For the third time in less than two months, Babagana Zulum, the embattled governor of Borno State, has been attacked by terrorists, with the obvious intention to stop him dead or alive. In all of these cases however, it is sufficient to say that the finger of God has secured him.
In July, his convoy was attacked on his way to Baga, a town in Borno State, in continuation of his food distribution programme. Some people with him lost their lives, but he was unhurt.
Again, on Friday September 25, at least15 people were killed in a convoy of government officials travelling to Baga to rehabilitate 3000 refugees back to normal life. The ambush probably thought Zulum was in the convoy, not knowing he had gone ahead in a military helicopter. And shockingly, two days later, as the governor left Baga for Yola, he was again ambushed. Lives were equally lost, but the ‘wanted’ governor and professor miraculously escaped.
Everybody knows that Zulum is doing marvelously well in Borno. This reflects in his efforts to contain the spate of terrorism in the Northeastern state and give his people a sense of belonging. He understands the dynamics of the insurgency in the region and has proffered credible solutions to end it, both to the regional and federal governments. But people have not stopped wondering what Zulum’s attackers intend to achieve.
Obviously, the incessant ambushes have two interrelated motives: to scare him or get rid of him. The governor’s first accusing finger in July pointed at the military, who have allegedly benefited from the insurgency and who see him as a spoiler. And suppose the attack is from the jihadists, who also see him as a stumbling block to their agenda, it means the attackers are within the civil population, who get confirmed information about the governor’s daily itinerary. But if the attacks are from Boko Haram/ISWAP proper, it means the military have compromised, by allowing the insurgents such a wide latitude to operate. Ab initio, this has been Zulum’s fears.
Both the army, the PDP, APC governors and the general public have condemned in strong terms the repeated attacks on the Borno State leader. But the question remains, why do we always allow evil to fester while well-meaning and progressive leaders are attacked and blackmailed?
John Daniel Obioma.