#BORNO: TO REBUILD OR NOT.

I listened in to a radio show on Monday morning and the topic of discussion was the planned move by the Governor of Borno state to commence rebuilding of destroyed structures in the state. Majority of those who called in lambasted the governor for attempting to waste money when the war on insurgency was not yet won in the Northeast. Some advised that the internally displaced people’s camps should be upgraded and the people kept there for as long as it took. They further emphasized on the need to change the ideology of the Northeastern people which aided the development of insurgency.

It would have sounded to any naïve listener that the callers truly cared about the situation in the Northeast and in Borno in particular. They obviously based their judgements on sentiments and insufficient information about the true situation of the military onslaught there. I do not claim to have first-hand knowledge of what is on ground in Borno state at the moment but news report of recurrent attacks on citizens there by terrorists suggest to me that some inhabitants still consider their home state relatively safe to dwell. I saw pictures from a colleague who works in Maiduguri a few days ago and it tells me there is yet still life in that great state.

Should rebuilding then be withheld from Borno? Let us assume armed robbers attacked a house and damaged the roof, doors and windows rendering the building inhabitable and the occupants terrified that the robbers could yet return. If the owner of the house then moved his family to a tent away from the house and exposed to the elements and wildlife; would it be wisdom for such a fellow to keep him family in the tent even though he has the funds and manpower to replace the damaged components of his house? Would it be wise if he delayed rebuilding because of the fear that the robbers would stage a reprisal attack?

They talked about the change of ideology; can any ideology really be changed when adults and children remain confined in strange lands living like refugees? Is Boko Haram entirely the result of illiteracy? Mutallab was definitely not an illiterate when he got new underwear and I do not believe that the Islamic State currently plaguing the Middle East was nurtured by illiteracy. It is easier to blame a people for the failure of their government to educate and protect them. There is a problem on ground at the moment which needs solutions not supremacist lectures and patronizing remarks. Iraq and Afghanistan still experience sporadic cases of terrorist attacks but it does not stop commercial activities and rebuilding operation from going on.The other causes of insurgency need to be accurately and urgently identified in order to effect a comprehensive solution to the crisis.

The people of Borno need their lives and homes back. They need support and rebuilding and not suggestions of how to build more canopies and latrines in the IDP camps where they could remain perpertually. As long as security is optimal then I believe the rebuilding can commence; the rains will soon come to an end and then the tanks will level the terrorist enclaves wherever they have taken refuge in the Sambissa forest or its environs.

These are my views and they are not cast in gold.

kashim Shettima. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/