According to unfolding details of the deadly bomb attack of Kano central Mosque in Nigeria’s north; a local vigilante spotted the bombers being driven in by a 15 year old boy and stopped the Toyota Sienna car to challenge their purpose. Shortly after as he rapped the boy driver for their mission after the passengers had alighted, the vigilante said he saw smoke and next thing he knew was that he was on a hospital bed.
SundayTrust reported:
Meanwhile, our correspondent has gathered that the suicide bombers that struck at the Mosque were conveyed in a Toyota Sienna car by a 15-year-old boy. A vigilante worker (name withheld), who had an encounter with the insurgents shortly before they struck, said the boy was left alone in the car after the suicide bombers alighted from it.
“As required, we don’t allow vehicles to go into the mosque’s premises. Therefore, when I saw this particular vehicle trying to get in I became furious and I started shouting on the driver who was just about 15 years old. He didn’t utter a word to me. I wanted to pull him out of the car when I saw smoke. “Because of the thick smoke I became suspicious and I started running backward only to find myself at the hospital. How I survived the attack still remains a miracle to me. I thank Allah, but these people are heartless. Three of my colleagues that were close to me at that time died,” he said.
Vigilantes have proven more effective in the war against Boko Haram in the northeast
As Nigerians analyse the details of this horrific attack, the question that immediately got Kano people’s protesting was the absence of police protection leading up to and during the gun fire lengthy attack after the bomb explosions. Why was it a vigilante that detected the terrorists and accosted them? Why was there no police proper screening of vehicles and persons approaching this prime Boko Haram target, most especially after the Emir’s recent announcement for Nigerians to defend themselves against the group. We recently reported intel. information that the Nigerian police knew Kano would be attacked and were derelict. The Mosque attacked is Kano Central Mosque but also the Emir’s Palace Mosque with the Emir being Nigeria’s second highest Muslim leader. Vehicular and attendee security should not be left to local vigilantes.
IGP Suleiman Abba
The questions now to be asked are: what is the value of the nation’s Security department under the advise of NSA Sambo Dasuki – recently accused of threatening the governor of Sokoto state – what is the use of a department that cannot properly direct the security preventive measures necessary at locations and States in high alert? What is the use of Nigeria’s police department who are not available to screen for terrorism but are more preoccupied screening vigilantes who actually do the police’s duty for them and are the first and best line of defense against terrorism in the corruption-rendered helpless nation? The questions are possibly more pertinent because Kano, like the Boko Haram sacked northeast, is an opposition hotbed.
Have the Nigerian police under the leadership of the Presidency and Inspector General Suleiman Abba become more of a national nuisance than a tool against terror? Is it time they are sacked and dismissed to be replaced by useful local security organizing? Some are suggesting that under the current national leadership, corruption has destroyed all tools of government: the army prior known as a strongest in Africa is now sabotaged hopeless and toothless. The police, judicial system and all other systems have been destroyed by 16 years of democracy under the PDP ruling party and these state systems are now a nuisance to life and burden.
Whatever the reason and whichever the case, Nigerians have no option than to step up totally and completely towards ensuring their security and as the Emir of the attacked Mosque called, “defend themselves by any means and acquiring any tools necessary” to not just safe-guard their provinces but go forward to attack and eradicate terror in the north and in Abuja, the seat of government.
Nigerian police have recently been seen in hundreds assigned to protect Boko Haram named sponsor, Ali Modu Sheriff a past governor of Borno State. Bomb disposal trucks, SSS, police and army were seen with all types of vehicles protecting this senator on a ruling party, PDP political mission in Boko Haram ravaged Borno State.
Hundreds of police protect Boko Haram linked Modu Sheriff
Modu convoy in war torn Borno
Bomb truck in Modu convoy, this November
Police have in recent weeks also been seen to harass and intimidate local vigilantes who have performed unique feats including liberating Boko Haram captured territory the Nigerian army was unable to. Additionally frustrating is the pre-occupation of the Nigerian police in election processes where the states look under marshal law and all opposition candidates are stopped from entering the States; also the recent debut by the police at the Nigerian Assembly where law-makers were locked out; this by police not able to screen and protect threatened Mosques, Churches and towns.
As the Jonathan government borrows and budgets billions of dollars for “security” and the “war against Boko Haram,” the question is: where is this money? And why is the security of the nation a task almost always fulfilled by un-paid and un-supported, government harassed civilian vigilantes?
In reaction to this latest event in the incessant and unchecked terror against Nigerian people, Emir Sanusi II said: “we will not be intimidated.”
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