SHUAI

BUKABI
RUB.
ScI
nter
nat
ionalRel
ati
ons10t
hFebr
uar
y,2020

THEBI
TTERTRUTH
By
Shuai
bukabir
uUsman
B.ScI
nter
nati
onalRel
ati
ons
Bayer
oUniver
sit
yKano
I
ntr
oduct
ion
Thankst
oandmypr
ayer
sremai
nwi
thmyl
atebel
ovedf
ather
,Mal
am Kabi
ruUsman
Adam Gal
adanchi
,whohadt
aughtmet
onotmi
ncewor
dsandf
rom whom Il
ear
ntt
rut
h
hur
tsandcost
s.Ihadaf
atherwor
thyofemul
ati
on,asf
arasbei
ngout
spokenmat
ter
s
asIgott
hechanceatt
het
wil
i
ghtofhi
sli
fe,t
onot
icet
hisi
nhi
sst
ri
vesandbol
dst
eps
heev
enal
onehadt
ook.Howev
er,f
rom hi
scr
usadesandt
heat
tendanthat
redand
det
ract
ionhebor
ne,Igott
ocomet
oter
mswi
thsomef
act
saboutt
headv
ent
ureof
st
andi
ngwi
tht
het
rut
hasIwi
tnessedmuchofdi
spar
agement
sandenmi
tycomeatmy
l
ate,honestandt
rust
wor
thyf
ather
.Iti
sbecauseoft
hisbackgr
oundIusual
l
yuset
o
soundof
fev
eni
fmywor
dsannoyt
hemaj
ori
ty,andt
odayIt
ellt
hebi
tt
ert
rut
hcar
eless
ofwhati
mpr
essi
ont
hatgi
ves.
Hi
stor
yrepr
esent
scompendsofchanges,causesand consequences.Thati
sthe
r
easonwhenev
erIwr
it
e,Iusual
l
ytakeni
bbl
ether
efr
om.Ibel
i
evet
hreecr
yst
alpoi
ntst
he
Ni
ger
ianshadi
nvot
ingMuhammaduBuhar
iin2015,wer
e:BokoHar
am i
nsur
gency
engul
fedt
heNor
theastandt
hreat
enedt
heuni
tyoft
hecount
ry;y
out
hunempl
oyment
and t
he t
ime-
honour
ed r
eput
ati
on and sound expect
ati
ons t
he ci
ti
zens had of
Muhammad Buhar
i.Iwi
l
lanal
yti
cal
l
y and st
ati
sti
cal
l
y ut
tert
he t
rut
h aboutt
he
per
for
manceofPr
esi
dentMuhammaduBuhar
iont
hesear
easand whet
herhehas
mai
ntai
nedt
hegoodi
mageofhi
s,i
nthef
aceoft
heci
ti
zenr
y.
I
nsecur
it
yAndTheFi
ghtAgai
nsti
t:Apr
eyf
ulpl
ayundernoseoft
hePr
esi
dent
I
tcannotbeexagger
ati
vet
hatt
hewor
seni
ngi
nsecur
it
yandt
hemor
echal
l
engest
o
humansecur
it
yandsaf
etyofNi
ger
iansbecomebyev
erycl
i
cki
ngsoft
hecl
ockdeadl
i
er
t
hanbef
oreand achi
evi
ngv
ict
oryi
ntheso-
cal
l
edf
ight
,whi
chIper
sonal
l
yseeasham
orar
use,i
sint
hepi
g'
sey
e.I
tisundeni
abl
e,t
houghwehav
ehadot
hersecur
it
y
chal
l
engesand t
hreat
sint
hisdecade,Boko Har
am i
nsur
gencybecamet
hemost
f
ormi
dabl
eandahear
tthr
obt
oal
lNi
ger
iansdur
ingt
headmi
nist
rat
ionofGoodl
uck
Jonat
han.Then,wehar
dlyhear
doforf
ear
edanyt
hreat
sot
hert
hanBokoHar
am and

