LESSON FROM UAE ON COUNTER TERRORISM

In April 2019, the Abu Dhabi federal court of appeal convicted six Nigerians named Abdurrahaman Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad over alleged funding of Boko Haram terrorists’ group. The accused were tried and sentenced before a court of competent jurisdiction for an alleged transfer of almost $800, 000 from Dubai to Nigeria to facilitate and aid the Boko Haram terrorists’ group operations.

While the court found the accused guilty of setting up a Boko Haram cell in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to raise funds and material assistance for the insurgents in Nigeria, the convicts appealed their conviction in the UAE federal supreme court but the appeal was turned down by the apex court in December 2019, thereby upholding the appeal court judgement.

By virtue of UAE thorough investigation to this terrorist financing allegation and prompt prosecution of the culprits, the country’s authorities have indirectly sent a stern signal of their zero and intolerant stance against insurgency to all and sundry. If the aforementioned culprits could face trial for sponsoring terrorism outside the shores of UAE, it is easier to predict the horrible fate that awaits whoever perpetrates or unleashes any iota of terrorist acts on UAE territory.

It is unfortunate that Nigeria authorities have not deemed it fit to emulate the UAE rapid response and tactical approach to counter terrorism. Rather, the national debate amongst government officials so far revolved around granting scholarship to repentant Boko Haram, the modus operandi of negotiating with terrorists and incessant threats against unnamed financiers of terrorism.

A 2020 report from the United Nations Develop Programme (UNDP) proclaimed that insurgency-related conflicts had claimed the lives of almost 350,000 people in the North-eastern part of Nigeria with 314,000 of those from indirect causes of terrorism. Numerous invaluable private and public property have also been lost to terrorism.

The sincerity and readiness of Nigeria’s government in the fight against terrorism is questionable. No nation can totally overcome or curb terrorism menace without identifying and sanctioning its financiers. One of the most effective counter terrorism strategy is to dismantle the network behind insurgency. A notorious terrorist recently apprehended in Sokoto State narrated how he purchased N28.5m guntruck in Niger Republic for terrorist operations.

The confession reaffirms that any war on terrorism without locating and breaking its financial channels is a facade. The havoc being wrecked on Nigerians by these terrorists would continue with their financial strength to purchase sophisticated weapon. Both the Nigerian security apparatus and the terrorist foot soldiers have unlimited access to heavy weapon. The Nigerian government policy of purchasing more military warfare can’t defeat terrorism until her counter terrorism strategy adopts and prioritizes the utter decimation of terrorist life support machine ( financing).

Binzak Azeez, Newworth LLP (Legal Practitioners), Onikan, Lagos