Lessons From Nigerians Who Killed Boko Haram Members

That was the feeling of many Nigerians expressed when news seeped in last week of vigilante villagers attacking members of the dreaded Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram. The brave residents of Kalabalge village in Borno State, first repelled an early morning attack by Boko Haram insurgents on their community with traditional fighting equipment and charms. The villagers killed several of the attackers and captured about 10 of the invaders alive.

The insurgents, numbering over 300 launched their attack early in the day but were met by armed villages who had prior knowledge of the attack.

The second instant, had no fewer than 70 members of the Boko Haram sect killed and seven others captured alive by a vigilante group in Madagali, a town in Adamawa State.

It was gathered that the civilian forces acted upon a piece of information by a local food vendor that the terror group were coming to get food before heading out for a major operation to raid villages in the area.

According to SaharaReporters, the group mobilized, laid ambush and waited patiently for the militants.

A resident squealed that, as soon as the gunmen numbering about 100 arrived the village to buy food, vigilantes pounced on them, killing most of them.

A member of the vigilante group said the Nigerian soldiers appear unable or unwilling to wage an effective war against the insurgents. “They (soldiers) seem to be helpless and to fear the Boko Haram warriors who terrorize us here. But we are not afraid. They are men like us. And we are tired of folding our hands and allowing them to kill us, to kill our wives and to kill our children.”

The Initial Good

Boko Haram members are dead. That sentence just sends a wave of relief rushing through you. When appreciated for all its worth, here is what it is ; The evil Boko Haram members have been killed, that means they will not be able to kill more harmless people, rape innocent girls, and steal from the land.

That has to feel good, right?

The Bad

On the surface we see nothing wrong in their gesture, We have lost a sense of belief in the strength of the military, and our government, and have taken arms in defence of ourselves.

We have become vigilantes, given to bloodshed, and jungle justice. We can now in unison, take up charms and arms, wage a war, kill people, and be jubilant over the death of our aggressors.

If this becomes a pattern, then the government becomes redundant, we lose our collective sense of belonging, strike out on our own and constitute a state, and we all know what happens when this sequence of events unravel. Biafra, the current Somalia, Egypt, and many more dire examples exist.

On paper, it seems heroic, but then, the wider picture shows that doom is looming.

And who is to say the Boko Haram members won't regroup and annihilate these momentary heroes of the war? They are ill-equipped, possessing only a thirst for evil blood. A thirst that was born out of a will to survive. Live and let die.

Lessons Learned

The villagers proved a very basic point. Intelligence gathering is the key to proactive combat. With 2 very vital tip-offs, and community policing, Boko Haram were defeated in 2 battles.

Intelligence gathering is a basic requirement of counter-terrorism teams and setups, but that has been sorely lacking in the Nigerian Police and army. With these victories, an eye-opener have been revealed. Our security agencies need be alert.

The Arrival Of The Americans

Finally, the western powers have found their way into the country. The jury is still out on their case. The success of their mission will be rated first, on the rescue of the 234 Chibok girls, and then ultimately the end of the war against terrorists.

We are watching. Let us all temper our relief with a bit of needed cynicism. All that glitters isn't good for us.