Reason for hope in the midst of Gwoza bombing, By Mike Arnold

The latest Global Terror Index shows Nigeria has made unprecedented progress in addressing insecurity. Let us help democracy by not rewarding Boko Haram with doom-and-gloom media coverage of this latest episode… Rather, balance coverage of this tragedy by reporting the truth of how the tide has turned and the terrorists are on their last legs.

This weekend’s suicide bombing at a wedding in the community of Gwoza, Borno State, in North-East Nigeria, was a desperate act of a defeated and discredited movement. While this is no consolation to families and friends of the victims, there is hope in the midst of this tragedy.

Horrible as it was, it shows that great progress has been made in the past year under the new administration of President Bola Tinubu. The fact that Boko Haram has resorted to soft opportunistic targets, using women and children, is a sign that this is the last kick of a dying horse.

I have been to Nigeria 14 times since 2010, and my last trip just ended a few weeks ago. My organisation serves IDPs from Gwoza, and I know many of them personally. I have spent years investigating, first-hand, the issues of persecution and violence, and can say without any equivocation that Nigeria is a different country than what it was a year ago. The spirit of oppression has lifted, and there is a growing sense that things are on the right track. People now drive from Abuja to Kaduna without a single incident of abduction. The light is shining.

I have personally spoken with Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser under the current administration, and found him to be capable, focused and passionate about restoring peace and security to Nigeria. Since he came on board, Boko Haram has been unable to launch the frequent raids on military bases they used to undertake under the eight dark years of General Buhari’s government.

Under Ribadu’s leadership, these terrorists have been driven from Sambisa forest, their long-time safe haven, which is no mean feat, considering that Sambisa is larger than Belgium.

As their support has been pounded to insignificance, these groups are trying desperately to remain relevant. This recent evil act was clearly an attempt to regain global headlines, so they can once again raise funds from outside Nigeria, and kickstart recruitment. 

The Nigerian military has successfully routed Boko Haram and ISWAP to the extent that today they have no effective leadership, and no central command and are now little more than a scattered and tattered group of misfits, who have no ability beyond attacking soft targets.

As their support has been pounded to insignificance, these groups are trying desperately to remain relevant. This recent evil act was clearly an attempt to regain global headlines, so they can once again raise funds from outside Nigeria, and kickstart recruitment.

I, therefore, appeal to the international media not to give them the attention they seek by overblowing this recent attack. That is what they want. Please, don’t give it to them.

The latest Global Terror Index shows Nigeria has made unprecedented progress in addressing insecurity. Let us help democracy by not rewarding Boko Haram with doom-and-gloom media coverage of this latest episode.

Rather, balance coverage of this tragedy by reporting the truth of how the tide has turned and the terrorists are on their last legs. Nigerians have legitimate reason to hope. That’s the real story here.

 Mike Arnold is mayor of Blanco, Texas and founder of Africa Arise International; www.IDPJustice.org.