1
 SHUAI
BUKABI
RUB.
ScI
nter
nat
ionalRel
ati
ons10t
hFebr
uar
y,2020

par
ti
cul
arl
ywe,t
heNor
ther
ner
shadt
hest
ereot
ypi
calsent
iment
sandment
ali
ti
est
hat
t
hegov
ernmenthadhandi
nthei
nsur
gencyofBoko Har
am whi
chper
meat
est
he
Nor
theast
.
Si
mil
arl
y,upon hi
s assumpt
ion t
o power
,pr
esi
dentMuhammadu Buhar
ishowed
exuber
ance and wi
l
lto def
eat Boko Har
am,whi
ch he act
ual
l
y has r
ecor
ded
unpr
ecedent
ed butr
elat
ive successes.He hasnotst
il
ldef
eat
ed Boko Har
am,as
opposedt
ohi
sincessantcl
aim.Howev
er,
thef
ightagai
nstBokoHar
am madet
hej
aded
pr
esi
dentMuhammaduBuhar
iandhi
smal
adr
oitsecur
it
yfor
mat
iont
oov
erl
ookot
her
t
hreat
stoNi
ger
iansecur
it
yandl
ett
hem t
ofest
er.
Ot
hermi
scr
eantact
ivi
ti
es,suchaski
dnappi
ng,bandi
tr
yandcat
tl
erust
li
ngnev
ergot
compl
i
cat
edl
yhei
ght
enedunt
ilwhent
heent
ir
efocusoft
hepr
esi
dentwasonBoko
Har
am.Li
tt
ledi
dthepr
esi
dentknow,
bandi
tr
ybecomesdeadl
i
erandmor
ethanat
hreat
compar
edt
oBokoHar
am.Whi
l
e,BokoHar
am haswor
sti
mpact
sont
hel
andoft
he
Nor
theast
,bandi
tr
y dev
eloped t
ori
p up ort
urnt
o specks,t
he mostpopul
ous
geopol
i
ticalzonei
nNi
ger
ia,t
heNor
thwest
.Unt
ilt
her
iseofbandi
tr
y,wenev
erhad
t
houghtt
ogetst
ruckbyasecur
it
ybr
eachwor
seandmor
efor
midabl
ethanBokoHar
am.
Thewor
stofal
l
,nei
thert
hepr
esi
dentnort
hesecur
it
yfor
mat
ionhasbeenabl
etohav
e
must
eredt
het
ri
ckandbr
ingaboutsol
uti
onst
othepr
obl
ems,notunder
standi
ngt
hat
,
now t
hei
rfocusi
sweakenedanddi
vi
ded.Hence,BokoHar
am st
art
edt
oregai
nmor
e
v
igourandl
ostst
rengt
h.Bandi
tr
y,undert
hisadmi
nist
rat
ion,hascostanexor
bit
ant
numberofl
i
ves,f
arbey
ondt
henumberofl
i
vescl
aimedbyBokoHar
am i
nsur
gency
undersameadmi
nist
rat
ionandsomepar
tofJonat
han'
sadmi
nist
rat
ion.Thebandi
ts
cont
inuet
owant
onl
yandspor
adi
cal
l
ymai
m andexpl
oitr
uralcommuni
ti
esi
nKat
sina
andZamf
arast
ates,wher
east
hegov
ernmentf
alt
erst
otackl
ethemenaceandt
hen
pr
ovest
hei
nher
enti
ndex
ter
it
yandcl
unki
nesst
hegov
ernmenthasi
nst
ock.
Ki
dnappi
ngi
sengul
fi
ngt
hepol
i
ty.Though,ki
dnappi
ngf
orr
ansom happensal
lar
ound
t
hecount
ry,t
her
ateatwhi
chi
tincr
easi
ngl
yhappensi
ntheNor
th,par
ti
cul
arl
ythe
Nor
thwest
,isi
nsi
diousl
yper
il
ousandqui
teal
armi
ng.I
tfeel
sscar
ywhenev
eronef
ami
l
y
membert
rav
elst
oAbuj
abyt
aki
ngKaduna-
Abuj
arout
e,whi
chIt
hinkhasnoal
ter
nat
ive
f
orpeopl
efr
om Kaduna,Kano,Kat
sina,Ji
gawaandZamf
ara.Ther
ati
oofki
dnappi
ngs
andnone,
canbeputat50:
1int
heNor
thwest
ernNi
ger
ia.Ser
ialki
dnappi
ngsofchi
l
dren

