Muslim Africa south of the Sahara faces a moment of truth. Nigeria and Somalia have been attacked this week by militant Islamist terrorist organisations, Boko Haram in the former and Al-Shabab (Youth) in the latter. A crisis enters a critical phase. An attack by militant Islamist terrorists Boko Haram in the northeast Nigerian town of Bama left at least 60 people dead and scores injured, writes Gamal Nkrumah. What are the implications? Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, faces a crisis that is not only irritating but is also dangerous for regional and international peace and political stability. What is to be done? “We are collating the figures and the death toll has risen to 60 from the Bama attack, but the toll is likely to rise,” Borno state police commissioner Lawal Tanko said. The political disputes started thereafter and the key point was whether Nigeria has the capacity to contain the militant Islamist threat or not. Similarly, in Somalia members of Al-Shabab militant Islamist terrorist organisation launched a suicidal attack against the country's president in an attempt to assassinate and abduct him. It was reported that Al-Shabab fighters blasted through a gate with a car bomb last Friday and fought a gun battle with presidential guards at the heavily fortified compound known as Villa Somalia, the presidential residence. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed escaped unscathed. The United States is deeply muddled in both cases. As Africans await the denouement of this Muslim African drama, it is hard not to reflect just how unfortunate the timing for the continent is with the sectarian strife imploding in the Central African Republic, half way between Somalia and Nigeria. Meanwhile, last Thursday, the leader of radical Islamist group Boko Haram, Abu Bakar Shekau, threatened attacks in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region in a new video. This demonstrates that the militant Islamist group has clout in all parts of the West African nation and is determined to debilitate Nigeria, hitting hardest where it hurts most. The US government, which has designated Shekau a terrorist, has offered a reward of up to $7 million for information on his whereabouts. The crisis in Nigeria will ultimately be resolved by Nigerians alone. Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, derives more than 90 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings from oil. In Nigeria a spotlight has been shone on the activities of Boko Haram. Even so, damage has been done. Nigeria's reputation as an African power and economic powerhouse has been seriously compromised. Like Nigeria, Somalia is preparing for a planned military offensive against militant Islamist terrorist groups. The only difference is that Somalia's offensive is led by an expanded African Union peacekeeping force. Ethiopia, the regional military power of East Africa, is expected to spearhead the offensive against Somalia's Al-Shabab. Ethiopian troops have in the past been involved in Somalia. Today, Ethiopia's formidable military is in a better position to exact punitive action against the Somali militant Islamist group, and with the approval of the Somali government. The scenario in Nigeria is not so different. The militant Islamist groups declare secular and religious Muslim leaders as heretical infidels and therefore they are prone to murder, assassin-style. Boko Haram leader Shekau, who admitted killing an Islamic cleric, Adam Albani, about two weeks ago in the northern Nigerian city of Zaria, also threatened to kill other Muslim and political figures in the country, including the respected Shehu of Borno, a prominent Muslim leader, and the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, who was attacked by suspected Islamists last year. Militant Islamists in Africa south of the Sahara openly espouse an anti-democracy agenda. “The reason why I will kill you is you are infidels. You follow democracy. Whoever follows democracy is an infidel. This is Shekau. This is why I am in enmity with you,” he said, his comments interspersed with gunshots fired in the air by him and his aides. If African nations are to confront the militant Islamist terrorists in their midst they cannot remain in the shadows. The secularist anti-Islamist African governments must come out and make their case.
