Terrorism: Hold some northern govs responsible, by Dele Sobowale,
“In every community, there is a class of people profoundly dangerous to the rest. I don’t mean the criminals. For them we have punitive sanctions. I mean the leaders. Invariably, the most dangerous people seek power” – Saul Bellow, 1915-2005, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 124.
Newspapers headlines were grim a day before the Eid-el-Fitr 2026. The end of Ramadan, to which all faithful people looked forward, joyfully, in the past, has now become threatening and mournful all over Nigeria. Apparently, no place is spared the fear of violence on the days of celebrations declared by government. It was never like this. Hope for relief is fading faster with each new assault by terrorists. Increasingly, there is despair about governments’ ability to provide security to citizens who, in many communities, have surrendered sovereignty to the bandits by paying the levies imposed.
The sweeping change of service chiefs, followed soon after by the appointment of Army General Musa (rtd) as Minister of Defence, has been characterized as “movement without motion” by a former security officer. Sheik Abubakar Gumi’s recent allegation concerning governments’ involvement in secret negotiations with terrorists, which nobody has disputed, has deepened the trust deficit associated with efforts to solve the problems. Too many suspicious elements parade the corridors of power.
The following news reports capture the mood of gloom pervading the nation – particularly the North – Ibadan in Oyo State had its own experience of terror when nine people were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, CRIN. Ransom was paid, but, not everybody has been returned.
NEWS PANORAMA: FEEDING ON THE DAILY BREAD OF SORROW
Let us lead off with the one summarizing our national descent into hell – while the political rulers only worry about the next election.
“Terrorists threaten to kill 32 abducted Kaduna villagers over N30m ransom” – Report, March 18, 2026
“Maiduguri bombings: Military chiefs arrive Borno after Tinubu’s directive” – Report, March 18, 2026
“Insecurity: How Nigeria spent N32.8trn on defence in 15 years” – Report, March, March 19, 2026.
“Kwara massacre: 176 abducted victims still held after 46 days” – Report, March 21, 2026.
“Borno Government to shoulder medical bills, as Zulum visits Maiduguri blast victims” – Report, March 21, 2026
“IDP camp residents to FG: If you can’t take us home, say it, stop pretending.” Report” – March 21, 2026.
“Nigeria recorded two world’s deadliest attacks [May 15 and September 5, 2025]” – Report, March 22, 2026.
“IED blasts kill nine in Kwara, Niger communities” – Report, March 24, 2026.
“Fanfare amid Borno bombings” Report. March 24, 2026
“Terrorists ambush troops, kill 9 soldiers, policeman in Kebbi” – Report, March 26, 2026
“How teenagers packaged bomb in flask to attack Borno Hospital” – Report March 28, 2026.
The March 19, 2026 report detailing the vast expenditure, N32.8trn in 15 years, summarises our national predicament. VANGUARD, in that front page report, also reminded us that “Nigeria recorded over 100,000 violent deaths since 2012”. Three Presidents and their governments are implicated in what has become a seemingly intractable national disaster. Virtually every day brings Nigerians another grim report suggesting that governments, federal and states, have repeatedly failed in discharging their personal responsibilities to the people – security of lives and properties.
The March 22, 2026 news report, which was sourced from the 2026 Global Terrorism Index release, ranking Nigeria fourth globally on terrorism, is as damning an indictment of all the governments – PDP and APC. – starting with late President Yar’Adua; as well as all the past and present security chiefs. From 2009, when Boko Haram reared its venomous head in Borno State till now, there has been no single time, under any president, when there was abatement. Instead, BH grew in strength and spurned other terrorist groups nationally. Consequently, today, terrorism in Nigeria has become hydra-headed; virtually defying solution.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
“For every folly of their princes, the Greeks feel the lash” – Horace, 65-8 BC
The Greeks were lashed with whips because their princes were merely foolish. Nigerians, particularly in the North, are now chastised with scorpions because hundreds of leaders in the highest offices possible have been myopic: Presidents, Governors, National Security Advisers, Directors-General of the Department of State Service, Chiefs of Armed Forces and Inspectors General of Police – among others. Buhari’s eight years in office followed six years of Yar’Adua, when the seeds of destruction were planted with benign neglect at first and cowardice at last. Buhari mounted the saddle with the Chibok girls still in captivity; and left with many of them still missing. The problem got worse from 2015 to 2023; and, instead of finding a real solution, propaganda was deployed. “Boko Haram has been decimated”. That was Lai Mohammed, Buhari’s Minister of Information, lying to Fellow Nigerians – with tacit approval from the President. Today’s truth has exposed yesterday’s lies with an explosive force. Almost three years of Tinubu’s administration has landed Nigeria in the unenviable position of ranking fourth of Global Terrorism Index, GTI. That still leaves the question: Who is most responsible. Then, take a look at the chart below. It is not meant for your amusement. Instead, it tells a story we have all chosen to ignore.
