On the 8th of January, 2012, the then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan made a very honest and brutal admission about the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. He admitted that that members of the extremist Boko Haram sect have succeeded in infiltrating his government, planting its members in government agencies and security outfits.
The president made the assertion during a church service at the National Ecumenical Centre as part of the annual Armed Forces remembrance day celebrations.
Jonathan said he believed Boko Haram had sympathisers in government, national assembly and even security agencies.
“During the civil war, we knew and we could even predict where the enemy was coming from,” the President said.
“You can even know the route they are coming from, you can even know what calibre of weapon they will use and so on.”
“Some continue to dip their hands and eat with you and you won’t even know the person who will point a gun at you or plant a bomb behind your house,” Mr Jonathan added.
What is the implication of these statements which are 9 years old now?
Three members of the ruling All Progressives Congress and allies of President Muhammadu Buhari have been linked with terrorism ever since.
Mohammed Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South, Borno State was linked to the Boko Haram sect. He was arrested by the DSS and charged to court but he was acquainted under the administration of Buhari.
Another controversial figure in APC is Ali Modu Sheriff. He is Borno State’s first governor to serve two consecutive terms. He is one of the founding members of the APC. He left for the PDP and later returned to the APC. Rumours have it that he is one of the brains behind the birth of Boko Haram. The sect started under his administration and their late leader Mohammed Yusuf was described as his friend. He is presently being tipped to be the national chairman of the APC.
Lastly, Isa Ali Pantami, the Federal Minister of Communications and Digital Economy of Nigeria since 2019 is the latest one. In his past rhetorics, Pantami has allegedly supported both local and international terrorist groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. He has expressed his admiration for the late Osama Bin Laden and other lieutenants. Pantami is a member of the APC.
These three prominent Nigerians are working hand in hand with the Buhari government. Although they haven’t been found guilty of terrorism by a court of competent jurisdiction, Nigerians believe the war against Boko Haram has been long lost if people in government are suspected to be sympathizers and apologists.
In the past 6 years, Buhari has failed woefully to fulfil his cardinal campaign promising of combating Boko Haram and insecurity in Nigeria.
