The many lies of Nigerian Army

• the metaphor of Abubakar Shekau’s death

By OKOSUN DENNIS

Over the years, if there is any organisation that Nigerians hold with high esteem in terms of reliability of information churned out to members of the publics, it is the Nigerian Army.

Consistently, it stood out among the armies of the world – particularly in African continent – as a dependable source of information in relation to its domestic and international military operations.

Although not every person may believe this line of thought, this, perhaps, has added tremendously to its ratings approval among other armies even when such information directly impact on its image provided it is accurate, unbiased and provable.

However, since the war against Boko Haram started in 2009 and the politics that surrounds the killing of its defacto leaders of the noxious group, from Mohammed Yusuf to Abubakar Shekau, and other things as it relates to the operation coupled with the humongous moneys purportedly siphoned met to acquire arms and ammunition for the troops, people have begun to see things from different perspectives.

The icing on the cake is the conflicting information that was served members of the public about the decapitation of Abubakar Shekau.

Shekau, often times, especially within the media industry, has been described as a “man with nine lives” due to the several claims by the Nigerian army that he has been killed.

Unfortunately, each time the group releases a new video; it has always castigated the military of telling lies claiming he was alive. This, in itself, has left watchers in doubt as to whom to believe – the Nigerian Army that it has killed Abubakar Shekau or the terrorist group that its leader is alive.

However, last week’s declaration by the Minister of Defence, Brig Gen Mansur Dan-Ali (retd), at the Aso Rock, Presidential Villa, Abuja, that Shekau was alive – five months after Boko Haram was declared “technically defeated” – leaves so much to desire.

The Minister had explained at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, to State House Correspondents after he briefed President Muhammadu Buhari of his ministry’s activities, that it has been cumbersome arresting the notorious sect leader claiming that the terrorists usually wear masks to disguise their identities and distract attention.

The Minister further explained that “I believe it is just a matter of time. It took America about seven to ten years to get Osama Bin Laden. So, we will get Abubakar Shekau as soon as possible.

“The sect’s spiritual headquarters has been ransacked and vandalised. He (Shekau) is on the run. He may be hiding in one of the enclaves of Sambisa Forest which we are dominating.

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“We have opened up the place. We are using the place as a training area. The Army engineers will open up roads and we shall be patrolling and be ransacking that forest for the whereabouts of Shekau.”

Abubakar Shekau with nine lives: “Die Today, Alive Tomorrow”

Abubakar Shekau assumed the position of authority as the leader of Boko Haram shortly after the death of its premier leader, Mohammed Yusuf. He immediately becomes notorious, boastful, and despatching people to premature graves. He was allegedly killed several times by the military but seems to have the “supernatural power” to resurrect and challenge the military authority of telling copious lies.

In other climes, prior to American government announcing the killing of Osama Bin Laden on 1^st May, 2011 by the American Navy Seal at Abbotabad in Pakistan, there were no previous reports of purported killing of the man whose poisonous ideology began to die on 9/11. When the news of the killing of the long-sought needle bellowed and sneaked into the news wave, it came as a thunderbolt and that was the final discussion of the demise of the man that has been consigned to “history unmarked graves;” a man that caused so much pains and agony for the Americans and the entire world.

Despite some doubting Thomas that tried to rubbish the declaration as fallacious, they were silenced when his blood soaked body was shown to the world. Since then till date, Osman Bin Laden has been consigned to the dust bin of history. Every attempt by his lieutenants to take over his notoriety, have been met with strong visitation of death from the American drone.

However, the death of Shekau has been said several times to the extent that people are left in doubt who to really believe. But as troops in the theatre of war, the potency of news lies in their palms.

However, National Daily recalls that in 2013, Col Sagir Musa, then a Lt Col was the spokesperson of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Restore Order on August 19, 2013, in Borno issued a statement expressing high propensity of certainty that Shekau has been killed.

Prior to 2013 claim, in 2009, the police in Maiduguri also claimed that the Boko Haram leader was killed. That turned out to be hoax. Also in November, 2012, JTF claimed it raided Shekau’s residence in Damaturu but the wanted man escaped narrowly.

Considering that both American and Nigerian governments wanted him dead or alive and with $7m reward tag on his head by the United States Government, Col Sagir Musa declaration was a huge relieve.

To substantiate Col Musa statement read in part, “Intelligence report available to the force revealed that Shekau, the most dreaded and wanted terrorist leader may have died of gunshot wounds received in an encounter with the JTF in one of their camps in Sambisa Forest on 30^th June, 2013.

“The JTF believed Shekau was fatally wounded in the encounter and was sneaked into Amitchide, a border community in Cameroon, for treatment from which he never recovered. It is greatly believed that Shekau might have died between 25^th July and 3^rd August, 2013.”

Also, on the 24^th September, 2014, the former Director, Defence Information, (DDI) Maj Gen Chris Olukolade (retd), released a press statement in Abuja with pictures of Abubakar Shekau to substantiate his claim that indeed, he has been killed.

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The relief was huge. Military personnel saddled with the responsibility of combating the insurgents felt a sense of relief and deep sense of satisfaction that, after all, the many years of fighting insurgents, despite the humongous causalities, was not in vain.

