For starters, Tompolo was a leader of MEND— a militant and terror group active between 2000 and 2013. They did terrible things: theft, sabotage, kidnappings, killings, and bombings. They bombed Eagle Square in Abuja while President Jonathan was celebrating 1st October. They bombed Government House in Delta. They bombed oil facilities. And they killed soldiers, many soldiers!
But then, we talked to Tompolo and reached a truce. He repented and was granted amnesty by Saint Ƴar Adua. Oh, I missed Ƴar Adua! Tompolo turned a new leaf. Long story short, Tompolo now defends our oil facilities and fight oil thieves. Tompolo’s giving blood, sweat and tears in the service of our motherland— doing good things for Nigeria. Can anyone else be born again too? Like Turji?
I detest to talk about this little leviathan, Turji. I boil with fury whenever I hear his name because of the blood of the innumerable innocents on his hands and what he represents. But he’s nowhere near old Tompolo.
Again, I hate to talk about Turji but Turji has a way of drawing our attention to him. This time, it’s the viral video we all watch showing Turji torching two armoured military vehicles that drew my attention. Plus, I heard him say he wants a truce, a la Tompolo.
Before I make a case for Turji truce, I want to send my deepest sympathy to all the victims of Turji’s atrocities, like the family of Sarkin Gobir. My heart aches with deep pity for you all. Take heart, your martyrs are in Heaven “well provided for. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty.” In-sha-Allah.
Evidently, Turji’s still capable and indeed wreaking havoc. Again, we’ve seen how, fortnight ago, he frighteningly roasted two APCs worth a billion dollars. More importantly, our priceless heroes, brave servicemen are paying the supreme price. Worse, Turji and his videos are making some citizens question the very people dying to protect us; belittling, nay demeaning our soldiers! Sad.
I can’t overemphasize this, Turji still kill, kidnap and injure innocent citizens. So much so that now Turji said he’s tired and pained by the loss of innocent lives and property from both sides. A realisation of his evils, a remorse, a plea for reconciliation? Maybe.
It’s not always bad to do a deal with the devil. If we can get a long spoon we can dine with the devil. Right?
To digress, here’s a prophetic tradition, Hadith, in Bukhari, that I see something in it for us here. It’s about a daredevil who murdered 99 innocent lives but wanted to reconcile with God. A monk said to the devil: no deal. The monk became the 100th victim. The devil kept asking how he could reconcile with God. He was told, by a sage, that it’s possible. Indeed God reconciled with him even though he died before sealing the actual reconciliation. I want to be that sage here.
Undoubtedly, Turji is terrible, a demon. But our demon wants to reconcile, we should do a deal. To be sure, no punishment is sufficient for Turji’s terror. He, a lone soul, murdered a million souls. One will wish we could kill Turji a million times. But even so killing him won’t bring back a lost soul, a loved one. Only true forgiveness has such healing effect.
The two governors of the states most affected by Turji’s terror say they won’t talk to terrorists. Probably because they heard from the Americans, during their last security summit in the US, that, in the words of Richard Nixon, America doesn’t negotiate with terrorists. UK, too, say such a thing. But they do. The US always says Hamas are “terrorists” but they are in Doha and Cairo talking to them. Taliban were “terrorists” too, but US negotiated with them.
Let no one be the monk that closes the door of Turji’s repentance. Not talking to Turji may result in the continuation or worsening of the catastrophe in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto.
Governor Radda recently roared “Rise Against Bandits.” HARAKIRI! Lead the kamikaze charge to Rugu governor. Your vigilantes, using crude weapons are no match for the well armed Turji with the sophisticated weapons of war he carries.
They may say we talked to Turji before but it didn’t end it. Ending Turji is not an event but a process. It’s not like we talk then it ends. No. We need a process that will deal with the root causes of the problem. The amnesty we granted Tompolo didn’t end MEND’s terrorism on the day of the amnesty. It took few years after before it ended.
Experts, including our military chiefs, have said there are social, educational, economic, climatic, corruption and governance issues to Turji’s problem. Military solutions won’t solve these issues as they rightly say.
Let’s talk to Turji, at least in the short term, to stop the killings, kidnappings and the embarrassment. There’s evidence to show that we can’t stop the kidnapping and killings otherwise.
After talking and reaching a truce we can set up the process of addressing those issues at the heart of the Turji problem. And ultimately establish effective law and order — the most effective tool against banditry and terrorism.
Saadu Umar is the Chairman, APC Publicity Committee Bauchi State and BASEPA DG emeritus
