Insurgents and Mordern Politics: which way Nigeria?

 Nigeria is indeed a country where anything is possible, especially when it involves politics, election and political ambition. As long as you stay on a particular course with little political support from the bourgeois which are the powers that be, you will eventually have your way. The constitution will be interpreted to suit your cause.
How else will I explain the lucrative business of crime and amnesty. After you kill enough to register your name in the book of crime, your kinsmen will ask for amnesty on your behalf, emphasising it as the only option for peace to reign. This makes them mediators and the rest is a life of sit at home enjoy yourself and numerous overseas trips in the name of training and rehabilitation.
Amnesty with Benefits as it is popularly called today was introduce or better still became very popular during the administration of Umaru Musa Y’adua as President of the federal Republic of Nigeria; when he granted amnesty to the Militants in the Niger Delta region who preferred to be called freedom fighters.
So many people attributed the gesture (amnesty) as a tool to salvage the oil fortunes of the country which was already plummeting. The downward movement in the oil fortunes of this country resulted to a hasty but juicy offer that no one could reject, there was a need to salvage the situation by making sure that the barrels of crude oil that leaves this country on a daily basis increases so as not to totally crumble the fragile economy struggling to find its feet.

In exchange for their weapons, the Niger Delta militants made a deal with the federal government to be trained in various skills that will enable them earn a living outside the creeks that has almost became a way of life for them.
This also saw the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta to take charge of the development of the oil rich region. Since development was part of their agitation.
The post amnesty period was ‘birthed’ amidst criticism by some Northern leaders who believed that the Niger Delta region was getting too much attention from the Federal government.
Not long after the Demise of Late President Umaru Yara’dua and the taking over of government by president Goodluck Jonathan, the Islamic Sect popularly call Boko Haram resurfaced with a much more brutal approach with a mandate to wipe away western form of Education from Nigeria at least that was what we were made to believe at the beginning but trust Nigeria it soon became a political tool for some northern leaders to carry out their threat of making sure the Nation is un-governable if their ‘own’ did not win the 2011 presidential Election.
Different political statements were issued by these self centred people who saw how some enemy of development and good governance made money from the Niger Delta and wanted an avenue to have their share of the supposed National cake.
Because the Nigerian mass media refused to give them the publicity they needed to assume that larger- than- life status, soon media houses and telecommunications installations became their target in a bid to use the Nigerian mass media as a status conferal tool.
This was in the heels of bombing religious houses with the December 25, 2011 catholic church bombing in madalla. Near suleja in Niger State as the hallmark of the confusion of the group.
This was followed closely by attacks on military formations, police stations and the killing of worshippers inside an Army barracks in Jaji Kaduna State Northern Nigeria.
Accusations, counter accusations and blames became the order of the day with so many still attributing the insurgents to the under development of the region, as if destruction of lives and properties brings about development.
The Boko haram drama became very funny when some notable Nigerians mostly from the Northern part of country volunteered to negotiate un behalf of this faceless insurgent group, how they meet to talk about their demand is another thing pointing to the fact that this group is actually a tool in the hand of some power drunk elites who want to take hold of power at all cost.
Anyone that speaks against their approach to things was regarded as an enemy thereby attacking such individual. The Emir of Kano was not spared in this regard especially to those of us who are familiar with the whole assassination attempt on the Emir and his Son.
How kabiru sokoto the master mind of the madalla Christmas Day bombing escaped from police custody overnight actually proved some school of thought right that these insurgents are orchestrated by a selected few. The former Inspector General of police Rigim had to bear the consequences when he was unceremoniously removed from office as a result of the escape of Kabiru Sokoto and the way the escape was handled.
It was in the middle of the crises President Jonathan openly declared that Boko haram has infiltrated his Government.
Talking about the whole thing all over again might be a way of adding pepper to an injury that everybody believes is healing.
Even when there is much to be desired
Due to pressure, the president of the federal republic decided to bow to the pressure coming from the North championed by the sultan of Sokoto -Sa’ adu Abubakar, to grant amnesty to these sect which has now become obvious that they are more political than Islamic as it was perceived in the beginning.
The offer of amnesty was vehemently rejected by this group claiming that they (Boko Haram) are the ones to give amnesty to the Nigerian government With their demands changing everyday like the skin of a chameleon.
It was in the heat of this that the federal government declared a state of emergency in three Northern state of Yobe, Adamawa and Bornu states respectively.
Though greatly criticised, it appears the state of emergency declared by the president is actually working as most of the Boko haram members have been forced to flee the country by the military Joint task force, thereby reducing the dominance of the insurgent group in the Northern part of the country.
However, some weeks into the state of Emergency declaration, some local vigilante boys captured suspected boko haram members and handed them over to the police. Though a welcomed development, some state governors are now using that as an opportunity to arm youths awaiting 2015 general elections all in the name of arming vigilante groups, these were same people that rejected state own or state controlled Police force a few months Back.
Why is that we forget history so quickly, who does not know the dangers of arming jobless youths? What becomes of these youths and the weapons after the boko haram crises?
Who gets these contracts for the importation of the arms and ammunition? Is it another way of making money for these Governors through awarding bogus contracts for the importation and maintenance of arms and ammunition?. Who controls these so call vigilantes after the crises is over? What are the mechanism put in place to retrieve these weapons in case some bad eggs decides to hijack the process? Could this be another plot to assembly some jobless youths for another insurgent? These and many other questions are begging for answers.
Let’s be wise in our decisions and policies in this country. Nigeria is our own, we should try and desist from the politics of self gain to a government that will benefit all. Those that are after personal interest should remember that first you need this country more than anything destroying it will no make you a a better person. Learn from those that fought the civil war in the 70s they will tell you it did not go as planned. I rest my case