This is not a bad idea provided, however, that the government does its homework properly not to short-change the country on the Chibok girls
The video footage released by the Boko Haram high command has continued to generate controversies and reactions. Following the release of the video, the terrorists had indicated their willingness to release 51 school girls for hardened criminals captured by the military in battle. The parents, especially those who could identify their children in the footage, were unanimous in calling on government to expedite action. The militants had said that some of the girls were lost to strikes by the Nigerian Air Force. This fuelled fears among the parents that more girls will be caught in the cross-fire between the military and the murderous gang. Fears were also expressed over the disclosure that about 40 girls had been married off to the terrorists.
Security experts are not unanimous in the opinion on what should be done. Some think the militants were merely employing psychological propaganda as a weapon to force the Federal Government to release their colleagues, following bombardment by the military in the air and on ground. Others think the militants have been softened by the successes recorded by the military and are now more amenable to a negotiated solution. The Federal Government, too, is in a dilemma as previous attempts at negotiation under both the Jonathan and Buhari administrations had failed.
The government is even more undecided because there is no clear picture of the authentic Boko Haram faction nor is it sure of the sincerity of the offer. Pressure on the government is not only from the worried parents, but also pressure groups like the Bring Back Our Girls campaigners (BBOG), the general public and even a faction of the military. The Buhari administration with prosecution of the war on Boko Haram insurgents as a priority must come up with a decision in days. We call on the government to take a swift, calculated decision on the matter. It has a duty to come up with strategic plans that will not only free the girls but win the war.
It is obvious that the various security agents have not been working in concert. This has led to the prolongation of the war, the high cost in men and materials as well as the ridicule to which Nigeria has been exposed before the international community.
To date, about two million Nigerians are believed to have been displaced and turned into refugees in their own country. Even those who have courageously held on or prematurely returned home have been exposed to starvation. These non-military aspects of the operation have been less competently handled, thus compounding the woes of these otherwise comfortable compatriots. President Muhammadu Buhari as commander -in -chief must begin to walk his talk. One of the reasons he was voted in as president last year was because of the expectation that he would bring his experience as a retired general to bear on the task at hand.
We identify with the fears of the parents and other critical stakeholders and therefore call on the government to explore all possibilities of freeing the hapless, innocent school girls, who were abducted in April, 2014. In doing this, we are not unmindful of the government’s responsibility to ensure due diligence in identifying the authentic faction of the Boko Haram organisation to deal with. Who are those actually in custody of the girls and what mode will be adopted for the negotiation and release? This must be carefully worked out, perhaps with the assistance of foreign experts.
We expect that by now, the video clip would have been thoroughly and professionally analysed. We also call on the government to carry the parents of the abducted girls along on effort to free them without necessarily divulging security secrets. It is obvious that government has failed in communicating its plans and actions to the public. In a war of this magnitude, silence cannot be considered golden. The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, the National Orientation Agency and the public relations unit of the various services should meet more regularly and find better ways of calming frayed nerves.
The war against insurgency is a national task and it behoves this administration to deliver on this sacred trust. Indeed, intelligence gathering is very important in successfully prosecuting military operations. And, this involves not only the relevant arms of the armed forces, but also the civilian population. It is their land and ancestral home and they will do anything and everything to keep it. They are natural allies who cannot be ignored.
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