Gen Olukolade had said in the statement that, “Nigerian troops have been conducting coordinated air and land operations in furtherance of efforts at containing the terrorists in the North East part of the country.

“The convoy of combat vehicles typical of terrorists’ mission that involves their top commanders were fiercely engaged by the land and air forces.  Several of the terrorists including some of their commanders lost their lives in the encounters which lasted an average of about 5 hours each.  The troops captured some of the terrorists and their equipment.

“In the course of those encounters, one Mohammed Bashir, who has been acting or posing on videos as the deceased Abubakar Shekau, the eccentric character known as leader of the group died.    Since the name Shekau has become a brand name for the terrorists’ leader, the Nigerian military remains resolute to serve justice to anyone who assumes that designation or title as well as all terrorists that seek to violate the freedom and territory of Nigeria.”

He went further to say that, “On restoring normalcy after the encounter, inhabitants of the community who were victims of terrorists activities corroborated information on the identity of Bashir Mohammed alias Abubakar Shekau, alias Abacha Abdullahi Geidam alias Damasack etc.  Indeed, the recent devastation on the leadership of the insurgents is attributable to the renewed commitment to the mission of eradicating terrorism in our country,” Gen Olukolade said in a statement in 2014.

By every standard of evaluation and intuition, Col Musa statement was definitive and declarative considering dates of the attack, when and how Abubakar Shehau was smuggled out through the border and the date he was said to have allegedly died were mentioned. For the same military, in 2017 to have openly declared, contradicting itself severally that “Abubakar Shekau is alive” seems an aberration and a huge moral decline for the troops that have paid their dues with their lives to fight insurgents.

It is also difficult to come in terms with the minister’s position considering that what was said to be have been a “Holy Korea” used by Abubakar Shekau and the flag hoisted at his Camp Zero were recovered and handed to President Mohammadu Buhari, which signalled the total decapitation, decimation and annihilation of Boko Haram.

A security analysis and the former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abubakar Tsav, castigated the minister’s comment as capable of revitalising and emboldening the terrorists to regroup and continue their obnoxious acts, adding that by extension create “fear and uncertainty in the minds of our troops.”

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He told National Daily  that, “In my view, it was a misplaced pronouncement for the Minister to announce that Shekau was still alive while his death was previously announced several times by our troops. “This will embolden the insurgents and create fear and uncertainty in the minds of our troops and also bring them to alert. It’s like scourging a snake but not killing it. The insurgents remain dangerous as long as their leadership remains alive and effective,” he reiterated.

When National Daily contacted the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Sani Usman, about the minister’s claim, he denied that there was never a time the Nigerian Army told anybody that Abubakar Shekau was killed.

“I just cannot understand you. When did the Nigerian Army ever tell you that he (Abubakar Shekau) is dead? Brig Gen Usman replied National Daily through his Whatapps platform.

However, in a telephone conversation later with our correspondent said, “There is a clear difference between me and them. I have been transparent with you since July 2016.  The Chief of Army Staff, the President or the Minister of Defence has never mentioned that Shekau has been killed. Even when people resort to propaganda and deceit, we prefer to be transparent.

“How can you contravene the Minister of Defence statement with the army spokesperson? The minister was with us yesterday (During the Small Arms championship at Sambisa Forest) when he represented the President. You should understand the differences between the last administration and now. Nobody has said Shekau is dead.

“The last time I said something about Abubakar Shekau was when he was mortally wounded by the Air force on his shoulder and I told everybody about it. He could have died, I don’t know!

“I am not going to teach you your work. Before, they told you lies, now we have been open and transparent, Brig Gen Usman further explained.

A military source expresses his disappointment over arguments and politics of Abubakar Shekau’s death. He told National Daily  that “I feel bad and sad about this development. Having participated during the attack and reclaim of Baga from the terrorists, and having had the authority said at different times that Shekau that brought so much pains and anguish to Nigerians is dead, it is unfortunate that after the decimation of the terrorists, all these noise about Shekau alive will be a subject of discussion.

“Our leaders should know how to manage sensitive information and separate politics from security matters especially as we are still battling with splinter of sects.

A defence analyst while eulogising the military for their “brilliance and astuteness” in decimating Boko Haram and resettling the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) back to their towns and villages, is of the view that “talking about Abubakar Shekau is alive is the most disappointing comment that should come from a minister.”

It is only normal that when dealing with terrorism, we should be circumspect and sensitive considering the character a terrorist exude; that they have no respect for human right.

Until sensitive security information are managed with care no matter the political lining, the better for the country in dealing every circle of unrest and terrorist act.

Abubakar Shekau is a native of Shekau village, about 80 kilometres away from Damaturu, capital of Yobe state. He was said to have spent most part of his adolescent years in Maiduguri, the hub of Boko Haram insurgency. Shekau was most feared among the ranks and his lieutenants as he was said to have always fortify himself with avalanche of protocol officers inhibiting some top commanders to reach him.

The politics surrounding the killing of Shekau leaves one in doubt: believe the Minister of Defence that Abubakar Shekau is alive, and Boko Haram insurgents that their leader is still alive or Nigerian Army that claimed that Shekau has been killed with pictures to substantiates?

Time, which is infinite, will tell.