Time to commend Buhari for Boko Haram’s retreat

From his vantage position as President and Commander in Chief of the Nigerian military, Muhammadu Buhari announced to the world at an interview to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that Boko Haram’s ability to launch conventional attacks has been significantly degraded by the heroic efforts of our men and women in uniform.
Soft of voice, he talks in tones of measured reasonableness, not given to chicanery or frivolity he calls a spade a spade, which is why most Nigerians believed him when he declared on his inauguration that he was going to defeat Boko Haram. True to his words, today, the predator has become the prey having been put under intense financial and military pressure.
More so, Boko Haram has seen much of what used to be its ample war chest depleted, a situation that has reduced it to a mere shadow of its former self.
A little over a year ago, Boko Haram was at the top of its murderous campaign of unleashing mayhem on the hapless people in North eastern Nigeria. In fact, they took vast swathes of that part of the country by storm-knocking out power lines, blowing up bridges, over-running police stations, holding people hostage, even beheading and summarily executing the unfortunate ones. Such was Boko Haram’s acts of infamy.
Boko Haram’s reign of terror was not confined to the North East, its reach was long enough to extend to Abuja and environs. At a point, it sent a mobile car bomb after the motorcade of the former Inspector General of Police Hafiz Rimgin who escaped by the whiskers.
Cities like Kaduna, Kano etc also came under Boko Haram’s attacks, even President Muhammadu Buhari was attacked during his electioneering campaign by elements of the jihadists.
Boko Haram almost turned much of the North into a killing field leaving in its wake blood and tears.
Buhari, desirous of fulfilling his election promise of change, knows that change will not take place in an atmosphere of insecurity. This made him to make far reaching decisions that saw major shake-up in the top hierarchy of the military. Having been done with the change of baton, he directed the newly decorated service chiefs to move their command and control centre to the theatre of war and ever since the military chiefs have relocated to Maiduguri; which is why our troops are now on the verge of romping to final victory anytime soon. However, in a defiant gesture on December 28, 2015, Boko Haram struck killing more than 70 people in Adamawa and Borno states. Such cowardly attack is the modus operandi of a terror group that is becoming irrelevant; their inability to hold territories means they are now a spent force waiting to be consigned to history.
Just before the dirge on Boko Haram, it will be right that we begin the most difficult task of sorting out the mess left behind by the world’s grisliest barbarians.
Firstly, we can start by de-radicalising the already radicalised minds since Boko Haram is an idea; it has no doubt brainwashed many innocent and malleable minds. Succour should also be given to the displaced persons by re-building their houses and infrastructure. Efforts should also be made to create jobs in order to keep the vulnerable youth busy. All these are necessary because depressed areas are always the hotbed of youth restiveness.
In addition, those vigilantes that helped in the war effort should be integrated into the regular force, so that we do not have a backlash.
Finally, I salute President Buhari for his excellent leadership that spurred and boosted the morale of our soldiers. I also doff my heart for the service chiefs who have worked hard to galvanise the troops into determined fighting force. I say happy new year to those at the frontline who are the best in the world.