Terrorism In Nigeria: Governments And Northern Politicians Are The Real Terrorists

 Terrorism in Nigeria has reached alarming proportions, with the country's leaders seemingly unable to put an end to it. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Legislature are aware of the terrorists operating within the country. Yet, they remain ineffective in stopping them. This has led to widespread speculation that many government officials are complicit in funding and supporting terrorism. The situation is dire, with Boko Haram and other terrorist groups waging a brutal campaign of violence and kidnappings across the country. The government's unwillingness and inability to tackle these groups has led to a loss of public trust and a sense of desperation among Nigerians. Many are beginning to wonder if the government is truly committed to fighting terrorism, or if it is simply using the issue as a tool for political advantages. 

One of the major challenges facing the government is the complex web of financing networks that support terrorist groups. These networks often involve corrupt government officials both in the Presidency and Legislature, politicians, top military officers, and highly successful business moguls, who use their intimidating influences to launder money and provide resources to terrorists. In 2021, the US Department of Treasury sanctioned six individuals for operating a Boko Haram fundraising network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), highlighting the international scope of the problem. 

Despite the efforts of US to mitigate terrorism in Nigeria, the Nigerian governments have been sluggish to act decisively against the financiers of terrorism. In 2022, the government identified 100 high-risk financiers of Boko Haram, but little or nothing has been done to prosecute them. The Nigerian Federal House of Representatives has repeatedly urged the government to publicly name and sanction these individuals, but so far, no action has been taken in that direction till today. 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has acknowledged the link between terrorism and illegal mining in Nigeria, highlighting the need for international cooperation to dismantle these financing networks. However, his administration has been criticized for its low response to the crisis. The government has also been accused of negotiating with terrorists, paying them millions of dollars to effect release of hostages, rather than taking a hard line stance against them. 

The consequences of this inaction are devastating. Thousands of lives have been lost, and millions more have been displaced. The economy is suffering, and the country's reputation is being extremely tarnished. It is imperative that the government takes immediate action to address this crisis, including publicly naming and prosecuting those who fund and support terrorism in Nigeria. 

The international community also has a critical role to play in helping Nigeria tackle this deadly issue. The UN, US, EU, and other countries, should provide technical assistance and intelligence support to help Nigerian authorities track down and prosecute terrorist funders. The global community must come together to combat this menace and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. However, the crux of the matter is that successive Nigerian governments and political heavyweights from the North are not always truly against terrorism in Nigeria. As far as terrorism, banditry, and kidnappings are concerned in Nigeria, the government (protectors of the citizenry) have become the enablers (terrorists funders and mentors) of these atrocious activities because of what monetary advantages they stand to gain. 

The truth is not about the military strength and might of the insurgents. The truth is that it is the government itself that is recruiting terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers. The Nigerian governments, Northern army officers, and Northern politicians have killed over 800, 000 innocent people in Nigeria in the past 20 years. Like I have written several times, the government, Northern Nigerian politicians, and their officers in the military, are responsible for terrorism. Who doesn't know that? President Tinubu is eating and drinking together with the murderers daily. Everything this Tinubu's regime is doing to combat terrorism is a calculated diversionary measure. It is FAKE! President Tinubu is buying time! Let the international community, UN, US, EU and others, understand that terrorism CANNOT stop in Nigeria except Trump does it by himself. One part of the Nigerian government is recruiting Nigerian soldiers, whilst the other part of the same government is recruiting terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers. They know one another very well. They are the killers. They are the kidnappers. They burn down Churches with worshippers inside them! They turn around to pay princely ransoms to themselves and share the money like a war booty. 

All the terrorists' funders are known to Government. The people buying and bringing in the sophisticated weapons for the terrorists are known to Government. The routes used to bring them into Nigeria and timing are known to Government. The army officers who train them are known to Nigerian government. All the bank accounts (including the Bank Verification Numbers) used to transact these illegal businesses are known to government. Boko Haram has many established industries in Africa and Arab Peninsula countries that generate funds to it. One of them is the Tobacco Leaf & Commodities Ltd. It is operating in some African countries now. Boko Haram insurgency has become a global menace that a corrupt country like Nigeria cannot conquer.  

