Boko Haram: Now, the final solution by Abdulrazaq Magaji
After an estimated twenty-thousand deaths, an even higher number of broken limbs and skulls and near-dislocation of socio-economic life that forced more than two million people to flee their homes, things are beginning to look up for Nigeria’s north east. And to imagine that the perennially narcotised Boko Haram lechers have literally thrown in the towel less than one year in the life of the Buhari/Osinbajo administration is a major achievement!
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The military feat must have been achieved, partly, by the ability of security agents to cut Boko Haram supply lines. It is almost certain that the perennially red-eyed brigand called Abubakar Shekau and the remnant of his slavish followers are running low on sukudayi (suck-and-die) and other inebriating drinks that perpetually kept sect members high to the point of slashing throats even if those throats belong to their mothers! There is a gradual return of sanity that presents fresh challenges.
The first is that of rehabilitation which will be slowed down by the parlous state of the economy. In this regard, the widows, widowers, orphans and grieving family members out there and for whom life will continue to be one huge struggle can do with a fraction of the loot being recovered from Sambo Dasuki and others who simply turned themselves into human ATM’s and freely dispensed money meant to fight insurgency to buddies and family members.
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Secondly, there will be withdrawal symptoms arising from weapons in wrong hands. This is already manifesting in the manner of sporadic attacks by Boko Haram fighters who find it difficult to believe the game is over. Sadly, the trend will continue for some time to come and communities will continue to be at the mercy of these bandits. Mind you, we are dealing with feral men who have lost touch with normalcy!
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Then, there will be the challenge of groups that will push for amnesty by citing laws that protect rights, even of bandits, but silent, curiously, on the plight of their victims. This was the case up till the expiration of the clumsy Jonathan presidency last year. At the time, those who clamoured for amnesty for Boko Haram either genuinely believed it will end the security challenges in the north east or merely saw it as a quota system to balance a similar one extended to Niger delta militants!
One of the many problems with amnesty is that those so pardoned, which amnesty is all about, soon begin to carry themselves haughtily in the mistaken belief that they have been appeased! Except in a few instances, truth is, the mere thought of amnesty for terrorists has always been a recipe for more disaster. Specifically, amnesty for Boko Haram members will be the repetition of an error because it will soon serve as tonic for starry-eyed bandits elsewhere. Amnesty is always a double-edged sword!
But, if Boko Haram fighters are Muslims as they claim and seek genuine amnesty, they know exactly what to do. Judged by all standards, including the Shari’ah, Boko Haram fighters are murderers and murder, under any guise, is not permissible in Islam. But, having committed the crime of murder, the perpetrator knows there are steps, prescribed by the Shari’ah, which must be taken in seeking the face of God! In strict compliance with the Shari’ah, they must declare their intention to make peace by laying down their arms after which they proceed to seek forgiveness from survivors and surviving family members of their atrocities!
The next step is for surviving family members to forgive and let go. Otherwise, the murderer must be killed if family members insist on revenge or is made to pay blood-money in lieu of being killed. It really does matter whether the victim is a Muslim or non-Muslim! This is in addition to the unbroken two-month long fasting which is mandatory for atonement for the sin of murder. After going through these, it is the prerogative of God to decide the fate of a killer! If truth be told, it takes more than a lion heart to have a murderer next door, even if they are penitential!
For the avoidance of doubt, justification to take life, even in strict Muslim societies, is the prerogative of recognised body of learned men who must be unanimous in their verdict. And, as with all revealed books, the Holy Qur’an is clear on crimes that attract capital punishment. Murder tops the list. When death sentences are passed by misguided, drunken and barely literate people, it becomes murder! God knows man has the capacity to be animalistic and perpetrate jungle justice and that is why He prescribed ways of regulating societies as a way of differentiate man from animal.
All the same, the Federal Government of Nigeria will not be breaching any laws by announcing an amnesty programme for Shekau and his followers. Our collective anger tempts us to call Boko Haram’s bluff. But, in case government votes for amnesty for Boko Haram, it will also do well to announce a package of compensation for their victims. Beyond this, there should be an urgent effort at capturing the whole country for an urgent and comprehensive rehabilitation drive!
Despite taking a serious whopping, no one expects Boko Haram fighters to wave white flags but, thanks to sustained military onslaught on the group, no one also expects them to spurn the offer of an amnesty despite their ‘no surrender, no negotiation’ mantra. Yet, the biggest mistake government will make is to despatch a presidential jet to Sambisa to ferry Shekau and his murderous gang for a presidential handshake in Abuja. Rather, what government should busy itself with but which was passed off in the past is to capture the whole nation for an urgent and far-reaching rehabilitation drive.
Soon, rehabilitation funds will start pouring into the north east. There should be a massive departure from the past practice when politicians who created Boko Haram whined endlessly about perceived lopsided federal allocations. It is imperative for governors in affected states to spend more on developmental programmes. To do this, the affected state governments should surround themselves with ingenuous people who are driven by the need to explore the abundant non-oil resources in the vast plain of northern Nigeria. Nothing short of this is desired.
It is heart-warming to know that Boko Haram is on its way out. If their predecessors created Boko Haram, the present set of governors in the north east can banish its spectre.