Although the new President of Nigeria General Mohamadu Buhari has promised to end the atrocities of Boko Haram in Nigeria, by changing the hierarchy of Nigerian army, the organization has intensified suicide bombings in the North Eastern Nigeria including Maiduguri, Yola and Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
In fact most of the neighboring nations of Nigeria that include Chad have taken it upon themselves to fight on the side of the Nigerian army to exterminate the extremist forces from Nigeria and the neighboring states. Even though the activities of Boko Harran are yet to get to Ghana our government being part of the Economic Community Of West Africa (ECOWAS) has began taking steps in readiness to deal with them and other extremist forces when they show up.
This is because the extremist are capable of killing many people they consider infidels indiscriminately and cause many people to flee from their homes and towns as is happening in Nigeria and other nations of West Africa. Although most people thought extremism cannot occur in Ghana the departure of a student of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology of Ghana to join ISIL in the Middle East is enough to put fear in us .This is because most people believe that with that, extremists can come to Ghana.
However the nation’s military hierarchy is eager to confront any extremist forces including the Boko Harram.
Brigadier General Sampson Adeti, General Officer Commander of the Southern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), says the army is concerned about the possible spillover from the Nigerian terrorist group- Boko Haram.
He said Boko Haram could spread their activities to other countries in West Africa, and Ghana’s security agencies are aware of possible unguarded entry points that the terrorist group could exploit to infiltrate the country. He said this when speaking to the media during this year’s land combat power demonstration at the Bundase Training Camp, saying that the army is happy that there have not been any incidents of Boko Haram in the country.
He said GAF consist of loyal officers who are ready to fight and defend the country against either a foreign or homegrown threats.
“We reassure the nation of the army’s operational posture, preparedness and readiness to defend and protect the country from any aggression, be it internal and or external,” he said.
Brig Gen Adeti also added that the government has recently supplied modern ammunition to the infantry unit and other military units hence the army’s vigilance to battle the enemies of the state.
The combat readiness of the army is quite good. However the best means of defending the nation is by sensitizing the people especially the youth to stay clear from extremism. The Youth must not form or join extremist forces like Alkaida, Alshabab, Kandahar, Bolga Bull Dogs invisible forces. The names of these organizations connote bad intentions by the originations to cause mayhem as happen during political or traditional and religious activities in the country. Although some of the organizations wish to fight for Islam their activities are not Islamic.
Dr Mrs. Rabiatu Armah Konney, Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana, gave backing to this argument by saying that Islam is not an extremist religion and Ghanaian Muslims are against ISIS and would do everything possible for Muslims not to join the extremists.
She said Islam has nothing in relation with terrorist groups that have sprang up over the years and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Ghana (FOMWAG) is strongly against them and would continue to preach against members.
speaking at a function by the Youth wing of FOMWAG, in Accra, on the theme: “Enhancing the creative abilities of the Muslim girl child for national development”, Dr Armah Konney said the emergence of social media has had a negative impact on the youth and cautioned Muslim girls to be very cautious when using the platform.
Dr Rabiatu has said it all that the extremist forces can get to Ghana through military forces. However they can easily win away our people through the use of the social media which has become the means of convincing our youth to join forces with extremist forces. The people of Ghana beginning from the government, the political parties must be in combat readiness to fight off extremist forces. However they must first endeavor to disband any group of their supporters who would be formed with the aim of visiting atrocities and mayhem on the people.
Source: Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai
Executive Director
EANFOWORLD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
P.O.BOX 17070AN 233244370345/23327483710/ 233208844791
[email protected] /[email protected]
