Amidst mixed reactions from the public about the efforts of the Service Chiefs over the handling of the fight against the remnants of the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group in the North East, part of Nigeria.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai’s confidence in the ability of the Nigeria Army to defeat the insurgency is unshaken. He revealed this in a congratulatory and commendation letter he wrote to the Commanders and Troops fighting Boko Haram/ISWAP in the North East of Nigeria recently. General Buratai reminded the men and officers fighting the insurgency that they have done it before and that they can do it again.
The Nigerian Army under the leadership of General Buratai has been rebranded and repositioned to face the various security challenges in the Country, and it’s not only the President and Commander in Chief that is aware of this giant strides of the Nigerian Army, we the people are also impressed and proud of the General Buratai’s led Nigerian Army.
Tales of the Nigerian Army’s gallantry abounds, both at home and abroad. Apart from bringing uncountable reforms into the Nigerian Army, General Buratai brought hope to a once seemingly hopeless situation. Looking at the situation in the country before this present administration, let’s say before General Buratai took command as the Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, Nigerians don’t sleep with their two eyes closed. The situation became so worrisome to the extent that many international communities issued traveling warnings against Nigeria. This situation is now tamed and peace restored back. Security is no longer a serious concern to investors and visitors to the Country. The nation is now safe and secured for every human endeavor, thanks to the gallantry of the Nigerian Army and other sister security agencies.
The nation was used to constant embarrassment and ridicule as the Boko Haram terrorist matched freely to our capital city, Abuja and attack high value targets, defeating this blood sucking monsters and keeping our nation safe without declaring martial laws or unnecessary littering the Country with military checkpoint is all to the ingenuity of General Buratai.
The Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai in his letter to the Commanders and Troops assured them of the best care from the Federal Government, that will constantly boost their moral. The occasional attacks on soft targets by the remnants of the terrorist once in while is equally a worrisome thing and surely, the Army, according to the Chief of Staff, will defeat this evil and conquer the enemies of the Nigeria state. Who would have thought that in the heart of the NorthEast, where Boko Haram terrorist had once pitched their tent and declared the capital of their fundamentalist state, the Nigerian Army would today have established the Nigerian Army University, in Biu town…… Biu town, a few years back was in the hands of the terrorist.
It’s equally obvious that most of the people today calling for the sack of the Service Chiefs are highly partisan individuals or people who do not have any idea on fighting an unconventional warfare. But one thing that is obvious is when you are fighting with people who love death more than life, you are always on the defensive, terror does not disappear as would a conventional war, compared to other places where terror also has occurred, the Nigerian Army especially since year 2015 has done exceptionally well. General Buratai through his innovations has made the Nigerian Army, a model for all to see. Under General Buratai’s leadership, the benevolence of the Nigerian Army has been felt across the length and breadth of the Country. At the instances and with the support of the Army Chief, many Nigerian Army formations and units have intensified efforts at providing infrastructure and social amenities for their host communities all over the Country.
The Nigerian Army and the current Chief of Army Staff, General Buratai, is no doubt becoming more expressive in making Nigerians see its commitment and readiness to win the on going battle against insecurity across the Country by every legal means possible and thus the need for regular communications with the troops as demonstrated recently by the Army Chief in his letter to his commanders and troops.
Terrorism do not start in a day and it requires more than a day to end it, with the progress made so far, it is obvious that the end to the remnants of the Boko Haram/ISWAP is in sight and the call for the sack of the Service Chiefs might not be necessary. After all, the system built by the current Chief of Army staff and other Service Chiefs are sustainable, and aimed at finding the root cause, and end the evil venture on our land finally.
The Service Chief deserves our commendations rather than condemnations. Yes, they are human and we cannot expect 100 % perfection from them, but from what they have achieved in the past and their current sacrifices we should be proud of them and join hand with them to win this war once and for all.
When the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces visited Maiduguri recently, he challenged the residents of the state to join hands with the military to end the insurgency. The President was right in his opinion that the locals can do a lot in helping the military by identifying the Boko Harams/ISWAP terrorist among them and supplying the military with relevant information that will help them in tackling the insurgents.
The President speaking from his experience as retired Army General, who understands perfectly the intricacies of a war time situation and who equally knows very well that such attack cannot be possible without the collaborations from some indigenes and people who understand the terrain very well. If the people cooperate with the military, the war will be won in a time least expected by everyone.
Security is a duty of all and sundries; we must show commitments in ending any kind of violent crimes and activities that threatens our peaceful coexistence.
However , in spite of the victories, the theatres of war appears to have shifted to the very type that mocks victory. The attritional self destruction ventures of some Foreign interest like Amnesty International and some of its local conspirators rather than help the fight against terrorism, undermines and destructively reports the Nigerian Military efforts in negative terms. Despite the persistence of such politically motivated attacks, from this unpatriotic individuals and interest, the war on terror has gradually wound down to nothing but occasional burst of desperate attacks by the terrorist for food, drugs and sustenance like the reports of the terrorist stealing cows and other livestock or in highway robberies, never again the kind of attacks that fetched them the tag of one of the most deadliest terrorist group.
This article was contributed by Engr Dr Fidelis Nze (KSM), National Publicity Secretary, Southeast Professionals in Diaspora, from Owerri, Imo State.
