Fall of Sambisa: We must salute air power

In December 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari announced to the nation the ‘technical defeat’ of the then dreaded Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT). About a year later, the nation woke up to yet another announcement by the President of the destruction of the enclave of the BHT. This news of course brought about celebrations, jubilations and sighs […]

In December 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari announced to the nation the ‘technical defeat’ of the then dreaded Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT). About a year later, the nation woke up to yet another announcement by the President of the destruction of the enclave of the BHT. This news of course brought about celebrations, jubilations and sighs of relief in the land. Finally, it was thought, the same Sambisa Forest that had provided sanctuary for the BHTs has finally been overrun. It is one great feat that has seen Nigerians across party divides come as one to commend the armed forces of Nigeria and other security agencies for a great job. One agency that has not been given proper credit, and which played tremendous role in the attainment of the successes that led to this remarkable success, is the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). Therefore, to these men and women we doff our hats.  

A few years back, the NAF was nothing but a relic of its old glory, an elite agency with neither bark nor bite. It was reported again and again that it was more of a drain on the Armed forces and we were informed that the NAF has no viable aircraft to embark on any mission, not even for routine training and exercises. We remember how the ‘supposed few’ barely serviceable ones were deployed for personal outings and even these were dropping off the sky one after the other, like lifeless birds, taking with them officers and government personalities.  

However in less than two years, we can see a visible change in the NAF that compels us to question and demand answers from not only past administrations, but from even the public that played complacence to the demeaning and embarrassing state of the NAF. Finally, we see results for the millions of dollars invested in aircrafts and materials by the government in the bid to quash the insurgents and rein-in militants.  

The NAF under the leadership of its present Chief, Air Marshal Abubakar Baba Sadique, has risen to become an efficient and effective force and this is very visible in the capture of Sambisa Forest. The NAF has been repositioned for optimal effect and this much is what proved potent and destabilised Boko Haram. The precision with which the NAF coordinated its combat and support operations prepared the ground for the surface forces comprising the army, and elements of other services and even the Civilian JTF to move into the forest. Efficiency and precision for maximum impact appeared to have been the watchword for the necessary air interdictions; operations that involve penetration of enemy territory and neutralize to enemy command and control infrastructure. We saw this in the way and manner aircrafts bombed and disassembled Boko Haram camps and equipment locations. The precision with which the NAF employed air power destabilized the BHT hierarchy and followership is clear. 

The NAF coordinated the necessary combat support that involved provision of enablers and force multipliers like air transportation, movement of equipment, and other logistics and sustenance for the troops. It is the NAF that undertakes search-and-rescue missions that evacuate the wounded, helping to minimize casualty during the operations. More so, without the Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) provided by such platforms operating from thousands of miles in the air, out of sight of the adversary, the forest would probably have still remained impenetrable. 

For the NAF, ISR is a continuous process as it provides a clear picture of the area of operation and affords a continuous ability to study the battle environment during and after such operations. ISR enables a battle damage assessment to ensure that targets are completely neutralised to deny the adversary any possibility of the utilization of such facility or even regrouping to coordinate other attacks. It is this combined efficiency that really won the war, it is what brought Boko Haram to its knees and caused the fall of Sambisa Forest.

The question we must begin to ask and explore is simple yet not quite simple; what were we doing wrong? What is different now but was absent earlier on? Our opinion is that commitment has a lot to do with it. It is the sheer force of commitment to, the will to accept the realization or recognition that doing the needful is not negotiable and that positions come with responsibility that demands commitment. This is what defines leadership, and an ability to set one’s self apart from the pack through the ability to optimally utilize available resources.

However, we must advise that there is a need to bridge what seems to be poor synergy between the different agencies of the armed forces. That the army had cause to celebrate is not in doubt, however given that the task force is a joint commission that comprised men and women from the air force, army, and the navy, my opinion is that there should have been joint cheering. Unfortunately what we see is one section of the armed forces taking ownership of this joint victory. And those of us laymen out there are left trying to solve a puzzle that we have no business contemplating. There is beauty and sweetness in esprit de corps as we know it. Or is there? 

As far as we can see, the entire armed forces, men and women, and other members of the security forces that gave their lives to defend our national integrity, all deserve our commendation. This, we give straight from our hearts. But also, the commitment and zeal with which the NAF pursued its mission must be applauded. To the Chief of Air Staff of the NAF, officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force, we say a mighty thank you.

Hammed wrote in from Lekki, Lagos.