2
 SHUAI
BUKABI
RUB.
ScI
nter
nat
ionalRel
ati
ons10t
hFebr
uar
y,2020

andpar
ent
s,t
rav
ell
ersandhomest
eader
s,ci
vi
li
ansandev
ensecur
it
yper
sonnelr
aisesa
spect
reofbear
ingt
hear
msorset
ti
ngupi
nit
iat
ivesbyt
heci
ti
zensf
orsel
f-
def
ense.
Whi
l
e,t
hesebanef
ulact
ivi
ti
escont
inuet
ofest
er,t
hepr
ospectofi
mmedi
atev
ict
ory
f
adesawayf
rom t
hemi
ndsofmany
.Theonl
yst
ockexcuset
heonhi
ghof
tengi
vei
sthe
cl
aimt
heyar
edoi
ngt
hei
rbestt
odef
eati
nsecur
it
yint
hecount
ry,usi
ngi
tasachar
ade
t
osi
phonf
rom t
reasur
yanddef
ensebudgetoft
hecount
ry.
Fi
ght
ingi
nsecur
it
yforov
erf
oury
ear
swi
thoutabsol
uteanni
hil
ati
onoft
heenemy
,is
whatIconsi
dersuspi
ci
ousandofcour
sedi
spar
agi
ngf
ail
ureofourmi
l
itar
y.Theser
vice
chi
efshav
e been i
nthe f
ormat
ion and st
il
lthescor
eremai
nsst
andst
il
l,and t
he
pr
esi
dent
'sr
eluct
ancet
obr
ingi
nnew ser
vicechi
efsi
sadi
scr
edi
ttot
hef
ightagai
nst
i
nsecur
it
y,i
tsel
f.Theymi
ghthav
eappl
i
edal
lthei
rtact
icsandst
rat
egi
esandhav
ebeen
exhaust
edorout
dat
ednotconsi
stentwi
tht
hecur
rentt
rendofi
nsecur
it
y.Per
haps,
ther
e
usual
l
yhappens cut
s orbr
eaches i
n chai
n ofcommand owi
ng t
o gr
udges ot
her
i
mmedi
atet
opseni
orof
fi
cer
smi
ghthav
efort
heov
erst
aysoft
heser
vicechi
efs.I
tis
possi
blet
hese ser
vice chi
efs accr
ue huge weal
thf
rom t
he i
nsecur
it
ytheyf
ight
.
Ther
efor
e,t
heent
ir
esecur
it
yfor
mat
ionoft
hecount
ryi
sit
sel
fanal
bat
rossorr
athera
t
hreatt
othesecur
it
yandt
heent
ir
ebl
amemustbeont
hepr
esi
dentwhohasr
arebel
i
ef,
t
rustandconf
idencei
nthemi
l
itar
yofNi
ger
ia.
Theent
ir
ecompl
exi
tyofi
nsecur
it
yinNi
ger
iapor
tendsorr
educest
oimpossi
bil
i
tyof
cont
inuedexi
stenceoft
hecount
ryasanat
ion,asr
egi
onalpr
otect
ioni
sm l
oomswi
th
t
heemer
genceofr
egi
onalsecur
it
yini
ti
ati
vessuchasAMOTEKUN andt
het
rendi
ng
SHEGE KA FASA campai
gn.Thesei
nit
iat
ivesar
etr
ibaland r
egi
onaland hol
dthe
pr
opensi
tyofv
iol
ati
ng cer
tai
nfundament
alr
ight
soft
heci
ti
zens,asar
esul
tci
vi
l
conf
li
ctspossi
blyi
mpendt
hecount
ry.I
nvi
ew oft
heci
rcumst
ances,i
fwhatIf
oresee
happens,Godf
orbi
ds,Ni
ger
iamayl
i
kel
yceaset
obeoneandt
hebl
ameshal
lnotbe
appor
ti
oned,r
atheral
lbeont
hepr
esi
dentf
orhi
sincapabi
l
ityandl
ackofpr
owesst
o
t
ackl
e,cur
boref
fect
ivel
ycont
aini
nsecur
it
yinNi
ger
ia.
Yout
hUnempl
oyment
,Pov
ert
yAndCr
imi
nal
it
y
Unempl
oyment
,pov
ert
yandcr
imi
nal
i
tyshar
eaposi
ti
ver
elat
ionshi
p.Thehi
ghert
her
ate
ofunempl
oyment
,thehi
ghert
hepov
ert
yrat
eandsocr
imi
nal
i
ty.Unempl
oymentr
ate
haskeptoni
ncr
easi
ngev
ersi
ncet
hest
ept
opoweroft
hepr
esi
dent
.Howev
er,of
fi
cial