Let me remind you of the story of Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi (Rtd.). He was a key figure in the fight against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria. He led Operation Service Wide, a counter-terrorism task force, and discovered a network of financiers, including senior government officials and military officers. However, his efforts met a brick wall. In an attempt to serve his country meritoriously by eradicating terrorism, he lost his military career. He was arrested, detained in a solitary confinement for 64 days, and compulsorily retired by the Buhari regime. Why? He was retired for standing squarely against terrorism financing and killing of innocent people of Nigeria. He said that the former Attorney General of the Federation (Abubakar Malami) stopped the investigation he, Major General Ali-Keffi, led on terrorism financing, which identified a wide network of money laundering and weapon purchases for Boko Haram, and other terrorist groups. The Attorney General of the Federation downgraded the charges, and withdrew the prosecutor, according to the demands of Buhari and the Northern politicians. The General said that he turned down a $50 million bribe offer to unfreeze a $600 million US account of a notorious Boko Haram arms dealer and gun runner. The Buhari administration quickly wrote to the US Government authorities to unfroze the terror financier account to enable him continue supplying more weapons to terrorists in Nigeria and other West African out-region countries. After General Ali-Keffi's forced retirement from the Nigerian Army, the investigation died clinically, and the 20 detained and charged persons were immediately released unconditionally. The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the entire Legislature, and other people in government have said nothing about it. If the financiers of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups are not destroyed, insurgency will continue to thrive in Nigeria forever. Even at this moment, there are many billionaires funding terrorism in Nigeria. Government knows all of them too well. If government doesn't know them, I can send their names upon request. What has government done about this information? Does government not know about it? Government covers up everything! Government supports evil. The security guards who were withdrawn before kidnapping those girls in Kebbi, what about that? Who gave the guards order to withdraw from protecting those girls? Who are the guards? President Tinubu has covered up this one too as usual. The Nigerian government knows next to nothing about governance. What it knows is stealing of public funds. Oppression of Igbos. Killing of Igbos. Killing of Christians and burning of Churches with worshippers inside them. Displacements of rural dwellers. Convicting Igbos without valid Iaws. Appointment of armed robbers like Reno Omokri as ambassadors. Electioneering malpractices. This Tinubu administration has taught Nigerians that good behaviours are not required if one wants to be successful. To be recognized by Tinubu -led APC government, one must know how to shed innocent blood, deceive, and lie like Reno Omokri. 

 Ali-Keffi's ordeal began after he had exposed the financial pipeline of terrorists, leading to the arrest of 48 suspects. He alleged that powerful interests within and without the government moved to suppress the operation and silence those involved. His revelations have sparked concerns about internal compromise within Nigeria's counter-terrorism operations. The retired general has called for transparency and accountability, suggesting that the death of late Chief of Army Staff ( Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru) may not have been accidental, after all. Ali-Keffi's case has raised questions about who truly benefits from the prolonged fight against insurgency and why internal actors committed to ending terrorism are being silenced. 

The Sahara Reporters investigation has exposed a sprawling web of 23 individuals - 20 Nigerians and 3 foreigners suspected of bankrolling terrorism through a maze of shadowy transactions, covert networks, and international money transfers linked to Boko Haram. The network, with tentacles stretching from Kano to Dubai, South Africa, Rwanda, and Niger Republic, reflects operations described in multiple UAE court judgments and Nigerian security reports. Many of the Nigerian suspects were arrested in 2021 but were mysteriously released without trial, raising fresh concerns about high-level interference. The investigation reveals the suspects' extensive financial footprints: hundreds of bank accounts, billions of naira moved through cash deposits, withdrawals, and cross -border remittances -- often in synchronization with convicted Boko Haram financiers and logistics operators. 

In conclusion, the insecurity situation in Nigeria is dire, and the government's laissez-faire attitudes towards it is annoying. It is time for President Tinubu and the Legislature to take concrete steps to tackle terrorism and hold those responsible for it accountable. The Nigerian people deserve a better standard of living and security; and nothing short of that.  

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