Terrorist insurgence: How Nigeria can start defeating Boko haram (1)

In Nigeria, Boko Haram and allied terrorist groups have since 2008 claimed  over 10,000(ten thousand) innocent lives by official figures even though it is general knowledge among the well informed of their activities that a good number of Boko Haram attacks such as massacre of entire  remote villages go unreported. They are also said to have kidnapped or taken hostage at different times nearly a thousand young women aside the popularly known case of 234 girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok near Maiduguri. More disturbing are the recent triumphs of the group over Nigerian security forces in which they are no longer just confined to deserts and forest hideouts but even overrunning the Nigerian Army, smashing the police mobile force and taking over hardened towns like Gamboru, Ngala,  Madagali, and Gwoza. More than a year ago, the terrorists conducted a Rambo operation in which they attacked the head quarters of Nigeria’s highest police elite division, the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja where they killed the SARS agents on duty and freed their colleagues in detention despite the highly secured nature of the place. Why are the terrorists triumphing over the supposedly highly rated Nigeria Army, Police Mobile Force and other elite security forces? Why do they seem to be always at least a step ahead of the federal security agencies? What can we do about it?

The answers to the above questions are not far fetched if we carry out a simple diagnoses of the ills and grimy underbellies of Nigerian political and security system. As at 1998, the Nigerian  Army (ground forces) were rated among the top five in the world along with Israel, Russia, and the USA by WOMOG(World Military Observer group). in like vain, the Nigerian police were rated high early last decade for their roles in ensuring order in Kosovo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The then Nigerian Army in 1997 led by Gen. Victor Malu  and Col. Maxwell Cobe† warned the military junta led by Major Johnny Paul Koromah who ceased government in Sierra Leone from the civilian democratic government of President Ahmad Tijan Kabbah  to hand over power in three days or risk ECOMOG(Nigerian Battalions) invasion  but the junta stayed put after their plea to remain in power for 18 months was rejected by Aso Rock. It shocked the whole world when everyone woke up one morning to see on CNN that Nigerian led ECOMOG(ECOWAS Military Observer Group) have capture Free Town in just one week and sent the military junta into  hiding in remote forests. The same Nigerian led ECOMOG engaged the War Lords (more deadlier than Boko Haram) of Liberia, defeated them, and restored the peace that country is still enjoying till today even though they hardly appreciate it. The same Nigerian Army have quelled various uprisings and terrorist insurgencies like maitatsine in the past. The same Nigerian Army crushed Boko Haram to dust in 2008 under Yar’adua in which the leader, Mohammed Yusuf was captured alive and handed over to the police who wasted no time in publicly executing him extra judicially, the reason for which remains a mystery to the Nigerian public to this day. The Nigerian Army have restored peace in the then Republic of Zaire during Patrick Lumumba era (now Congo DR), Gaza in Middle East, Rwanda in Central Africa, Somali in East Africa,  Mali, and elsewhere in various capacities. The Nigerian Army was before now well respected both home and abroad but as it stands, the Army is fast falling from grace and if nothing is done, am afraid it might get to a point where they will be daily harassed by civilians in the streets of Lagos and other Nigerian cities. I sincerely pray it doesn’t get there or else this country will descend into chaos. The United Nations has severally praised Nigeria for having a formidable police force. But once again, we ask another question, where are these soldiers that achieved great security fits the world over to the pride of Nigeria and Nigerians and where are they?

The most experienced batch of Nigerian Army(63NA also known as the real NA) have all been thrown out of the Nigerian Army as at 2007/08 based on the false fear that they contain the dare devil crops that have the courage and military tactics to plan and hatch coups. Not all of them were up to 60years of age or have attained the mandatory retirement age before they were eased out of the service. Even then, most of them are regretting ever joining the Nigerian Army as they have suffered a lot from delayed payment of their poor entitlements and pension arias. Some of them who died in peace keeping were not dignifyingly buried and their widows and children now roam the street struggling with the vicissitudes of life after the demise of their bread winners. The other who got disabled or still have bullets and shrapnel lodged in their body till this day have equally been abandoned and some have taken up begging. These harsh treatment on our heroes past did discouraged most passionate children of military  men from joining the army after seeing what their fathers have been going through else, they could have been the best kind of candidates for the Army to recruit. 

The Nigeria Army we have today is not the same Nigerian Army we know 10years or 8years ago. Though there are still some fine officers and soldiers in the Nigerian Army but the truth is that majority of them are corrupt, not physically fit, effeminate, secretly political, fearful, effeminate, uninspiring, undisciplined, not smart, and hopelessly incompetent, and not rugged enough. Some senior serving military officers own big schools, hotels, and businesses that one will want to ask how they did it. Is it with their salaries? Am sorry to say but that is the truth and even the soldiers know it. If Nigeria must move forward, we must tell ourselves the truth and start doing things right. The training period for new intake soldiers use to be 9months but was later reduced to 6months. I don’t know why. The NDA is made up of largely children  of the high and mighty in the society such as ex presidents, generals, traditional rulers, and top politicians. That is not hard to verify. Most of these people are part of the operational challenges the army is suffering today as this big men go as far as interfering in the posting of their children to avoid Boko Haram. It’s not uncommon to see pot bellied generals and even juniors/mid level officers these days. How can an officer who rarely go for physical training and who spend most times in air conditioned cars and offices successfully contest with a slim fit  Boko Haram fighter in the harsh arid of sahara desert and the scotching savannah crickets of NE Nigeria? Most of the recruit into the Nigerian Army are not children of soldiers neither are they passionate or have any form of hard life or previous military exposure.

Christian Okwori