The limits of a ceasefire

At a certain period in the Boko Haram insurgency, the fear was expressed that the battle may linger. The greatest obstacle against insurgency of any kind is the battle for hearts and minds. A military that earns the respect and trust of its citizenry has killed insurgency at its roots. This is why citizens of […]

At a certain period in the Boko Haram insurgency, the fear was expressed that the battle may linger. The greatest obstacle against insurgency of any kind is the battle for hearts and minds. A military that earns the respect and trust of its citizenry has killed insurgency at its roots. This is why citizens of civilized countries talk about ‘our troops’, ‘our gallant soldiers’ and have stickers declaring ‘we support our troops’ emblazoned on their cars and doors and sometimes tattooed on their bodies. In those climes, you can count on the military to watch your back and fight your battles. History would remember that commander that makes that of the Nigerian military.
When the military claiming the upper hand in battle suddenly pulls a ceasefire joker out of the deck, it asks more questions than it provides answers. Why does an army on the threshold of victory order a stay of action against a group that brutally breaks every imaginable protocol of modern warfare? These insurgents make captured officers dig their own graves and then slaughter them like rams? Given the opportunity, they should be routed if not run over. One expects the army to finish the job, take prisoners and unleash its intelligence on the captive to unravel the insurgent’s modus, operandi and Vivendi. That is the duty a modern army owe the people that it is established to protect.
On the other hand, if the army was battle weary and lacking both in morale and munitions, as some of our soldiers (and their spouses) were reported to have been, then it makes sense to beg for a ceasefire. That tantamount to tactical manoeuvring to save face; if that was our resolve, then things have sunk deeper than imaginable, and our sovereignty is not worth the paper on which it is written. We should expect disbandment to pave way for a new force of local kamajors, yan kalare, OPC and Niger-Delta ninjas.
The other issue is the reputation of the army and its corporate integrity. Can the army or its high command be trusted and taken at its words? Beyond propaganda, which is a potent weapon in war when used by professionals and not quacks and wannabes. Aside the usual Unknown Soldier trump card used to shield uniformed thugs from prosecution and accountability, how has the military high command behaved during this insurgency to earn the trust of the people? No answer is necessary here. As a nation, we are not known to have conscientious institutions where people voluntarily resign when they come short of public expectations. If that were to be the norm, it would have been an honour to pull out those who have lied all through this insurgency.
From the bungling of the rescue of Chibok girls to the $15 million patrimony now in South African hands. Sad that our generals are still wearing their polished crosses and stars, without a sense of shame or guilt. A nation gets the kind of generals it deserves.
As the military basks in its supposed ceasefire with Boko Haram, the group has not halted its advance. It is killing and annexing towns and villages into its caliphate and carrying out other murderous activities. We are either witnessing the new Ukraine-Russia definition of ceasefire or we are being taken for a ride -again. A third scenario is that Boko Haram is factionalised and the group which negotiated the ceasefire no longer represents the general interest leaving out a renegade group which is now engaging in ‘notice-me’ battles in the north-east.
At the risk of being bullied into rallying for a military that has lost its respect, patriots are clinging to the third scenario like drowning men hanging on to a string. If at the end of the day this ‘ceasefire’ leads to no truce, the military would have splashed faeces on what is left of its honour and integrity. Naturally one should crave to rally behind our troops, but respect, like honour must be earned to have a durable value. It is hoped that this ceasefire is not to pave way for an amnesty programme that would mean as usual – job for the boys. Rather than applaud, the whole world is sniggering.