Baga: Borno Town Where Students Defy Boko Haram Ideology To Gain Western Education

By Gbenga Akingbule 

15 year Maryam Mohammed Ali life time ambition is to become a medical doctor where she can utilize her expertise to give care to her community in Baga , a town located on the fringes of  Lake Chad Basin that had suffered attacks from notorious Boko Haram Insurgents.

 Boko Haram which is lossely translated in Hausa language to  mean- Western Education is forbidden,  almost succeded in making  Ali given up on her dream when the  terrorists  group invaded Baga town in Kukawa Local government Council of Borno state.  

Ali , like  many other students couldn’t go to school as the Insurgents had targeted schools, Teachers ,  Markets , Community leaders amongst others. It was a dire situation at the time as residents fled the town to anywhere they could get safety. 

But the situation is fast changing , there’s already a silver lining  for Ali and other  students in Baga and other parts of Borno State- the opportunity to acquire western education. 

For now , Ali is back to school and she is currently in Junior School School III (JSS3) at  Baga Junior Day  Secondary School.

Her hope of becoming a medical  doctor is renewed following the exploits of the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Operation Lake Sanity 2 to keep the terrorists at bay.

” I’m happy to be back to school, attack by the Boko Haram terrorists can not kill my dream of becoming a medical doctor in the future. 

“The Military is our life saver and are also keeping our dreams alive . ” Ali said on Tuesday during an interview. 

Jafar Abdullahi , Yagana Unaru and Hassan Garba are all students of same school with  Ali , they all have different ambitions to good citizens and contribute positively to their communities in the future after gaining western education alongside their quranic education.  

The students who are visibly happy leaning under a peaceful atmosphere all took turns to  comend the efforts of the MNJTF for restoring civil authority bact to their communities.

 Aside the students , teachers who  had also been targets of the Boko Haram terrorists where many of them  had paid the supreme price while transferring  knowledge  are not bowing to fear of Boko Haram terrorists attacks Hadiza Mohammed , a teacher in Ali’s School says the fear of terrorist attacking their school like they did to other schools in the past does not exist anymore .

She revealed that teachers like her and many others have continued to carry out their duties unhindered .

“I’m happy to see the joint security operatives guarding our town and villages.  Teachers like me are cofident to go about transferring knowledge to Baga students without fear of attack by Boko Haram terrorists”  Mohammed said.

Apart from the conducive atmosphere created by the presence of  MNJTF and others security agencies  to keep the peace  in Baga and othe parts of the  Local Government Council and make learning  possible for students , other socio economic activities are also breathing fresh air.

The popular Baga  fish market is gradually picking up,  hospital and Police Station are functioning while farmers in the agrarian community were seen cultivating their farm lands .

Community leaders led by the  the District Head, Zanna Arjnona and residents doff  their cap for the non kinetic approach employed by the MNJTF at managing the over 14 year old insurgency through the interventions  in schools,  hospital and support to farmers.

  ”  We are greatful to the MNJTF for the many intervention projects and defending our communities ”  Arjinoma said.