CFN Interview On Girls Abduction By Boko Haram, The USA’s Intervention, etc

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The Champions For Nigeria believe that though Nigeria may appear to be failing, the tendencies leading to this situation are revocable…

As the Global Coordinator of Champions For Nigeria, CFN (registered as an NGO in Nigeria as Champions for Growth of Nigeria Initiative) a body of Nigerian professionals across the world, what is your group's view on the state of insecurity in Nigeria?

The current state of insecurity in Nigeria is an indicator of deep-rooted and structurally embedded crisis of development that creates the environment for the advent of conditions of poverty, unemployment, and inequality in the country. These, in turn, lead to frustration, disaffection and, ultimately, social disgruntlement, that trigger violence, uncertainty and insecurity. Without a responsible, sincere, focused and committed central government providing the enabling environment, these conditions could have transmuted into serious national security problems threatening to tear the country apart.

The Champions For Nigeria believe that though Nigeria may appear to be failing, the tendencies leading to this situation are revocable, if seriously proactive and sustained processes could be adopted by the government, with the active and sincere of the international community. The implication of this is that politicians and civil servants have the duty to arrest this drift through social justice and development. Thus, to address the security problem in Nigeria is in effect, to address its crisis of development.

How are you reacting to the abduction of over 200 school girls from a Government school in Borno State?

We need unity more than ever before to fight a mutual enemy. Let nobody deceive you that this is a fight by the North or Muslims against the South or Christians.  It is a fight between good and evil, light and darkness and the last time I checked there's a mixture of bad and good people in every community down to individual families. This divide knows no boundary or colour, and it is borderless. All forces of good and progress must come together to align against forces of evil wherever they exist. Anything short of this route is to play into the hands of wicked forces like Boko Haram. The coalition of good must rout evil because it is written……..Evil must never triumph over good.

What has your group done to add your voice to the global agitation for the release of the abducted girls?

Champions for Nigeria has always added its voice to, and been at the forefront of, anything that we view as injustice, corruption and other issues that affect the welfare and well-being of our people, and this matter of insecurity and Boko Haram insurgency has been no different. In fact as far back as 2008, during the tenure of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, CFN, through its Global Coordinator\\\'s articles, had been warning the country and the government about the menace of BH, when this group was just rearing its head and was not as vicious as this.

We are now collaborating with many other groups in the UK and all over the world to sensitise the comity of nations to what is happening in Nigeria, and for the world not to disregard or ignore what this nefarious and evil group constitute to world peace in general and the West African sub region and Nigeria, as Africa\\\'s largest economy and country in particular.

This is mostly making effective use of the social media and other media to bring this to light, as well as through protests and demonstrations like this. We cannot do it alone.

Do you agree with those who criticise President Jonathan for coming out three weeks after to respond to growing criticisms on the abduction of the Chibok girls?

To be frank, any responsible and responsive government in the world would be ashamed at the slow response exhibited by the government of Nigeria to the abductions. In fact, in a true and thriving democracy, such government will lose the next election, and some heads of officials intimately involved in ensuring our collective security will roll, e.g. the heads of the Army, Air Force, the SSS, the Police, and other para-military agencies, not to talk of the Ministers for Defence, the National Security Adviser, and some other political officer who have been sitting on their asses or running around like headless chicken without a clue of what to do.

To say President Jonathan was slow in reaction is putting it mildly. He is criminally negligent. In a saner country, he and many of his cabinet would be tendering their resignations if they do not want to be held legally and politically liable through gross negligence, incompetence, mismanagement and irresponsibility in their positions.

Is your group in any way involved in the protest being staged in front of the Nigeria High Commission in London today, Friday?

 

Yes, CFN is involved and well represented. We are not the convenor, but we are joining so many other patriotic and concerned groups, Nigerians and non –Nigerians, to show our displeasure at the way our government has been handling this issue as well as to sensitize the world to the plight of not only these children, but to the whole Nigeria too.

If Yes, of what significance is the protest?

 

Again, the demonstration is to show our displeasure at the way our government has been handling this issue as well as to sensitize the world to the plight of not only these children, but to the whole Nigeria too.

Ironically, the protest also shows our support for the government in taking the correct steps to admit their weakness and liability and swallowing its pride in accepting help from countries who know how to tackle these issues.

Many have blamed poverty and corruption as the root cause of the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria today. Do you agree? If yes, how?

 

The effect of poverty, ignorance and corruption on the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. We know it, the politicians know it but they are either unwilling to rectify these ills, or are just plain unfocused, selfish and lack the intellectual capacity to change the situation or all of the above.

There are millions of unemployed youths, some graduates , some not graduates being spewed out from the schools and universities , walking listlessly all over the streets with no hope or future to look to. Politicians and entrenched civil servants , who are supposed to plan these youth’ futures are sitting in their little offices looting and mismanaging  billions of Dollars and Naira earned from Nigeria’s vast resources that are meant to provide jobs and opportunities for these youths, and you expect the youths to just sit there doing nothing? The devil will always find work for the idle hands, and so it has become for this lost generation. They turn to armed robbery, cultism, drug dealing and smuggling, fraud and scams (419) and other crimes.

Look at the BH, the group is packed with young men who should be otherwise employed and earning a living for their families. That is what ignorance, unemployment  and corruption does to you.

How do you respond to the offer of assistance by the US, UK, France, China and others to help in the search and rescue operations to bring back home the abducted girls?

 

We have some quick questions for those who oppose America\\\'s intervention to help Nigeria, not only to help secure the release of the abducted girls but also to combat the Boko Haram menace: if your daughter were one of those abducted, would you be writing long thesis on neo-colonialism? Or worried about Americans and British imperialism? Would you be worried about Nigeria becoming Libya or Iraq? Or would you just want your daughter back home? Would you refuse help from even North Korea? I think those who are discerning about the kind of help we should receive have quickly forgotten that over 200 girls are being held by mad, misguided and vicious terrorists.

We cannot deny that there are implications to accepting international help but what really are the alternatives? The Nigerian Army recently admitted that fighting Boko Haram has taken a toll on their men and resources. Actually, in many ways, they have tried their best but there is no sign the guerrilla warfare will end soon and with them alone.  Should they continue fighting on depleted energy and limited resources, while politicians laugh and loot or shall we admit we need external help?

Our plea to the government of Nigeria and the Army is that they should not limit the involvement from the USA and other countries to combating Boko Haram alone.  Opportunity to train our soldiers in modern, intelligence and guerrilla warfare is there too. Boko Haram is a motley army that has thrived so far because they have met largely only visceral strength. They don\\\'t even have the intricacy of big and notorious terrorist groups like Al Qaeda.  Watching their videos, one is inclined to agree that they are poor copycats. They imitate the aesthetics of Al Qaeda all the time. The USA has come a long way in fighting terrorism and there is a lot we can learn from them. What we should NOT do, however, is to yield our duty to them.

If our politicians refuse to learn any lesson from what is happening now, and fail to heed the calls of their people to commit themselves to radical changes in the running of this potentially great country, and the polity, as well as addressing this terrible and ominous threat, I am afraid the Elections of 2015 is in grave danger of upsetting the stability of this country. What it means is that elections might not take place in certain parts of the country for fear of disruption, not by political thugs and miscreants this time, but by terrorists. That will mean some section of the country will be denied their voting rights. And of course, this will transmute to lost votes and potential electoral victory to some politicians and political parties.

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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