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Terrorism, extremism and fundamentalism
By Louis Brown Ogbeifun | January 5, 2010
Terrorism is the application of destructive and other violent methods in the pursuit of radical ideologies. It is an extreme application of force and coercion to intimidate and subdue opponents. Though terrorism targets certain institutions, nations and persons, its overall effect is often devastating to the human race. Terrorism destroys both its perceived enemies and other innocent people. It could be likened to the cytotoxic drug that destroys both the normal cells and the invading cancerous cells in the human body.
Fundamentalism on the other hand is having an entrenched position that contrasts with the original religious doctrines or beliefs. Extremism is the taking of extreme and divergent positions on political and economic philosophies that is at variance with acceptable defined societal moral and political views. Extremists and fundamentalists see themselves as the genuine adherents of their different religions. Terrorism strives in the agar of extremism and fundamentalism.
However, while the Christians and other religious organizations use moral suasion to convert others or voice out their discontents with government policies, some Islamic sects of northern extraction in Nigeria use violence and unleashing of terror on society in order to express their discontents. This is typified by the activities of Maitachine (Maitasine), Boko Haram and recently Kalo-Kato sects.
The sects see others who do not believe in their views as infidels and pagans. There have been instances where children of perceived religious opponents are kidnapped and kept away from their parents. In Boko Haram’s camp, other peoples’ wives were kidnapped and made baby factories for the leaders. Is this not more haram than what they are fighting against? Would one say that these are religious piety or righteousness? On the long run, all these three ideologies share some common denominators, which are:
- Minority versus the majority.
- The use of force and coercion to intimidate and subdue opponents.
- Psychological trauma or physical destruction of lives and properties.
Though Muslim scholars and faithful have repeatedly say that fundamentalists do not convey the views of the majority of Muslims and that Islam is a religion of peace, we are yet to see any major shift in the sprouting and radicalization of the operations of the sects.. The sects are well funded. Surely, those funds cannot be from other religious sects but from within the Muslim family.
Extremism and fundamenlism have been practised by some sects as highlighted above but Nigerians have never been associated with international terrorism. However, December 25th 2009 has changed all that. The tragedy that was averted on board the American airliner NWA flight 253 on December 25th, 2009 has again called to question the safety of air travels in the hands of terrorists. But for the failure of Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab’s device, the story would have been different. When the NWA flight 253 occurred, US officials initially blamed Nigeria for Farouk’s incidence but they later blamed systemic failure and vowed to bring those responsible to book. They enjoined all actors involved in international travels to urgently rise up to the occasion. In response to the incidence, Nigerian authourities played the ostrich. They were amazed and fell short of saying that it was not in our character to act as terrorists. Yes! we are not known for international terrorism but does government not know that internal terrorist acts can snowball into something bigger? Such self denial is at best, a disservice to this nation. When we deny our inadequacies we disallow those that can assist us with possible solutions to do so. The act of Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab has shown that nothing is impossible in the crime world. How does one rationalize that someone from a very affluent background like Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab can take to terrorism.
Going through the memory lane, there is no denying the fact that some level of terrorism have have taken place internally in Nigeria. Some have been gruesome while others have failed. The death of Dele Giwa on Sunday, October 19, 1986 was through a parcel bomb. What do we call that? This was state terrorism against a citizen. Up till the time Gani Fawehinmi died, he was emphatic in his pursuit for justice that the State under the military killed Dele Giwa. Up till now, nobody has been nabbed for that innocuous act.
On December 22nd 2009, just three days before the NWA flight 253 occurred, a middle aged man was alleged to have gone to deliver some parcel bombs to the most senior man on duty at Super screen television office at Onipanu in Lagos. However, before he could deliver his concoction of death, one of them detonated leaving him bombed in his own device. What do we call that, a tea party? These acts are not enough to label Nigeria a terrorist state.
Terrorism has very disastrous consequences. apart from the physical and psychological pains, it sets human beings, races and religious organizations apart. But no matter the level, it is a preventable act. However, my major headache is that before our security forces go into action, the sects have wrecked havoc on society. It happened during the Maitasine, Boko Haram and Kalo-kato uprisings. The question is what has happened to pre-emptive security strategies? Take the case of Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, we were told that the UK refused him visa at a point based on certain findings. Sound judgement! On the other extreme was United States of America that had information that would have assisted her to avert the tragedy but refused to respond appropriately. But for providence, the destruction of lives and NWA flight 253 would have been a thing of the past.
The way the United States is handling the issue of terrorism will only earn her more enemies. Of all the 14 countries listed for enhanced security screening, about 12 are Islamic countries. Undoubtedly, terrorism is seen by the United States as an act of war. So, these countries have been inadvertentlty declared arch enemies waging war against the United States, which is not true in the case of Nigeria. The United States and Nigeria have enjoyed the best of relationships and this sholud not be slaughtered with a one off example of a child that went off limit.
In the next few weeks, events are likely to bring forth the forgotten memories of Nigerians that were stripped naked at screening rooms or made to stay hours at immigration interrogating rooms at international airports in Europe. Time was when every negative thing like human trafficking, advance fee fraud, alias 419, drug peddling and every crime committed by a Blackman were ascribed to Nigerians. Now, Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab has compounded our image problem by adding us to the world of international terrorists. The far reaching consequences of what Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab has done are not only to himself and his family but to Nigerians.