3
 SHUAI
BUKABI
RUB.
ScI
nter
nat
ionalRel
ati
ons10t
hFebr
uar
y,2020

r
ateofunempl
oymenti
nthey
ear2019byt
heNat
ional
Bur
eauofSt
ati
sti
cs,
sti
l
lremai
ns
unav
ail
abl
easmuchasIcheckandsear
chf
ori
t.Ther
atewas23.
13% i
nthet
hir
d
quar
terof2018,whi
chmeantov
er26mlNi
ger
iansoutof115mlwor
kingpopul
ati
on
ci
ti
zens wer
e unempl
oyed.I
s noti
tscar
ythatt
he Feder
alGov
ernmentmade a
pr
oject
ionofunempl
oymentr
atehi
tt
ing33.
5%by2020?
.Ni
ger
iat
opst
hel
i
stofWor
ld
Pov
ert
yIndexi
n2019wi
th46.
5%oft
hepopul
ati
ondeepl
yimmer
sedi
next
remepov
ert
y.
Thepr
oject
ionofTheEconomi
st,
outofev
eryf
ourpoorpeopl
eint
hewor
ld,
onewi
l
lbe
Ni
ger
ianby2030soundsawf
ul.
Wehav
ewi
tnessedt
heal
armi
ngr
ateandt
hef
ri
ght
eni
ngspeedatwhi
chcr
imi
nal
act
ivi
ti
essuchasbandi
tr
y,ki
dnappi
ngs,ci
vi
lvi
olence,ar
medr
obber
y,mi
l
itancyand
buccaneer
inghappeni
nNi
ger
ia.Thesecr
imi
nalact
ivi
ti
eshav
edi
rectl
i
nkageswi
tht
he
hi
ghr
ateofunempl
oymentandpov
ert
yint
hecount
ry.Thet
rut
haboutt
hisconundr
um
i
sthepr
esi
dent
'scl
umsi
nessandi
ner
ti
ator
educeunempl
oymentr
atewhi
chwoul
d
hav
esi
gni
fi
cant
lyaf
fect
edpov
ert
yandcr
imi
nal
i
ty.Feder
alGov
ernmentj
obsar
eusual
l
y
mor
erewar
ding t
han st
ate gov
ernmentj
obs,we al
lar
e awar
e oft
hisf
act
.Iti
s
excr
uci
ati
nghowt
hey
out
hsr
emai
nunempl
oyedorunder
empl
oyedwhent
heyhav
eal
li
t
r
equi
rest
o hav
ejobsbuthav
e no one,onl
ybecause t
heyl
acki
nthe necessar
y
connect
iont
obeempl
oyed.I
tisnogai
nsay
ingt
hatt
ogetaj
obundert
heFeder
al
Gov
ernment
,undert
hisadmi
nist
rat
iononemustbehi
ghl
yconnect
edandpol
i
tical
l
y
backed.Thepr
esi
dentr
enegeshi
spr
omi
set
opr
ovi
dej
obst
otheNi
ger
ia'
steemi
ng
y
out
hpopul
ati
on.Idar
esay
,itwasmucheasi
ert
ofi
ndaj
obdur
ingt
heJonat
han'
s
admi
nist
rat
iont
hant
hisadmi
nist
rat
ion.
Thef
ightAgai
nstCor
rupt
ion:ADr
amat
istPr
esi
dent
Icannotbel
i
ttl
ewhatt
hepr
esi
dentonl
yhast
opr
idehi
msel
f.Theadmi
nist
rat
ionof
ten
br
agsoff
ight
ingcor
rupt
ion,whi
chIbel
i
evei
sanunpr
ecedent
edphenomenonev
er
happenedt
oNi
ger
ianpol
i
ticsandIper
sonal
l
yappr
eci
ateandpr
aiset
hepr
esi
dentf
or
t
her
aidoncor
rupt
ionsof
ar.Howev
er,
thef
ighthasbeendef
ect
ive,
faul
ty,
sel
ect
iveand
mor
eofwi
tch-
huntt
han r
ealf
ight
.Ther
uli
ng par
tyhasbeen madeaci
tadelf
or
whosoev
erwant
stoescapet
hepr
esi
dent
'
sof
fensi
veoncor
rupt
ion.Youar
ecor
rupt
,or
hav
epl
under
edt
hepubl
i
ctr
easur
e,Iwoul
djustdi
recty
out
odef
ectt
oAPC,
andy
ouf
ind
saf
ety
.Thati
showt
hef
ighthassof
arbeen,andwhatt
ounr
avelf
urt
heri
slef
ttot
ime

