Murder mars Nigerian presidential elections
Raids, blood, and death
Boko Haram killed over 10,000 people last year, perpetuating a reign of terror that still hasn’t managed to break through the tough outer crust of the American media’s attention. (Don’t talk to me about #BringBackOurGirls…that was a trend that was abandoned at the very moment it became obvious that terrorists don’t give a damn about your hashtagged agenda.)
BH may be a motley rebel force (an Uber driver from Nigeria once told me that a few decently-trained American platoons could wipe them out in an afternoon) but that doesn’t mean they haven’t managed to put the fear of God into the people of Nigeria—especially those in the northeastern sector. Back in February the group managed to force a six week delay in the upcoming presidential elections as officials from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Benin began formulating a plan to eliminate BH, and only recently has that coalition force begun to gain ground in preventing BH from targeting both strategically important as well as “soft targets.”
Nigeria has a big “top down” problem when it comes to governance, and the tension created by the disparity between the “haves” and the “have nots” is reflected in what we know so far about the contest between current President Goodluck Jonathan, and former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari.
Boko Haram managed to sabotage Sunday’s elections, demonstrating just how adept they still are at terrorizing those “soft targets.”
On Sunday, gunmen in a convoy of 10 pickup trucks believed to be members of Boko Haram stormed polling stations in two districts of northeastern Bauchi state—destroying electoral materials and sending residents fleeing, said state police spokesman Haruna Mohammed. They also attacked police outposts, but were pushed back, he said.
“The police and the army forced the gunmen to abandon their mission and escape into the bush,” Mr. Mohammed said. He didn’t have information on casualties.
The state governor an imposed dusk-to-dawn curfew following the assault, Mr. Mohammed said.
Habu Umaru was among just 80 of 650 eligible voters from who made it hundreds of miles to cast his vote in the northeastern city of Yola because Boko Haram has made it too dangerous to stage a poll in his hometown.
“We can’t trust this government to do anything for us,” he said.
On Saturday, Boko Haram killed at least 41 people during attacks on three additional polling stations in northeastern Nigeria.
At this moment, votes are being counted in spite of the fact that protesters claim fraud and intimidation have corrupted the long-awaited results. We may know tonight who won the election, or end up faced with the prospect of a contentious runoff. The results of this election are important not only because they will help determine the future of Africa’s largest economy, but because they have the potential to dramatically affect—for better or for worse—the efficacy of the resistance against Boko Haram.
Whoever comes out on top runs the risk of losing the popular support of the other candidate’s voting base. If Nigeria dissolves into sectarian violence (Jonathan’s Christians vs. Buhari’s Muslims) it could fuel the fire that currently allows Boko Haram to exploit the poor and disenfranchised people clawing their way through life in the northeast.
Both candidates have called for calm and patience, but keep in mind that the last time Nigeria was faced with election results deemed “illegitimate,” over 800 people died.
It’s chum in the water for terrorists who thrive by convincing their victims that they can provide an alternate government infrastructure.
We’ll keep you updated on the vote count.
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The whole story:
“But behind the scenes, the Obama administration was undermining Nigeria’s efforts to take the battle to the terrorists. Obama refused to sell Nigeria arms and supplies critical to the fight, and stepped in to block other Western allies from doing so. The administration also denied Nigeria intelligence on Boko Haram from drones operating in the area. While Boko Haram was kidnapping school girls, the U.S. cut petroleum purchases from Nigeria to zero, plunging the nation’s economy into turmoil and raising concerns about its ability to fund its battle against the terrorists.”
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/obama-accused-of-obstructing-battle-against-boko-haram-to-promote-axelrods-nigerian-muslim-client/
And….
“A political consulting firm founded by Obama administration confidante David Axelrod has been far more involved in backing controversial Nigerian presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari than previously disclosed, according to a series of emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon and interviews with sources on the ground.”
http://freebeacon.com/issues/david-axelrods-political-consulting-firm-far-more-involved-in-nigeria-election-than-previously-disclosed/
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It is the Obama administration and crony partner Axelrod who are backing Boko Haram to corrupt the election in their preferred direction.
22.6 seconds on Google.
That was good. You should consider becoming an Uber driver.
Already there, territory: Possum Holler, Joyner’s X-Roads, and Ripshin Holler, though ah don’ much like them folk over there.
Excellent work, H-squared.
You should put in for “official journalist” status so, if you’re bumped off, it’ll be a “war crime”.
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2015/03/30/ap-president-killing-of-journalists-should-be-war-crime/
Why, yes, what a good thing that would be for dead, beheaded me. It’s Monday. Gimme a break!
I understand and say nothing when journalists make minor mistakes or omissions, but journalists are people who are essentially saying “I’m the person to explain this to you”, and in doing do they have to accept the responsibility that goes with that claim.
Totally whiffing on the Obama/Axelrod involvement in Nigeria is not a minor mistake or omission.
Maybe we need more concern troll articles on what conservatives must do, can’t expect, and don’t understand.
Why Did Hillary Clinton Defend Boko Haram?
This wasn’t just an episode of bureaucratic indifference. The Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA and many in Congress lobbied the State Department to list Boko Haram, but Clinton stood firm in defense of the Nigerian terrorists.
More “things that make you go ‘hmmm’.”
Hillary likely sees them as a neighborhood moderate reformist group.
It takes a villain to ruin a country.
There seems to have been a general policy to avoid adding names to the list of terrorist groups, but we don’t know what the reason for that is.
It could be to protect somebody or some people quite different from Boko Haram.
I think half the excuse is, well, you sometimes need to negotiate with the powers that be, and the most groups you put on the list, the more groups the State Department is not allowed to meet with. (and if they removed anyone from the list, they’d really have to justify that, so they try to avoid putting anybody on.
And they always want to settle wars by negotiation, usually meaning power sharing. Even Syria – that’s still the policy for Syria. The latest on Syria is that they’ve removed the demand that Assad has to go.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/01/20/obama_has_insisted_for_years_that_assad_has_to_go_looks_like_he_changed.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/20/world/middleeast/us-support-for-syria-peace-plans-demonstrates-shift-in-priorities.html?_r=0
Along comes our resident communist to explain why we shouldn’t blame obambi or shrillary for backing the terrorist’s in Nigeria just like they back the terror state Iran.
Sammy is an administration whore.
Well, there’s no questioning a Slate or New York Times article.
Nigeria would be better off with something like an Electoral College system, so that turnout and intimidation woujldn’t matter so much.
Of course, it would matter if intimidation oir sabotage of polling within an electoral district affected only side in the election, but you have this kind of problem anyway with one-man one-vote. Only you’d have less of it.
Something like that would also have to be used in Iraq, or any place where part of its territory was overrun, or half overrun. You could make a great gesture toward fairness that way.
Note: Iraq held elections just before ISIS took over Mosul. Nothing held now would be fair, unless some substantial adjustments were made to the election procedures and rules.
Thanks for the links Henry.
My pleasure. The Commenter Council just broke a meeting. You’ve been made responsible for Sammy.
Argh.
…and?
NIGERIA: Muhammadu Buhari set for victory. There are some reports that Jonathan has conceded.
An Uber driver who reads Insty told me!
Gen Buhari has won: http://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-32128631