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The Truth About Islamists Boko Haram Clashes In Nigerian Borno, Kano and Yobe States
29 July 2009
The Western media, especially the British and American broadcasters turned to Nigeria this week in their usual Islamophobic style. Their headlines top pages carry yet one-sided reports about the bribery-addict security forces in the country claiming to be on high alert after two days of clashes with Islamist fighters that was said to have left more than 100 people dead. One report said armed police manned roadblocks and patrolled the streets of Kano, northern Nigeria's largest town on Tuesday with reports of unrest overnight in Maiduguri, Borno state. The other quoted residents as saying youths armed with machetes, knives, bows and arrows, and home-made explosives had attacked police buildings and anyone resembling a police officer or government official in the city. American and British media showed particular interests in identifying the people behind the development. They covered that fighters belong to a group known as Boko Haram - which means "Western education is sin" in the local Hausa dialect - and have called for a nationwide enforcement of sharia (Islamic law). But who are Boko Haram? Boko Haram ('Boko' = Hausa for "The Western Decay" and 'Haram' = Arabic for "forbidden") is a Nigerian militant Islamist group that seeks the imposition of Shariah law throughout all 36 states of Nigeria. Political corruption in Nigeria encompasses the use of official power and government resources for sordid and disrepute private gain. Political corruption is not a recent phenomenon that pervades the Nigerian state, since the creation of modern public administration in the country, there has been cases of official mis-use of resources for personal enrichment. the Muslim group campaign for a fair play and rule of law in accordance with Islam, the faith of the native people.
The rise of public administration and the discovery of oil and natural gas are two major events seen to have led to a litany of ignoble corrupt practices in the country. Over the years, the country has seen its wealth withered with little to show in living conditions of the common man. The group was founded in 2004, by Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf, who set up a base the Nigerian anti-Muslim media brands "Afghanistan" in Kanamma, Yobe State. Ustaz Yusuf calls for democracy that gives birth to corruption of Nigerian politicians and their education system to change, otherwise "this war that is yet to start against corruption and Islamophobia in the country would continue for long". Some writers have posited about the different potential causes of flagrant and pecunious graft that exists in the country: many blame greed and ostentatious lifestyle as a potential root cause of corruption. To some, societies in love with ostentatious lifestyle may delve into corrupt practices to feed the lifestyle and also embrace a style of public sleaze and lack of decorum. The leadership of Boko Haram and its members are ready to die to ensure the institution of a better Nigerian society through religious values. That is why Ustaz Yusuf maitains democracy and [the] current system of education must be changed in order to avert the civil disobedience every corner of the nation.
Boko Haram seek to address the customs and attitudes of the society may also as a contributing factor, eradicating gift giving as expressions of loyalty or tributes to traditional rulers as fabrics of the society. Also, working hard to put an end to a political environment that excludes favors towards elites or wealthy citizens may also be influenced by corruption. Boko Haram exposes habits of wealthy elites resort sleazing in order to gain power and protect their interest. However, the bottom line surmised from the views of most Nigerians is that corruption is a problem that has to be rooted out. Other causes of corruption are ethnicity and pressures on officials by friends and kinsmen. Friends and kinsmen seeking favor from officials may impose difficult strains on the ethical disposition of the official. Many kinsmen may see a government official as holding necessary avenues for their personal survival or gain.
A culmination of use of official resources for private gain may lead to further pressures on incoming officials from other kinsmen. However, the fact is, the importation of modern rules on inter-ethnic political relationships is a recent colonial and western initiative that may take time to become the norm, deep allegiance to other ethnic groups for administrative decisions early on was sometimes viewed suspiciously, and an early institutionalization of a unitary system in the country, may also have led to a further familiar groupings induced corruption. Nevertheless, a modern practical approach to leadership and relationships has gradually taken a prominent role in the political process. The necessity for practical inter-depedence and cooperation is at the forefront of yearnings for good governance in the country A member of the group that was arrested, Abdullahi claimed that the mission of the group was to cleanse Nigeria of all anti-Islam people and install Sharia in all states, stressing that they decided to attack the police station in retaliation for the killings of its leaders. In Bauchi the group live side-by-side with peace-loving and law abiding citizen in the one of the world lawless and most corrup nation. Boko Haram has embarked in a number of initiatives to rid all bad effects of the so-called Western education, its imperialist culture, and evil-designed science. The group includes members who come from neighbouring Chad and speak African native languages. Believing that the police were constantly used as a state instrument to suppress their agitations particularly in Bauchi where hey have a large number of adherents, the religious extremists moved to attack the Dutsen Tanshi police station yesterday. But the police proved they were battle ready when they took the extremists unawares, killing over 60 members of the group, while several others escaped with injuries and many were arrested.
The Bauchi State government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew throughout the state. But threat of more attacks has thrown most residents of Bauchi and other states in the North into panic. In Kaduna State for example, for fear of possible strike, some workers did not report at their offices for work, yesterday and today, while those who were present gathered in groups with apprehension, discussing their personal security, in the event of an attack by the group. The Kaduna State police command has beefed up security in order to forestall possible attack by members of Boko Haram group, a faction of Islamic fundamentalist sect that has threatened to join in the fight against perceived enemies of Islam in Muslin dominated states. Deputy Police Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Isaac Eke, told a Nigerian Newspaper that his men were fully prepared and battle ready to maintain peace and order in all parts of the state.
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