Nigeria, March 11 -- After over a decade of insurgency in the North-east, there has been a significant escalation of terrorism in the North-west zone of the country. From Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger, Katsina and Sokoto states, reports of killings, kidnappings, the destruction of properties and other forms of degradation of human lives continue to cascade ad nauseam. It is not, therefore, shocking that a recent report attributed to a UN study, claims that 24 terror-cells exist in 30 forests in the region, with many of them in Katsina State.

The figure, whether exact or a learned conjecture, signifies that it is not in doubt that there are recurrent and widespread acts of barbarity evident in kidnappings, killings and the raping of women and te...