Boko Haram: National Security Adviser blames PDP

The contribution of the ruling
Peoples’ Democratic Party
(PDP) to the escalation of the
Boko Haram insurgency was
exposed yesterday by an
unlikely source.
The National Security Adviser
(NSA), Gen. Owoeye Azazi, said
the party’s brand of politics,
especially the way it picks its
candidates for elections, is
partly responsible for the
menace now being visited on
Nigeria and Nigerians by the
Islamic sect.
“A situation where a political
party insists on fielding a
particular candidate over
another to get a massive win,
and that if they get that
massive win the party has
arrived, is the source of the
problem,” Azazi said at the
second South-South Economic
Summit in Asaba.
Azazi, who himself has been
widely criticised for the
inability of the security
agencies to put Boko Haram in
check, added: ”How come the
extent of violence did not
increase in Nigeria until the
public declaration of the
people that were going to
contest election by the PDP?
And I would also like to say
this, though the PDP people
will not agree with me, they
would like to attack me, but I
hope they do it in private:
PDP got it wrong from the
beginning by saying Mr A can
go and Mr B cannot go, and
these decisions were made
without looking at the
constitution.
“Is it possible that somebody
was thinking that only Mr. A
could win and that if he could
not win, there would be
problems in this society?
“Let’s examine all those issues
to see whether the level of
violence in the North East just
escalated because Boko Haram
suddenly became better
trained, better equipped and
better funded or something
else was responsible.
“And in any case, how did
they get it all done? It takes
very long for somebody to be
a sniper. But I can assure you
that Boko Haram can garner
that level of sophistication
over time, if it has not got it
already.
“There are a lot we know
that they are doing and there
are a lot that could be done
to address the problem. But
then, I must also be quick to
point out that today, even if
all the leaders that we know
in Boko Haram are arrested, I
don’t think the problem would
end, because there are
tentacles.
“I don’t think that people
would be satisfied because the
situation that created the
problems are not just about
the religion, poverty or the
desire to rule Nigeria. “I think
it’s a combination of
everything.
“Except you address all those
things comprehensively, it
would not work.
“It is not enough for us to
have a problem in 2009 and
you send soldiers to stop the
situation, then tomorrow you
drive everybody underground.
“You must look at what
structures you need to put in
place to address the problem
holistically.
“There are economic problems
in the North, which are not
the exclusive prerogative of
Northerners.
“We must solve our problems
as a country.”
“Some people were wearing
white garments 22 years ago
and calling themselves Republic
of Afghanistan in the north,
and some people said they
were only keeping to their
religion and that there was
nothing wrong.
“We try to play the ostrich
and think things will blow over.
I believe we should stop the
politicisation of security issues
in Nigeria.
“I believe there is a strong
element of politicisation of the
crisis, where some people
were assured that they would
win 80 per cent and they did
not win.
‘’Is it not amazing that after
the elections, the Boko Haram
(sect) became better trained,
better armed and better
funded? But I can assure you
that Boko Haram could not
have that kind of
sophistication without a
backing.
“Today, if you arrest all the
leaders of Boko Haram, I don’t
think the problem will end,
because the situation that
created the sect has not
been tackled e.g poverty and
the desire (of some people) to
rule Nigeria. These issues
cannot be isolated unless they
are handled comprehensively.”
Azazi said the present
security challenge in the
country was getting
complicated on account of the
2015 election with different
interest groups desperate to
have it their way.
He called for economic
empowerment and
enlightenment of the masses
with a view to checking
poverty and crimes.
Source: The Nation Newspaper