Countless tragedies have befallen Nigeria since 2009, spanning the country’s north, east, south, and west, as well as all the “mids” in between, including but not limited to: kidnappings, mass displacements, school closures, bandits ruling over captured territories, and economic livelihood losses. This has occurred under the full administration of multiple democratically elected presidents. Be careful everywhere!
The number of casualties is in the thousands. Buildings with a market value in the billions have collapsed. In the haste to escape imminent death or serious injury, billions of dollars’ worth of livelihood resources were either squandered or left behind.
Kidnappers are making a killing off of ransom payments, which can reach trillions of dollars. Corruption has found a new platform in the massive expenditure on security, which amounts to trillions of dollars with no discernible return.
In fact, the goal of Boko Haram, which is to create an Islamic system of government, has a strong religious undercurrent. Countrywide poverty and illiteracy exacerbate this underlying worldview.
The fact that Boko Haram has been around for almost 15 years in a nation that won the Biafran war in a matter of years suggests that the ideology of the group has influential adherents inside the Islamic religious, political, and military spheres.
Members of the Nigerian insurgency have access to weapons, ammunition, and military hardware supplied by foreign countries.
How do those things end up in the hands of the enemy within the country? The bandits have access to food and fuel from nearby vendors. Officers in the military have been known to provide information with Boko Haram in order to foil their attacks or prepare for an impending military operation. Some Nigerians are orchestrating Nigeria’s security problems for their own religious and financial gain, and this is a reasonable assumption to make. Because of this, the issue has and will remain unsolvable.
In many regions of the country, military operations have been established under different titles, but nothing has changed. When it comes to security, Nigeria is still in the intensive care unit. The security difficulties in Nigeria are perpetuated for the advantage of a small group of influential individuals, and as a result, there is a lack of political, military, economic, and religious will to address them. Both privately and publicly, they have pledged to keep the movement going. An internal support system is a state of quietness. New service chiefs have been appointed, but their appointments will have no impact on the insurgency’s systemic and deeply entrenched powers. There is internal sabotage of every effort. Some prominent individuals in the country use terrorists to further their own agendas.
The bulk of Nigerians, who are poor and helpless, are still suffering greatly from the purposefully created security problems. All hope has been lost for them. They live under a government that has demonstrably failed to safeguard its own citizens. The issue remains even after new administrations take office. Many people sleep with one eye slightly ajar. They carry their fears and uncertainties about with them as they go about their day.
They are starving to death and mired in poverty because farmers have given up farming. Slowed economic activity leads to higher unemployment and worsening poverty. There are countless live effects.
Terrorists’ actions in Nigeria have a tremendous monetary and human cost. How much longer can this insanity continue? Poor Nigerians are taking a major hit.
Because of President Trump’s call to action to aid in the rescue of Nigeria from her malignant security crises, the souls of all those who have died since 2009 under the banner of Boko Haram and their affiliates are dancing in their graves.
The US military’s intervention and threats to cut off aid to Nigeria have been well-received by the suffering Nigerian people. In the face of Trump’s threat, these oppressed Nigerians have nowhere to express their overwhelming yes. It is imperative that the threat be addressed promptly, sir. Affected parties in Nigeria would stop at nothing to prevent the United States from meddling in their domestic affairs, which is why they are using violence. However, this is really an attempt to safeguard their own interests and avoid looking bad in front of regular Nigerians. Their story is not worth your time, sir.
We may expect the Tinubu administration to brag about how they’ve handled things since taking office. Narratives that attempt to portray it as a universal security threat affecting Christians and Muslims alike will be promoted. They will highlight the importance of Nigeria’s independence from outside forces. They would be adamant about the constitutionalism and democratic values that the Nigerian state is based on. All of those battles are just an attempt by the tainted and failed administration to preserve its reputation. Verify their stories in light of the fact that the crisis is becoming worse and is still going on, Sir!
Killings, kidnappings, and other forms of senseless violence have plagued and will continue to plague Nigeria, a country on the brink of collapse, and its citizens’ ability to live freely. The time has come for the dying African giant to swallow her pride and ask the United States government for assistance in ending these terrorist attacks.
We must be completely forthright with one another and the world at this very moment. We are stuck in this scenario! The United States and our other international partners must provide us a hand. As the world’s terrorist capital continues to decline, Nigeria needs your help to get out of its pit. Just think of the global repercussions if Nigeria were to become unstable.
These problems have persisted despite our best efforts to contain them for a long time. We have exhausted all possible options, including talks with armed criminals and the possibility of amnesty.
Criminals are essentially paid by the government to calm down, and they are also allowed to import all the supplies they need. We won’t be able to approach the United States for assistance unless we reveal these hidden realities.
The unfortunate reality is that Nigeria will never be able to fix her problems with insecurity.
My sincere appreciation for your desire to free Nigeria from the clutches of Islamic terrorists, President Trump. Your soldiers must be sent in immediately. The leaders of Nigeria are using meaningless rhetoric; you should not believe them. Due to self-serving interests, they have exhausted all possible options. They are protected from the insurrection because they are always followed by heavy guards. The terrorists are causing immense hardship and crippling the general population. Eliminate these threats to human dignity and development in Nigeria by whatever means are required of you, sir.
Christians in Nigeria have been on the receiving end of the country’s instability for a long time, therefore they have written several petitions asking God to intervene.
It would take a long time to uncover a significant Muslim response to crimes perpetrated in the name of Islam. Maybe the US government’s decision to intervene is God’s response to the ceaseless prayers of Christians in Nigeria. A mission of rescue has been commanded by on high. There will be no inversion; this is a rescue mission. I am doing this because I truly care about the welfare of every Nigerian.
Please join me in welcoming the United States as saviors of Nigeria.
I pray that Trump and the US military intervene to rescue and bless Nigeria.
*Written from Nairobi, Kenya, by Rev. Dr. Onogwu, a Catholic missionary priest from Nigeria
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