Terror strikes

Bandits attacked Bali Local Government Area (LGA), Taraba, causing residents from 15 communities to flee. Over 40 people were reported…

Bandits attacked Bali Local Government Area (LGA), Taraba, causing residents from 15 communities to flee. Over 40 people were reported missing or kidnapped after the attack. In Plateau’s Jos East LGA, gunmen kidnapped a pastor, Usman Umaru. Meanwhile, gunmen attacked a Benue Link passenger bus, abducting at least 11 persons. The vehicle’s driver and four passengers were, however, said to have escaped after the attack which occurred along the Ogbokolo-Otukpa road in Okpokpwu LGA. Similarly, unknown gunmen killed three people including two members of Benue State Volunteer Guards in Ugba, the headquarters of Logo LGA of the state.

It is a textbook statement of the country’s degrading security profile that Taraba, which boasts abundant forest cover, constituting approximately 11% of the country’s total forested areas, has emerged as a significant base for terrorists and bandits. The dense foliage offers these groups concealment for their operations and attacks on communities. Additionally, the forests serve as a source of funding for these groups through the exploitation of resources like timber and wildlife. Insecurity in Taraba is more a problem of government neglect than it is a function of key security drivers. The state is plagued by ethno-religious rivalry between the Fulani, Jukun and Tiv communities, which often leads to violent communal clashes annually, compounded by the Boko Haram threat. Part of the military’s Boko Haram quarantine strategy was to make Taraba a terror-free zone by which fleeing insurgents from neighbouring Borno are mopped up. The plan was to squeeze the insurgents and confine them squarely in the Lake Chad fringes. The military, who believes it has significantly degraded the threat, decided to relax some of its vigilance. The insurgents took advantage of the lax security and entrenched themselves deeply in the state, which enabled successful attacks in Jalingo in 2022. The third layer is banditry with bandits and fleeing insurgents now integrated into the kidnap-for-ransom to survive. These were the people who were responsible for last week’s carnage in Bali. Next door Benue and Plateau are not exactly different from Taraba in its insurgent attack profile, but the key difference is in the public reaction. In those two states, residents have resorted to forming self-help groups to tackle all forms of insecurity. The imperative for Nigeria’s security agencies to establish a robust framework for safeguarding forested areas cannot be overstated. There should be enhanced forest patrols and surveillance by security forces; collaboration with local communities to identify and report suspicious activities; a tackling of the root causes of deforestation, such as poverty and corruption; investment in sustainable forest management practices; establishment of a dedicated forest security unit; provision of training to security personnel on operating in forest environments and equipping of security personnel with the necessary tools and equipment for forest security. By implementing these measures, the government can significantly enhance the safety and security of Nigeria’s forests, safeguarding its natural resources, empowering communities and enhancing all-round security.