4
 SHUAI
BUKABI
RUB.
ScI
nter
nat
ionalRel
ati
ons10t
hFebr
uar
y,2020

t
orecount
.Ionl
yknowandcant
ell
,acor
ruptf
ell
ownev
ergoesal
one,
mustmeetsame
orwor
sef
ell
owst
otakest
ri
des.
Concl
usi
on
Thi
ngshav
ebeenwor
set
hant
heywer
ebef
ore.Theeconomi
cheatf
eltbyv
irt
ual
l
yal
l
ci
ti
zensi
sbei
ngov
erl
ookedbyt
hepr
esi
dentandsomet
imesev
endeni
est
hef
act
.Wi
th
t
hei
mpl
ement
ati
onofnew VATpol
i
cy,pr
iceofconsumabl
esshootup;phonecal
l
char
gesev
eni
ncr
eased.Undert
hisadmi
nist
rat
ion,
ourf
ragi
l
edemocr
acygotat
ast
eof
herownmedi
ci
ne,aswesaw gr
ossv
iol
ati
onofdemocr
ati
cpr
inci
plesandi
njust
ice
met
edoutt
osomeNi
ger
ianpol
i
tici
ans,j
ustsamewayorwor
set
hani
twast
hri
ce
met
edoutt
othepr
esi
dentonhi
sunsuccessf
ulcont
est
s.Wehav
ewi
tnessedsame
t
rav
est
yofj
ust
icei
nourl
egal
syst
em,
justsamewaywehadi
nthepastadmi
nist
rat
ions.
Wehav
ewi
tnessedI
NECandt
hePol
i
cer
iggi
ngel
ect
ions,j
ustnotdi
ff
erentast
othe
pastl
i
neofact
ions.
I
tishi
ght
ime,wel
ookatt
hingsast
heyar
eandacceptt
hatBuhar
iisj
ustsameasal
l
pol
i
tici
ansorev
enwor
se,
andmayl
i
kel
ynotbeabl
etomakesi
gni
fi
canti
mpact
s,asi
tis
amusi
ngl
yconf
oundi
ngunderhi
m,wher
eNi
ger
iaheadst
o,r
egr
essi
onorpr
ogr
essi
on?