Despite constant claims by the Federal Government that the insurgent group, Boko Haram, has been defeated, many remain pessimistic as the group continues its terror, the latest attack being the kidnap in Government Girls Science and Technology College, Dapchi, Yobe State.
Initially, the number of missing girls was unclear but confirmed reports have it that 110 girls are now reportedly missing after the incident.
The recent move by the group is similar to its abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014.
In the wake of the recent attack, many believe the group is a ‘wounded lion’, trying to launch a deadly strike before going into oblivion, thus, adopting the Guerrilla Warfare strategy.
Guerrilla Warfare Strategy
Guerrilla warfare involves the tactics of ‘attack and retreat’ as a form of warfare in which a small group of combatant attacks a larger and unwieldy force.
Guerrilla, meaning “little war” in Spanish, was a term first documented during one of the Napoleonic Wars (the Peninsular War of 1808-1814) when the British enlisted Spanish and Portuguese Guerrillas to help oust the French from the Iberian Peninsula.
Tactically, the Guerrilla army makes the repetitive attacks far from the opponent’s centre of gravity with a view to keeping its own casualties to a minimum and imposing a constant debilitating strain on the enemy.
It is also a type of irregular warfare, which aims are not to defeat an enemy, but to win popular support and political influence, at the enemy’s expense.
The overall strategy is to involve the enemy in a long-drawn-out war, to wear down gradually the much larger and stronger enemy.
Boko Haram running on low
Another motivation or reason for kidnap as a war strategy may be for raising ransom for the future operation of the group.
In 2017, it was speculated that President Buhari paid two million euros for the release of the 82 Chibok girls abducted along with swapping of five Boko Haram Commanders.
The Federal Government debunked the speculation, claiming the group presented the options of ransom or swapping, and the Government chose the latter.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) also dismissed reports that ransom was paid for the release of the 21 Chibok girls in 2016. According to its Spokesman, Rabe Abubakar,
“It is therefore worrisome that some sections of the media continue to undermine this modest effort of the Government, security agencies and other stakeholders. It is imperative to state categorically that the sponsors of this media campaign have a hidden agenda which is best known to them.”
It is illegal for the Government to pay ransom to kidnappers due to the Anti-Kidnapping Bill passed late last year. The Bill stated that
“a person who helps negotiate or assist in negotiating ransom for the release of a kidnapped person is guilty of a crime punishable with about 30 years in prison with hard labour.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, stressed that the insurgent group is trying to embarrass the Federal Government with the recent abduction of the school girls.
Mohammed, who was one of the emissaries sent by President Buhari to Dapchi Community, obliged the people to give the Government ample time to handle the situation.
“When we arrived here we have been briefed by the Governor and the GOC about the situation of the students. We know there are few students who are yet accounted for, but we don’t want to manufacture stories on this issue. But give us few days, we will be able to tell you exactly the real situation of things.
“But you can see response of the military, the response of the state government is quite commendable. Since four days now we have been following the efforts being made to arrest the situation.”
Cowering and hiding behind innocent girls
Boko Haram activities have decimated lately, thanks to the continuous bravery of the Nigerian Army.
Before the abduction of the girls, the last attack was in Madagali Community in Adamawa State, where five persons were reportedly killed including two of the insurgents.
This indicates the group is not as lethal as in late 2017 when several attacks were carried out in Kamale Community in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Mainok Community in Kaga Local Government Area, Biu Market in Biu Local Government Area, Maiduguri-Damaturu highway at Benisheik, Molai, a village on the outskirts of Maiduguri all in Borno State.
Just like Chibok, the group made attempt to enrage the public before going for the girls. Before the kidnap of Chibok, the group had killed more than 100 persons in the villages of Doron Baga and Izghe in February and made another attack at the Federal Government College of Buni Yadi in Yobe State, where 59 boys were killed.
Following the abduction, the group gained popularity and recognition, with rumours of receiving training from ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
The activities of the group were one of the factors that led to the voting out former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. And before this, it had claimed some publicity and political casualties including Inspectors General Police, Ministers, Service Cheifs and its likes.
The group, least deadly, might be adopting a warfare that would rather annoy and embarrass the Government than surrender and accept defeat. This will work if Nigerians politicize the issue.
