As insecurity has continued to gain new grounds in Nigeria devastating communities, families and their children, the many shortcomings of the country`s security forces have continued to be laid bare, accentuated as it in the number of casualties they have continued to rake in.
Forests of death
In 2009 when Boko Haram began to ask all manner of questions of the Nigeria State, Borno State was its ground zero, and in Borno State, Sambisa forest was its base. The Sambisa forest, especially the mountainous region of Gwoza near the Cameroon border is used as shelter by the Jihadist Boko Haram group and is believed to be where they keep hostages from the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping of April 2014. Repeated attempts to dislodge Boko Haram from the forest have recorded moderate successes, but they continue to use the forest as their base.
As terrorism has grown uncontrollably in Nigeria,forests have become some sort of fortes for the terrorists, especially the bandits who are now threatening to overrun states in the Northwest. Apart from the Sambisa forest,there are Alagano, Kamuku,Kuduru, Kuyambana, Burwaye, Ajja, Dajin Rugu and Sububu which have all become hotbeds of insurgency and banditry.
Birnin Gwari`s brew of death and destruction
Giwa Local Government Area but especially Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State has somehow become synonymous with the banditry ravaging Kaduna State and neighbouring Niger State and threatening to spill over into the Federal Capital Territory. Amidst harrowing reports of how residents have paid the bandits hundreds of millions so that they will be allowed to farm and the bandits banning political activities, Nigerian security forces in Kaduna and Niger State have suffered huge casualties at the hands of the terrorists operating out of Birnin Gwari.
Two forests – Kamuku and Kaduru – have continued to provide ample shelter for these terrorists. A large portion of the Kamuku National Park is withing Birnin Gwari Local Government Area but it well extends into Katsina, Niger, Zamfara an d Kebbi States. With a total land area of about 1,121 square kilometeres,Kamuku is said to also extend to Chikun, Kajuru and Giwa Local Government Area within Kaduna State. In Zamfara State, forests such as Kuyambana, Burwaye, Ajja and Sububu have proven convenient to the deadly activities of terrorists.
Costly air operations
Many Nigerians are of the opinion that the Nigeria Air Force should launch multiple air raids to dislodge the terrorists from the forests, thus giving Nigeria a better opportunity of winning the war against insurgency. It is not like the Nigeria Air Force has been completely idle in the fight against insurgency. It is also not for the want of trying that the terrorists are still comfortably marooned in the forests from where they continue to launch devastating attacks much to the perils of everyday Nigerians. Multiple air raids have been launched with deadly consequences.
Civilian casualties and controversies.
On January 17, 2017, a Nigerian Airforce Jet mistakenly bombed an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, a border town in Kala/Balge Local Government Area of Borno State. The bombing left at least 115 people dead, including six Red Cross aid workers, with more than a hundred persons injured.
Again,on April 26,2021, an Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly killed about 20 soldiers in Mainok, headquarters of the Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.
On June 13, 2021 airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force carried out around Genu town in Niger State killed some wedding guests. There have been similarly devastating airstrikes.
On June 5 2022 when bandits like locusts fell upon some communities in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna States, some brave locals decided to confront the cowards. Multiple reports had it that they were holding their own until a helicopter launched an air raid which aided the terrorists. The Kaduna State Government has since sought to clarify the reports, telling all who care to listen that at all times, the helicopter in question belonged to the Nigeria Air Force and was meant to beat back the invasion of the communities which it successfully did.
Now, residents of Kunkunni village of Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State have alleged that on Tuesday July 5,2022, a fighter jet belonging to the Nigeria Air Force dropped a bomb killing two villagers and injuring at least 14 others.
A necessary evil or a lack of expertise or professionalism
As the war against terrorism in Nigeria continues to rage, the country continues to lick its wounds and count the cost of war even as its body count continues to grow. There is no doubt that given the current circumstances, Nigeria`s security forces, including the Nigeria Air Force, is putting in a tremendous shift.
However, the question on the lips of many is whether so many innocent Nigerians who are already victims of the war in many ways always have to die when operations which are meant to defend them are launched.
In a country of countless questions without answers, maybe the military authorities can muster a proper answer this time around.
Kene Obiezu,
Keneobiezu@gmail.com
