By Rotimi Bello
The issue of insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the northern part of the country, has been a source of serious concern over the recent years. Political leaders who swore to protect the lives and properties of the citizens seems not to be doing enough to curb these issue. Clearly, the military and other security operatives in the country are not capable of quelling the numerous attacks by Boko Haram, bandits, herdsmen and other groups that pose threats to our lives.
These issues led to the call for the president to change the Service Chiefs under whose watch, insecurity has rather being flourishing. However, the president’s reluctance to discharge these current set of military chiefs baffles many political observers who believe that they have exhausted all their tactics and strategies in combating terrorism to secure our frontier territory as required by the constitution.
From all angles, people are calling for their removal because of the belief that they have outlived their usefulness since they have resorted to spiritual warfare to fight a physical war that requires elements of fire and fury from our troops. One wonder when spirituality became a weapon of war potent enough to quay terrorist attacks.
What the Army chief should have emphasized is effective synchronization of intelligence gathering. Our military should be deploying drones to mount surveillance over the terrorist center of gravity in order to deliver a reverberating sucker punch to thwart their unholy perverse collaboration. However, this is not being done, rather, there is a strange celebration of spirituality as a weapon to fight terrorism in Nigeria.
Since their appointment, they have launched diverse operations across the country with different tags. In the case of North-East Operation Lafiya Dole is the code-name. Operation Sharan Daji was also mobilised to tackle recurring activities of cattle rustlers and armed banditry in the North-West region of Nigeria; Operation Awatse in the South-West was been instituted to tackle militants and oil pipeline vandals at Arepo in Ogun State; Operation Shirin Harbi was also launched in 2015 to combat restiveness in Bauchi and Gombe States; Harbin Kunama I, was launched against cattle rustlers and armed bandits in the Dansadau forest of Zamfara State and its environs; Crocodile Smile I, was launched in August 2015 in the South-South creeks to halt the destructive activities of oil thieves, vandals, and militants.
Similarly, Python Dance I, was launched in the South-East to check the spate of robberies, kidnappings and cultism in and around Anambra; Harbin Kunama II was launched in the North-West and North-Central in July 2017 to combat cattle rustling, armed banditry, and clashes between pastoralists and farmers; Operation Dokaji was launched in the North-West and North-Central in July 2017. Similarly, Operation Egwu Eke (aka Python Dance II) with the mandate to check kidnappings, robberies, cultism and of course secessionist agitations in South-East Nigeria and Operation Puff Adder that was launch against kidnappers in the North-West axis. Operation Rattle Snake and Operation Long Reach were launched to curtail and degrade the terrorist in the North-East of the country.
All these operations jointly launched by the combined forces have minimised and localised the activities of the target audience of these operations in different parts of the country. To some extent, they are successful in quenching and quelling the blights, while in some areas much still need to be done.
It is obvious from the public backlash on the service chiefs that Nigerians are tired of their lame-duck approach to the issue of national security. It is written all over them that they are tired, they have exhausted all the arsenals in their pouch. The law of diminishing return has set in on them. The little success they claimed to have been recorded on the fight against terrorism has been receded with the current unabated onslaught of terrorists, bandits and kidnappers. They have been overwhelmed and they should be allowed to bow out of service for new officers that are ready to give their best.
The excuse that PMB did not know many officers (therefore the government is afraid that the officers might stage a coup to remove him) is not tenable. Security issues is a national affair that requires extensive consultation with stakeholders across the country, most especially the past heads of state and retired Generals. An attempt to do it alone by this regime has become counter-productive and ineffective. Thus, it must be noted that our defence strategy should be geared towards seamless synchronization of all variables that made up the nucleus of this nation.
There are good numbers of officers in the Nigeria Army that could do more than what these current service chiefs have done and are doing for these nations and whose loyalty may not be doubted as well.
Assessing the input of these service chiefs, clearly they have done a lot to curtail and resrict the Bokoharam to the Borno axis, but it is equally glaring that our country has faced increasing threats from terrorists, bandits and kidnappers more than any time in our history. Therefore, this makes it imperative for the Commander-in-Chief PMB to look inward and re-strategise.
The president should borrow knowledge and wisdom from the old Oyo empire where it was mandatory for the Army General (Are Onakakanfo) to defeat the insurgents and win the war by all means. Oyo only celebrates a gallant General that won the war, any General that suffered defeat in the war front paid dearly with his coveted position.
If this defence strategy was what made Oyo empire last longer and survive many insurgencies and intrigues up till 19th century when themodern state was created, then the survival of service chiefs in this present time should be attached to their ability and capability to secure lives and property of Nigerians.
There is a resurgence of state-based threats in all angles and Nigeria needs competent and sophisticated service chiefs that are bubbling with ideas, and who are in tune with the modern reality of counter-terrorism to defeat and cage all the non-state actors disturbing the serenity of Nigeria.
As Robert Greene wrote in his famous book, “The 33 Strategies of War,” he said that the enemy you are dealing with is not an inanimate object that will simply respond in an expected manner to your strategies. It should be noted that these enemies (terrorists, bandits, cattle rustlers and kidnappers) are constantly changing and adapting to what the troops are doing. They are innovating and inventing on their own, they try to learn from their mistakes and from security agencies successes and lapses as well.
Why we hail and salute the gallantry of our troops and officers who are engaging these insurgents and criminals in an unconvetional battle, it is equally important for them to know that the primary objective of national security (as was spelt out in President Obasanjo Grand Strategy drafted in the year 2000) shall be to strengthen the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to advance her interest and objectives, to contain instability, control crime, eliminate corruption, enhance genuine development, progress and growth, improve welfare and well-being and quality life of every citizen.
Rotimi S. Bello lives in Abuja and could be reached via [email protected]