Just a day before, Mr Ringim had boasted about his force's resolve to take the battle to the Boko Haram group which has been terrorising Borno State and some parts of northern Nigeria. Although it is too soon to state that Thursday's bombing was the handiwork of the Boko Haram, as no group has yet claimed responsibility at press time, not a few would link the two. This would then leave the police - and by extension security officials - worsted in this battle.
This is, of course not the first attack on security operatives. Boko Haram operatives regularly take pot shots at police officers in Borno State. But bombings have also taken place in at least two military barracks - in Abuja and Bauchi. Civilians have also suffered. During the last election, tens of youth corps members and other electoral officers were killed in bomb attacks on polling units or offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC.)
If there was any prior reticence in acknowledging the security threat facing the country, the attack on the police headquarters should clear such doubts. The enemies of the country have brazenly shown they could attack supposedly secure sites at will. It is now left to the Nigerian leadership and the security services to show they are up to the task of defending their country.
Battle for minds
To be sure, the situation goes beyond the security agencies alone. Blaming the ascendance of President Goodluck Jonathan for the upsurge in bombing is also a tad lazy. Nigerians will have to relearn the way we live and to be more conscious of our environment. Nigeria's Muslim leaders must also reengage their followers. It goes beyond merely condemning the atrocities of a few misguided Muslims, the battle for minds needs to be won. It is as plain as daylight that the anti-social ideology that is seeping through the Maghreb has caught the fancy of some of our countrymen. Nigeria is a big lure for killers drugged on the warped understanding of their religion. We can only ignore this at our collective peril.
Despite a robust amnesty programme, the terrorism in the Niger Delta is also simmering - raising its head in form of kidnaps and occasional attack on oil installation. The military task force has been doing its best, but it can only succeed by working with the local people.
Ultimately the security agencies need the biggest mind-shift in these new times. The enemies of today are no longer pro-democracy activists and pesky journalists. Intelligence gathering and policing operations must reflect this. Prosecution must also be swift and open. More importantly, Nigerians need to be reassured that information passed to security agencies will not be leaked to the suspects.
It is morning yet in this our own fight with terror. We dare not contemplate failure. Incidentally, Thursday's attack also provided an opportunity. The police have the body of the bomber. They have the car used in the attack. Nigerians are watching how they use these to get to those who attacked their national headquarters
Source http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5717013-146/story.csp
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