3.7M DISPLACED NIGERIANS IN EIGHT STATES
(000s)
Note: 3.7 million Nigerians are reported displaced in March 2026. Only eight states account for 3,341,000 or 91% of them. Borno State, alone, accounts for 46 per cent; and together with Benue, the two states hold 60 per cent of all displaced persons in Nigeria. There are reasons for this situation – which we ignore at our peril.
STATE NUMBER % OF TOTAL
Borno 1,711 46
Benue 500 14
Zamfara 276 8
Katsina 244 7
Adamawa 218 6
Yobe 155 4
Sokoto 118 3
Kaduna 117 3
TOTAL 3,341 91
Source: VANGUARD, March 16, 2026 .
Putting the figures above into a global context reveals the following humbling and chilling facts with which this nation and its political, as well as other, leaders must deal urgently. About 30-35 nations have populations of 500,000 or less; Benue alone has that number, and it is rising daily. Nearly 40 countries have populations of 1.7 million or less. Borno state’s IDP population surpasses them. More concerning, between 70 and 80 sovereign states have populations of 3.7 million or less. IDPs are invariably non-productive individuals, socially and economically dependent on the rest. At the moment, Nigeria ranks ninth globally on IDPs; just as we now occupy the fourth position on multi-dimensional terrorism. We didn’t arrive at the sorry pass by accident. Some leaders piloted us here through acts of omission and commission; a few Governors derserve dishonorable mention.
When Professor Zulum, by his own admission, granted amnesty to 30,000 “repentant” Boko Haram terrorists, it was obvious to some of us that the transient ruler of Borno State, is extremely intelligent; but, not wise and had not read enough. Had the former university don read about the Trojan Horse, in Hellenic history, he would have realized that he was duped by clever and dangerous men. Deception is one of the tools deployed in armed conflict; and there is no more gullible leader than one who accepts the enemy’s first truce offer at face value and lowers his guards. Zulum deliberately or inadvertently accepted thousands of Boko Haram moles and deployed them, like wolves in sheep’s coat, to prey at will on the poor people of Borno State. The March 28, 2026 report symbolizes how easily and deeply terrorists have penetrated every community in Borno State. A thousand soldiers is a battalion. Even if only 5000 of the “repentant” terrorists turned out to be rouge; Zulum has admitted to deploying five battalions of hardened and conscienceless killers to terrorise, not only Borno, but the entire nation. Take it from me, 1.7 million IDPs represent a percentage of the numbers to expect.
Obviously, the March 21, 2026 report in which the governor promised to pay the medical bills of the victims of recent bombing in Maiduguri is as self-serving as it is mostly worthless to the dead and most of the living. The dead don’t need medical expenses paid. Some of them might have left widows and orphans going to swell the IDP population. Zulum, vainly, is sending good state money to rescue an atrocious decision made in the past. Can he, honestly, account for all the terrorists granted amnesty?
The current Governors of Katsina, Zamfara and, to some extent, Kaduna, are victims of questionable decisions made by former Governors Maisari, Matawalle and El-Rufai respectively. Without admitting it, all of them have attempted to negotiate with terrorists in their states; they willingly paid extortion money to the bandits in exchange for peace; only to be double-crossed. Again, premeditatedly or mistakenly, they became financiers of the hoodlums. Matawalle claimed to have carried N900 million to terrorists in 300 Zamfara forests; he was also Governor when Turji was turbarned by a traditional ruler. El-Rufai admitted to paying compensation to herders who invaded farms and wreaked havoc in parts of Kaduna state – before the, formerly peaceful state became a hell on Earth. Benue is the only state, with large IDP population, which was not a victim of its governors – past and present.
We should stop pretending. We know those who created our problems. They are/were in the corridors of power.
•Follow me on Facebook @ J Israel Biola
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“In every community, there is a class of people profoundly dangerous to the rest. I don’t mean the criminals. For them we have punitive sanctions. I mean the leaders. Invariably, the most dangerous people seek power” – Saul Bellow, 1915-2005, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 124. Newspapers headlines were grim a day before the […]
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