The world woke up last week, precisely Aug 15, 2021 and discovered that ,the Taliban has over ran Afghanistan, leading to the total collapse of the democratically elected government of Ashraf Ghani, who is currently in exile in Kazakhstan. The Taliban from deductions is an ideology which has today become a movement and succeeded in pushing itself in the mainstream of Afghan politics as it occupies the seat of power at present. Its motive is to dismantle every form of democratic order and tenets, curtail human rights and freedom and give little or no opportunities to those who hold other faiths except lslam. In all, the primary motive of those behind this sudden change in the country is to install a theocratic state, having also declared the country, two days after it fell into their hands as Islamic Republic Emirates of Afghanistan.
Already, there is palpable fear amongst the Afghan people, both those from the majority and minority tribes, and the question is: what becomes the future of the children, especially the girl child, and women who the society feels must remain at the background and must not be heard at all? It was this same gross abuse of human rights and freedom, and the inordinate ambition of this same Taliban who for want of absolute and maximum powers incurred the wrath of the United States of America, who after the attack on the Twin Towers on September 9, 2011, felt that, the country provided cover for terrorists, especially those who were implicated on 9/11 attacks, that killed almost all nationals of the whole world. For twenty years, American soldiers stayed on in Afghanistan, fighting against terrorism and to also stabilize the country. It is estimated that over two trillion dollars was wasted, excluding the loss of human lives and materials that cannot be quantified. The withdrawal of American troops finally from Afghanistan after 20 years of war against the Taliban, by President Joe Biden, unfortunately may have led to the sudden collapse of the country’s democratic government. Today in that country, the hope of the citizenry is dashed as they anxiously await what would become of them in the new order.
The Taliban now controls power, having taken over almost everywhere in the country. Back home, the Nigerian state for over ten years running had been confronted with the challenge of Boko Haram who holds similar view with that of Taliban, looking at the abductions in the North East and West of the girl child and their view about Western education. This challenge has raged on without clear and decisive action against this group by the government. At a time, President Muhammadu Buhari alluded to the fact that, the fall of Libya was responsible for the proliferations of arms and the security challenge the country is grappling with, and this has continued after many years waste of both human and material resources. One message that is clear is that no country, not even the most powerful country in the world which America represents can fight for you perpetually.
The president of America, Joe Biden made it clear when he said he does not regret his actions of pulling American soldiers out of Afghanistan saying that keeping America longer in Afghanistan would make no difference if the Afghans themselves cannot fight and defend their country. While we do not expect human catastrophe and other collateral damages that would trail the coming to power of Taliban rulership in Afghanistan, we call on the Nigerian government to be awake and bring to a conclusive end the reign of Boko Haram in the Northern parts of the country to forestall the Afghans experience in Nigeria.
