Empowered By Inaction

"People started running to help the wounded, and 10 minutes later the second one went off. It took off the roof of the market building. Many were trapped inside, it was a terrible scene."
Bala Mohammed, resident of Jos

"It happened very close to the market so most of the victims were people plying their trade. Some had children with them."
"The casualty figure is likely to rise because the fire service wasn't able to clear all the rubble today. They will continue to remove the debris tomorrow and we are expecting to recover more bodies then." 
Abdulsalam Mohd, national emergency management agency

The wreckage of a burnt vehicle and burning shops following a bomb blast at Terminus market in the central Nigerian city of Jos. Photograph: Str/AFP/Getty Images

 

The government of Nigeria may be rather disconnected from reality and unfazed by the ongoing attacks in its Muslim-majority provinces, not impacting too dreadfully on the well-being of the government itself, placidly going about its business, but the people of Nigeria are somewhat upset over the atrocities being committed by Islamist Boko Haram. It is their lives, their livelihoods, their homes that are being impacted.

The international community is none too pleased with the response of the Nigerian government over the April 15 assault on the town of Chibok and the abduction of almost 300 schoolgirls from their boarding school. The fate of those girls, some 50 of whom managed to escape their abductors before the greater balance of the children were taken to a remote forested area for indoctrination into Islam (most of the girls were Christian) and 'marriage', is of concern to Nigerians.

The United States, Canada, Britain, France, Israel, Spain and other nations have offered assistance in the ongoing and up to now, fruitless search for the whereabouts of the schoolgirls. Fears of their being sold into slavery may have been partially realized with some of the girls being taken over the border for just that purpose. Threats made by Boko Haram's leader that the girls, as young as 13, will be given in 'marriage', certainly concerns their helpless parents.

An upgraded American presence has been announced, with 80 military personnel dispatched to aid in their search. The Americans were sent to Chad, bordering northeastern Nigeria to aid in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft missions over the nearby region and Nigeria. The mission will aid an expanded search with drones but will not engage in ground searches.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, disinterested in asking for international assistance until two weeks following the mass abduction, still seems disengaged and rather desultorily removed, seemingly uncaring about the international criticism his lack of progress in the rescue of the girls has gained him throughout the international community.

Little wonder that Boko Haram feels confident its violent incursions will go unpunished, emboldening it to further atrocities. In a town close by Chibok, in northeastern Nigeria, 48 villagers were killed. And then twin car bombings were set off in the central city of Jos, killing another 130 people.

People gather at the site of one of Tuesday's car bombs in Jos, Nigeria, where more than 100 people were killed. AP photo

The Islamist terrorist group demands the release of Boko Haram fighters in exchange for the girls' release. The government remains adamant it has no interest in making such a swap. So Boko Haram, unopposed by Nigeria's military will continue to target schools, churches, mosques, marketplaces, bus terminals and social gathering spots in its volatile, fiery bid to create an Islamic state in Nigeria.