Amnesty International, Sahara Reporters and the war within

By Anthony Kolawole

The war against terrorism in Nigeria has been a front-burner issue for a while. Social commentators have made postulations with regards to the success recorded so far. At the same time, some have also faulted the modus operandi of the Nigerian Military in the prosecution of the war.

These are indeed interesting times. Nigerians have not seen the worst of the war against terrorism. A critical contributor to the war has been neglected and with the whole emphasis placed on Boko Haram/ISWAP.

Nigerians have also failed to understand that there are various components of warfare and that the physical manifestation is just as an aspect of the overarching strategy just as it is evident in the raging battle between the Nigerian Military and the Boko Haram insurgent group in North-East Nigeria.

In Nigeria today, two things stand out with regard to the war against terrorism: the war and the war within. And this brings me to the activities of Amnesty International and Sahara Reporters and how they have wittingly sustained the perpetuation of terrorism in Nigeria.

Amnesty International is an embodiment of mendacious propaganda against the unity, peace, and progress of Nigeria. Its attacks on Nigeria have been phenomenal. For Amnesty International, nothing good should be heard about Nigeria. As such it’s scathing annual reports on the country follow the same pattern and trajectory year in year out.

The Nigerian Military has been worse hit by the fangs of the self-acclaimed human rights organization in the sense that they have constituted themselves as a distraction in the prosecution of the war against terrorism in North-East Nigeria, as well as other parts of the country where the activities of militant groups are prevalent.

It is also a statement of the fact that Amnesty International has been providing that intellectual support to the Boko Haram group in Nigeria. Just when substantial gains are recorded, they accuse the Nigerian Military of human rights violations against Boko Haram. But they turn the other way when the same radical jihadists ransack communities killing unarmed citizens, as well as kidnapping women and children.

For Amnesty International, these are no crimes against humanity, as well as human rights violations because of the strategic partnership it entered to provide that intellectual support to the Boko Haram group. If this is not the case, have we wondered why it is that the group is in the habit of acting as the mouthpiece of terrorist and militant groups in Nigeria?

Have we also wondered why is it that Amnesty International issues statements and press releases in tactic support for the activities of militant groups in Nigeria at the slightest especially when our troops are making gains in the war against terrorism?

I stand to be corrected, the activities of Amnesty International are the real war in Nigeria because its mandate revolves around ensuring that Nigeria is destabilized and disintegrated by all means possible including propagating outright falsehoods and arriving at illogical conclusions. That is not all; it has also been stated that Amnesty International has been recruiting fighters for the depleted ranks of the Boko Haram/ISWAP group.

While this information has not been verified, it is not something I would doubt given the tendencies of Amnesty International and their avid hatred for Nigeria. In my opinion, it is not beyond what Amnesty International can do since for them it’s a business every other thing can go to blazes.

Sahara Reporters, on the other hand, has been despicable in promoting the interest of terrorist groups in Nigeria. As a statement of fact, they have been in cahoots with Amnesty International little wonder why they echo the same sentiments in the public space. The Sahara Reporters platform has provided Amnesty International and other unscrupulous organizations masquerading as human rights advocates a medium to unleash derogatory remarks on the efforts of the Nigerian Military in the war against terrorism as well as the commitment of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to the rule of law.

For Sahara Reporters, though, I’m not surprised because its brand of journalism defeats the entire known creed. They concoct stories in return for pecuniary gains not minding the implication of their actions. Sahara Reporters also allied with some despicable groups to heat the polity with false information to set the country up in flames.

It is quite a sad tale that Sahara Reporters has reduced itself to this despicable level where it can conspire with those against the interest of Nigeria. I think it’s time for Nigerians to begin to scrutinize the likes of Amnesty International and Sahara Reporters as it is now evident that their overarching objective is to ensure that Nigeria disintegrates.

This is also of the heels that their support for the Boko Haram group, as well as other militant organizations, is indeed sad. So much so that I wonder the amount of money involved that some organizations and individuals would want to jeopardize the future of over 180 million people. And to think that these individuals are also Nigerians is emotionally drenching.

For how long Amnesty International and Sahara Reporters intend to sustain this tempo is left to be imagined. However, one thing is sure: Nigerians are now aware that Amnesty International and their counterpart in Sahara Reporters have indeed waged war against the soul of Nigeria.

Theirs is more deadly than the Boko Haram because the lives of over 180 million Nigerians are at risk. I think the government should do well to protect Nigeria and Nigerians from the evil plot of Amnesty International and Sahara Reporters.

The exigencies of time require proactive action else we might have ourselves to blame because, at the rate with which these organizations are going, Nigeria would be indeed lucky if they do not achieve their objectives at the end of the day. This piece should serve as a wakeup call to the relevant authorities, as well as to educate members of the unsuspecting general public on the plot by Amnesty International and Sahara Reporters against Nigeria.

Kolawole Ph.D. wrote this piece from Keffi, Nasarawa State