but the ideology is still remaining and persistent, and it has taken a different form. The issue is not just to defeat them physically but also to defeat the ideology”.
As an additional point of criticism, Gumi criticised the administration for its dependency on aid from other countries and for its unwillingness to prioritise the competence of locals in addressing the challenge of insecurity. In his explanation, he referenced a recent situation in which governors from the Northern Region sought solutions in other countries. He believes that this is a sign of the bigger problem of ignoring local insights and solutions.
“What I can say is that, truly speaking, the government has not really diagnosed the real cause of these issues for many reasons. One, or lack of local input. Let me give you an example, just recently, almost all the Northern governors went to Washington to see how they can tackle insecurity in the Northern states. This is a typical symptom of our problems here. The problem is local and now you see governors going abroad trying to look for a solution where they don’t have it. In the long run, the international intelligence agencies will just use these governors to extract more information about our country for their own benefits,” he stated.