By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi
The time
has come to draw a firm line in Nigeria’s protracted battle against
insurgency. With thousands of so-called “repentant” terrorists surrendering,
rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, the recent resurgence of Boko
Haram and ISWAP terrorism in the North-East demands a critical reassessment of
the nation’s counter-terrorism approach, especially the controversial amnesty
programme.
The recurring waves of violence suggest that leniency has been mistaken for weakness. Now is the time for Nigeria’s military to shift gears and pursue an uncompromising offensive against the insurgents. Enough is enough.
Borno State, the epicenter of Nigeria’s decade-long insurgency, is once again engulfed in violence. Boko Haram and its ISWAP faction are ramping up attacks, employing asymmetrical warfare tactics with alarming effectiveness — ambushes, improvised explosive devices, IEDs, assaults on military formations, and strategic sabotage such as the destruction of critical infrastructure.
