In a Presidential Media Chat, former President Goodluck Jonathan dropped the one phrase that encapsulated the incompetence of his tenure – “America will know”. A well-intentioned phrase that turned our former leader into a national laughing stock because of its contextual use. Always meaning well but never translating that intention to execution, Jonathan was. President Buhari means business in the war against Boko Haram and America does, in fact, know. They have pledged $5 Billion to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) set up by Nigeria and its neighbours.

PMB, in staying true to his campaign promise, hit the ground running by relocating the Military Command Centre to Maiduguri. He travelled to meet with other Heads of the MNJTF States in person. Nigeria has finally taken proper responsibility of the assault on Boko Haram.

Due credit must however go to the GEJ administration for dislodging the Insurgents from numerous camps, recapturing their ‘Caliphates’, and procuring arms from other sources when America wouldn’t do business. Unfortunately, he was trillions of naira and many lives too late. At a public lecture in Kano, I remember speaking in support of SERAP’s call for a probe of defense spending. GEJ’s good calls weren’t made in good time and there is no excuse whatsoever for incompetence. To quote OG Mandino, “There is an immeasurable distance between late and too late”.

A lot of us who clamoured for the use of airstrikes way before their use have been vindicated. So far as the threat still exists and we must make the best use of the aerial advantage we have over the Insurgents. The recent influx of funds shows money is not a problem. In addition to more fighter planes, we can now afford to spend on Air Surveillance as well. This will hasten the total annihilation of the sect in no small measure.

The number of insurgents involved in the failed bid to invade Maiduguri by Boko Haram suggests there could be Camps elsewhere. However, it doesn’t change the fact that their activities have been curtailed and restricted to bombings rather than outright decimation and take over of cities and villages.

The President is not only building on what his predecessor was able to achieve,he has promptly taken more appropriate measures and this hasn’t gone unnoticed.

America Knows.

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Mallam Yero