Breaching our defence, like hot knife through butter

I worried over Maiduguri. We were warned that the announced ceasefire was a fluke and a fallacy. I feared that Boko Haram was plotting to overrun the Borno State capital. They instead went southwards taking on Adamawa State and, in one fell swoop, overran a reportedly well-stocked military formation and, within an hour, captured Mubi. […]

I worried over Maiduguri. We were warned that the announced ceasefire was a fluke and a fallacy. I feared that Boko Haram was plotting to overrun the Borno State capital. They instead went southwards taking on Adamawa State and, in one fell swoop, overran a reportedly well-stocked military formation and, within an hour, captured Mubi. Mubi, for all practical purposes was only not defended, but escape was everyone for himself – thousands of men, women, students, and children. Yola is currently witnessing a humanitarian disaster will thousands of refugees milling around, and more from Hong, Gombi, and Song townships on the route from Mubi, trooping into the already overcrowded metropolis daily.
A month ago, we were cheered up by the success of efforts of the Nigerian military to turn the tide on insurgents in the ongoing anti-terrorist operation to rescue Borno. The military successfully repelled an insurgents’ advance on Konduga. Then last month, it was the story of Adeboyega Obasanjo that truly sparked a flame, even though some officers and men were lost. Adeboyega, a Colonel and son of a former Head of State and President, wounded in battle made me feel comfortable about my own children and relatives, commoners as we are, also presently in battle, making the supreme sacrifice for our country Nigeria. These are the stories I want to hear; that we should hear, not of soldiers fleeing superior power and making tactical manoeuvres. For without doubt, Nigeria’s military is one of the finest in the world, with a remarkable track record of lofty global professional attainments.
The problem cannot the lack of courage on the part of the Nigerian soldier. He is reputably courageous, and performs with a high degree of honour and dignity. The Nigerian Military wear their uniforms with pride in defence of their hard earned reputation. In the Congo, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Gambia and Darfur and South Sudan, the Nigerian Military performed with distinction. It is on record that while America failed in Somalia, Nigerian troops restored order and respite before matters deteriorated. The debacle in Mubi like all the others is shameful.

I receive insults and threatening e-mails that castigate me for demands of more firepower against the terrorists. While making excuses for President Goodluck Jonathan, they say the insurgency is an expression of rejection of President Jonathan and it pains me to see the Government being scammed by its functionaries with misinformation on the security situation, which alone seems to explain the glaring inadequacies of the counter insurgency efforts, and the seeming helplessness of the Administration.  Suggestions made in good faith are met with denial and politicized. For weeks, Gulak, Madagali, Michika, and Uba had been in the hands of the insurgents, even as fleeing residents were seeking shelter in Yola in hundreds and thousands. Yet Government announced that the insurgents had be routed and the cities, recovered from the insurgents. Then the announcement of a ceasefire came as the height of the delusion. If anything at all, Yoweri Museveni, (Uganda) Charles Taylor, (Sierra Leone), Barak Obama (USA), and indeed Boko Haram have proved that when necessary, you do not have to have been a soldier to wage war. So we can collectively do some thinking.
The pattern of Boko Haram that is clear is that they massively attack cities. But the defence posture of the Nigerian Military is to mount road blocks and engage the insurgents in small platoons. This has ensured that our soldiers were all the time at a disadvantage. Little manned road blocks are suddenly outgunned, overran, and cities are left undefended, hence the fall of city after city.
Boko Haram is able to maintain a steady inflow of weapons, bullets and equipment, much of it, reportedly confiscated from ambushed and routed special forces. It is a no win situation. The road block approach has needed to be modified, to have cities better fortified with more armed military.
The main problem is the lack of will in the military, committing itself to engaging the insurgents in a manner that can compromise it, weaken it, and defeat it. For this, the President must take decisive action. The buck stops at his table. When a team performs woefully, firing the coach in a feat of anger and frustration makes a lot of sense, more so, a coach or technical crew whose players refuse to obey orders, and simply allow goals. A drastic step that lifts morale and gives spine and muscle to “the boys” is pertinent. Unless of course the losses are designed to achieve some clandestine desires of the powers-that-be. How did our Armed Forces so lagged behind in kitting and equipping in spite of the pronounced funding and the seizures from the treasures of the States of the North East under the State of Emergency?
What is evident is that Boko Haram seems at a loss what to do when they successfully take territory. Escaped victims from captured enclaves speak only of looting of money and foodstuff, abuse of women and forceful enlistment of child fighters. They do not appear to have ability to set up political structures that provide any social service. Mere terror reigns.

Politically, President Jonathan must wear shoes and buckle up for in future, volumes will be written on ‘How the Nigerian Military Armed Boko Haram’. The accounts will begin from the known to the unknown, revealing a whole lot. When a General deploys his troops and equipment only in such a way as to allow routing of his men and confiscation of ordinances including tanks and mortars, when troops are ostensibly without rear support which explains tactical retreats, he inadvertently sponsors the enemy. Sadly heroes would be among the dead.