A CONFUSED STATE: 64 days on the Chibok girls issue.

A CONFUSED STATE: 64 days on the Chibok girls issue.

By Kay Aderibigbe

The information wing of the Nigerian military once told us that the 234 girls have been rescued immediately after the saga became known to the general public. Later, they told us the girls were probably taken in the dream of the Nigerian society; that is, it was a figment of imagination, which was vigorously discounted by the Federal Government. Many of us laughed at, and mimicked the wife of Mr. President when she staged a hypocritical emotional TV show in order to prove that the saga of school girls kidnap was baseless. Interestingly, the Federal Government intermittently admitted eighteen (18) days later that the kidnap was real when a video was posted on the internet by the leader of Boko Haram, even, boasting to determining the fates of the girls.

Situating the issue in a conceptual thought will do more. Amnesty International told Federal Government that Boko Haram would carry out a large scale kidnap in the North East and six hours later the Chibok issue happened. In fact, such prediction was calculated from the initial twenty five (25) girls that were kidnapped easily at Kwandaga. Terrorists, over the years understood the strategic failure of the Nigerian state and they employed such laxity in perpetrating their missions. For instance, mutiny and court martial of nine Generals is being denied; meeting between French president, Jonathan and other four border countries leader is not impactful on security as of yet. Haven killed over 6,000 people since 2009, Boko Haram is waxing stronger even, after the Chibok issue; the 27-man on Amnesty and 17-man on Dialogue committees set up by Federal Government is on the leeway; the former embattled PDP chairman, Bamanga Tukur, once told us that Boko Haram are freedom fighters; finally, protest by civil society has been clamped down and outlawed whether acceptable or not.

Before the current security morass became messy Federal Government had rejected the initial offer by International Communities to wipe out insurgency. An apparent, wishy-washy effort by the Government to addressing the issue saw security chiefs changed while Ministers for Defense and whatsoever are not spared their jobs either. Between 2010 and 2014, there has been an unaccounted for, a sum of 3 Trillion Naira on security vote, but what we get in return is Boko Haram's flag being hoisted in communities where there exists Government.

The Kidnapped girls must have been man-handled, molested, abused, gang-raped by their captors, and as a result, psychologically, removed from the society where they once belonged because of the longevity of their stay in wherever they must have been kept. Thus, prompting Obasanjo, to opine that, many of the girls are probably not going to return to the normal society. Can anyone imagine what those girls will be going through at the moment? All of these are faults of Government that lacked in the capacity for strategic thoughts.

Whether there are "negative forces" behind the scene, as proclaimed by the pro-Janatharians or not, the function of every responsible Government is to ensure the safety of lives of the citizenry. It is ironical when almost every attempt at confronting the laxity on the part of Nigeria's Government is being interpreted as "political". One cannot, but subscribe to the school that sees the trivialization of North-East crises as politics when the same Government that is expected to stamp out insurgency is busy going about electioneering campaign and the Nigerian people are traumatized on a daily basis.

On a final note, my blog will remain an avenue to foster positive political remedial endeavours for the Nigerian state. As such, negotiation with Boko Haram is not an issue that should ferment the country. If I were Jonathan, I will take charge; not Boko Haram giving me conditions. "Take your prisoners and give us our girls". Our girls should land in the state capital first of all and your prisoners at preferred destination. It may sound stupid or simple, but majority of the prisoners must have been injected with brain diffusing chemicals that will erode their human capacity to think in a matter of two months or so. While the rest shall be fixed with trackers plated in their pancreas; all being done under a sedative condition. Thereafter, other measures to handle insurgency can follow suit.

At least, Americans are not foolish to have exchanged five hard core terrorists for just one American soldier, a deserter for that matter. Really, our government should eschew all sentiments and act now that Boko Haram are going about on bikes, asking for cows as ransom and looting market places in search of foods. It is an indication that their source is broke, impliedly, politicians are saving for 2015 elections.

To be continued . . . . . . . .