Since President Jonathan is still in hibernation, scared stiff of even his own shadow, and as it is becoming clear that he has no proper control of our State security apparatus, Obasanjo decided to take matters into his own hands and perhaps begin to unravel this boko killers menace.
So, off went OBJ to Bornu State, the capital of ‘boko haram.’ OBJ got there on 15 September 2011 ostensibly for a condolence visit with the family of a man that was killed way back in July 2009. In any event, he had a full and useful chat with one Baba Kura Fugu who christened himself a representative of ‘boko haram’ and spokesperson for the Fugu family. Two days later, Mr Fugu was dead, cut down in the same manner his father, Baba Fugu Mohammed, and his brother-in-law, the founder of the original boko haram, Mohammed Yusuf were cut down in the same Maiduguri.
What is the common denominator in all three assassinations? The office of the Governor of Bornu State.
When Mohammed Yusuf was arrested in 2009, he named the then governor of Bornu State, Ali Modu Sheriff as boko haram’s main financier. Promptly after this revelation, Yusuf was taken from police custody, driven in a Land Rover to a deserted area and with his hands still shackled, he was told to walk to another vehicle about fifty yards away. The man knew what was coming and so he shuffled along inch by reluctant inch. Halfway through his trudge, bullets rained down on him. That was that.
His father-in-law, not having learnt, went for a tête-à-tête with the Bornu State government also sometime in July 2009. Whilst there, he was reportedly asked to cede some of his lands to the State government. He refused and was swiftly detained. A few days later, he too was assassinated. After he was murdered, the government took his body to some undisclosed place and buried it. Not satisfied, the Bornu State government then began to harass the Fugu family. First, they sent in bulldozers and levelled the family house, and then they started making moves to take over some of the family lands.
The Fugu family headed to court. Somehow, they ended up suing both the Federal and Bornu State governments. Some High Court judge up there awarded the family N100 million. But as this is Nigeria, the family never saw even 1 kobo.
Then entered Obasanjo. He must know a thing or two about ‘boko haram,’ our hegemonic overlords, and their wannabe but junior partners in the North East. After OBJ’s talk with Fugu, Fugu was called-in for a chat with the Deputy Governor of Bornu state, Zannah Umar Mustapha the very next day, 16 September 2011. Amazingly, Fugu went! These were the people that were directly linked with the deaths of his father and brother-in-law; a government that was actively seeking to confiscate some of their family lands. But Fugu still went to meet with the Bornu State Government. I guess that is what happens when the premise of your rebellion is based on hatred for education – you don’t think properly and you don’t learn.
Anyway, the first thing they did to Fugu and his small entourage when they got to Government House, Maiduguri was to take their mobile phones off them. Twenty four hours after his meeting with the Deputy Governor, Fugu was gunned down in his home, sitting under a tree, amongst friends, whilst on the phone with SaharaReporters, clearing his throat, getting ready to spill the beans.
It is believed that another group called NUR got the directive to take out Fugu as the owners of boko killers feared his probable revelations.
That much Obasanjo was able to achieve in just one afternoon. At least he got something going in that wretched camp. He sowed some panic and disarray amongst the misguided operatives of ‘boko haram.’ Could Jonathan take advantage of this before boko killers regrouped?
Hopefully, this might shake Jonathan out of his stasis. First, he could round up all those young men in Bornu, Bauchi, Gombe and other States that were sent for paramilitary training in Mauritania, Somalia and other such places. These people should then be forced to name their sponsors. Could Jonathan build on the little much OBJ in his own dastardly way managed to get going?
We can only hope so.
