The end appears not in sight for the menace of Boko Haram, given the audacity of its recent suicide bomb attacks and abductions.
Despite the claim by the military that it had degraded Boko Haram, reports from the epicentre of the insurgency clearly show that the insurgents are still within the fringes of the Sambisa forest and adjoining villages within the Biu, Mafa and Damboa axis. It is from these places, that they launched suicide bomb attacks on Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State and its environs.
The situation is very worrisome, when despite the strident claims of the military, we are still seeing massive attacks and even the release of videos by Boko Haram, which showed its leader, Abubakar Shekau, gloating over the recent successes of the group. In fact, it seems that Boko Haram has now adopted abduction as a means of raising funds for its operations. The abduction of 10 women from a convoy, conveying a corpse for burial, along the Damboa-Maiduguri road and are now using the abducted women as bargaining chip in order to secure the release of their commanders or to get funds from the federal government so as to continue their activities.
It is disheartening that in spite of the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari, and the acquisition of weapons by the military in recent times, Boko Haram is still carrying out its murderous campaign in the North East, especially in the Borno State axis unhindered.
What is happening in the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency now is giving people and the international community a lot of concern. In fact, some people have opined that the military is not taking the war to Boko Haram; rather what is happening is that the military only repel Boko Haram attacks its formations or strikes in the villages. The military is not completely waging a war and demonstrating superior firepower over Boko Haram fighters.
Though the war is not a conventional one, nevertheless the military being a trained force ought to be able to annihilate Boko Haram and its foot fighters.
Therefore, the military needs to take the war to the doorstep of the Boko Haram rather than allowing them to strike first before being repeled, which is what is happening now. That is as why the Boko Haram fighters are still conducting daredevil attacks in Borno State.
It is imperative for the military to once and for all deal decisively with the remnants of the Boko Haram.
Some captives, who were fortunate to have escaped from the den of the insurgents lamented that the kind of things they are doing run contrary to the norms of Islam.
Therefore, the people living in Borno must cooperate with the security agencies by giving them information about Boko Haram. A stitch in time saves nine.
► Usman Santuraki wrote from No2 Santuraki Close, Jambutu, Jimeta-Yola.