We have again become the cynosure of all eyes at international airports. Good Nigerians in Diaspora will now have to battle with smoothing the rough edges of Nigeria’s battered image. Few hours ago, the TSA in the United States released a list of 14 countries that must go through enhancement security check. Listed among these countries is Nigeria. Every minute, a gun man is killing somebody in America. This does not mean that all Americans as killers. When the Oklahoma bombing masterminded by Americans took place in 2001, America was not branded a terrorist nation. so, why must a single Nigerian who trained abroad now earn the entire Nigeria the toga of a terrorist state?
Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab represents the opposing side of the real Nigerian. Nigerians love, respect and value life. Nigerians are a happy people. This is why I believe the father of Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab alerted the United States Embassy barely about a month before the December 25 Detroit incidence. Even at that, United States did nothing. So, to now perceive every Nigerian entering the United States as terrorists is unacceptable, it is a breach of social justice and against all principles of fairness.
It has been found that Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab was not trained in Nigeria. He had most of his adulthood experience in the UK where he rose to becoming the President of an Islamic society in his school. Since then, he has travelled to several countries and hardly lived in Nigeria. For this act, he was trained abroad and not in Nigeria. and TSA has forgotten so soon that the father of Farouk reported his own child’s activities to the American Embassy at Abuja since November 2009. Since then, America did nothing to forestall the incidence of December 25th 2009, If the United States had acted squarely and fairly on senior AbdulMutallab’s report, would junior AbdulMutallab had been allowed to fly into America?
Every minute in America and Britain, some of their citizens are either shooting or sticking knife into people. Does that make all Americans and British people murderers? The answer is no. So, why must the incidence of only one man lead to the designation of Nigeria as a terrorist nation? I seriously think that the American government only latched on this opportunity to carry out a long term plan to blacklist Nigeria.
Senior AbdulMutallab, a Nigerian, did a marvellous job by unveiling the activities of this young radical and reporting the security threat to the American Embassy , which the united states’ security agencies failed act on. This information if acted upon would have stopped Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab from carrying out the senseless act. I believe this is part of the conspiracy theory that has its root in setting Nigeria up for the slightest opportunity to blacklist the country. The last straw was found in Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab’s tragedy.
America failed the world by having such sensitive information but refused to act on it. It is America’s negligence and systemic failure of her security operatives that nearly caused the killing of about three hundred lives on board flight NWA 253. America should take responsibility for the lapses instead of going ahead to punish innocent Nigerians with segregated and selective security screening. Perhaps the TSA thought the senior Mutallab is an American.
In 2009, the Telegraph.co.uk wrote in the online February 7th Edition that “Barack Obama has been warned by the CIA that British Islamist extremists are the greatest threat to US homeland security”. Indeed, Farouk had most of his brain washing while at UCL in the UK. Why did TSA not impose enhanced security screening measures against any one travelling from the UK? Reid, a British terrorist attempted to Bomb American Airlines Flight 63 on December 22, 2001, why did the TSA not impose enhanced security screening on all British citizens premised on the above two incidents? Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nicholas masterminded the Oklahoma City Bombing on April 19, 1995 that killed hundreds of people, why did TSA not commence enhanced security screening of all Americans?
Let no one be in doubt about my commitment to the fight against terrorism. I have always preached change through the use of any civil options. I detest terrorism, I have never supported it and will never do. I believe that terrorism is a cowardly act. I am totally in support of whatever measures that is to be put in place all over the world to enhance the security and safety of travellers and wipe out terrorism without singling out Nigerians for the enhanced security option. Every passenger should be subjected to the same measure and equal treatment. Let no Nigerian be humiliated the way it was in times past when the European Union (EU) perceived every Nigerian as a suspected drug peddler and 419er when indeed the EU Banks kept the proceeds of the illegal loots of our leaders.
The following quote from peace to the world in 2009 (www.louisbrownogbeifun.com) is still as relevant today as then. “All those involved in terrorism, militancy and sabotage in the name of freedom fighting should lay down their arms and imbibe dialogue over whatever grievances there are to save further destruction of lives and properties as witnessed in 2008. No nation develops in an atmosphere of anarchy and dysfunction. As we journey through the year, let us be ambassadors of peace without borders so that the world can witness peace in the New Year. Here lays the panacea for the emergence of a peaceful society, walking towards the cohabitation of minds and bodies that will ensure that peace reigns in 2009”.
Terrorism is evil and must be roundly condemned by every responsible human being. Head or tail, terrorism, extremism and fundamentalism are whirlwinds that blow no one any good. To forestall these extremes of thoughts and actions, governments all over the world should also provide the platform for social justice, equity and fairness that will allow every citizen to become whom he or she wants to be.
For Nigeria, time has come for the Emirs, Muslim leaders, Clerics and the Governors of the Northern states to act decisively to stem the tide of extremism and fundamentalism among the adherents of radical sects in the North. The Federal Government should also note that extremism and fundamentalism as practised by the aforementioned sects will destroy Nigeria, except government rises up to its responsibilities. Let us not lose focus of how fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism led the world into several preventable wars in the Middle East. Yesterday it was Lebanon and Gaza; today it is Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq. With the insurgence of the Maitasines, Boko Harams and Kalo-Katos; the face of tomorrow’s terrorism may well be in Nigeria. The time to act is now!
References
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4550144/CIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/04/us-airport-security-enhanced-screening
http://www.louisbrownogbeifun.com
Topics: Uncategorized |
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