Nigeria, regional allies and officials from western countries and organizations have been discussing how best to coordinate their response to the ongoing violence in Nigeria.
They met on Wednesday (03.09.2014) in a one day security meeting held in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. It came shortly after the Islamist sect Boko Haram had allegedly seized the northern town of Bama.
Reports that Bama had fallen to Boko Haram caused great concern and even panic among Nigerians. Bama is the second largest town in Borno state and is only 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Maiduguri, the state capital.
There are fears that Maiduguri could be the next target for Boko Haram which appears to be bent on capturing as much territory as possible as part of the caliphate it recently declared.
The Boko Haram insurgency has forced thousands of Nigerians from their homes
Sylvester Odion Akhaine of the Lagos State University says one reason for Boko Haram’s successes is its transformation over time.
“The original Boko Haram that we knew in 2008 is not what we have today,” Akhaine told DW. ” Back in 2008 Boko Haram was “a group of proselytizers led by Mohammed Yusuf” who was probably only able to use simple weapons to attack the police.
“Today you now have a regimental force with a lot of sophisticated armament. This is much beyond the protest group that we originally saw,”Akhaine said.
Government remains silent
There are allegations that Boko Haram made this rapid transformation partially due to support from some highly placed Nigerians.
Many people see last week’s comments by Stephen Davis, the Australian negotiator the Nigerian government contracted to negotiate the release of the more than 200 school girls abducted in April 2014, as confirmation of this.
In interviews Davis mentioned some key government officials and institutions as being among Boko Haram’s sponsors. Such serious allegations have made many Nigerians question the determination of their government in the fight against the Islamic insurgency.
They also find it disturbing that the government has not given any response in spite of the gravity of the allegations.
Many Nigerians question the ability of President Goodluck Jonathan to stop the insurgency
Lagos resident Mayowa Adebola said he was very disappointed. “They are just quiet about it, the same nonchalant attitude from the presidency, so I just think this is a very serious issue and nobody is saying anything,” Adebola said.
The lack of a government response has sparked calls for the International Criminal Court to investigate the matter.
Student Victoria Amadi thinks this would be appropriate. “I support the call for the offenders to be brought to book, and the involvement of the International Criminal Court I support that too, because of the extrajudicial executions and the killings,” said Amandi.
Like many others Amandi thinks that the government should be “transparent and accountable.”
President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to seek reelection next year and is widely considered to be more concerned about his political future than with an insurgency that has put the lives of millions of Nigerians in danger. Time
