Orgy of violence: Deadly bolts from Boko Haram

VERY few Nigerians, except those who were planning it, contemplated that the nation would have to grapple with another orgy of violence, so soon after the mayhem that rocked Plateau and Bauchi States as year 2008 ended. Indeed, the commissions of enquiry unravelling the circumstances behind the Jos mayhem is yet to complete its assignment.

So, Monday July 27, most of the rest of Nigeria, and the world at large would learn that a sect that goes by the name, Boko Haram which means “education is illegal,” had staged attacks in Bauchi on Sunday after the arrest of some of its members. More than 50 people were killed and over 100 arrested, prompting the state governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda to impose a curfew on the state. The BBC reported that its correspondent saw 42 bodies at the Bauchi Specialist Hospital, while the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported 32 bodies. Boko Haram seeks imposition of sharia law and is opposed to western education.
However, if many thought the Bauchi incident was isolated, they were soon disappointed as the violence spread like wild bush fire. On Monday, the violence had spread to Kano, Borno, and Yobe states. President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua ordered a clampdown, and indeed clarified that the violence was not inter-religious.

Acting inspector-general of police, Ogbonnaya Onovo confirmed the death of five policemen and 60 others. He also confirmed the burning down of a Police station in Potiskum, and as the violence spread to Maiduguri in Borno State, a bloodbath ensued.
The BBC again reported that its correspondent counted at least 100 bodies near Police headquarters on Monday in Maiduguri. In Kano, at Wudil, three policemen were injured while several guns, especially AK-47s were recovered from members of the sect.

As the situation worsened, soldiers were deployed while airlines suspended flights to the affected cities until normalcy returned. Among those wre Arik Air and IRS Airlines. On Wednesday, 1.000 troops were deployed to tackle Boko Haram. In an encounter, 43 were killed in Hawan Malka in Yobe State, but by then, Bauchi had been calmed down, with only sporadic incidents here and there.

By Thursday, it was reported that Boko Haram’s leader, Mohammed Yusuf, has been killed in custody. The announcement came just hours after police said they had captured Mohammed Yusuf in the city of Maiduguri. His followers have been blamed for violence in the north that has left more than 300 people dead, a situation that the nation is still coming to terms with.

What they said on the sectarian violence
Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF)“The recent skirmishes and attacks on the police in Maiduguri and Bauchi caused by some religious militants who claimed western education is a taboo are regrettable and, thus, condemnable by ACF and peace loving Nigerians”.

Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Yakubu Lame

“Government is committed to freedom of religion, but will not condone any fundamentalist who would bring about breakdown of law and order”.

By Adekunle Adekoya (Journalist)