Nigeria Times

By Anthony Kolawole PhD
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to give the nation’s service chiefs and security agencies more time to adequately address the security issues bedeviling the country.

The President in his Christmas Message to the people, called on Nigerians to support and cooperate with the service chiefs and security agencies by giving them information on the activities of criminal elements who are bent on exacerbating the security threats in the country.

By this call, Mr. President has succeeded in sending clear messages across that 1) he knows exactly what he is doing about securing the lives and property of citizens, 2) he is not ready to allow people politicise the security situation in the country, 3) he  cannot be stampeded into taking rash actions just to please a few 4) that he appreciates the commitment of the current set of service chiefs to the deescalating the threats to security and 5) that he appreciates the contributions of citizens.

To buttress the fact that the President knows his onions, he reiterated the fact that he is committed to securing the lives and property of citizens as he had promised to do before he came to power. 

He said, “For me, providing security for all residents in the country remains an article of faith. It formed a vital segment of this administration’s three-point agenda right from inception, and we must follow through with it.

“I cannot in good conscience shirk this cardinal responsibility to secure lives and property. I feel pained each time a breach of peace and security occurs in any part of the nation. I am even more distressed when our youths, especially school children, are the targets and victims of mindless and malevolent elements in society.

“As a parent, I share the emotional torture and agony parents and guardians go through whenever their children and wards fall into the cruel hands of these enemies of decency and good society.”

The President also noted that the problems of insecurity facing the nation is beyond the gibberish being offered by some but requires more than the “simplistic options” being suggested by a few.

These issues raised by Mr. President, take us to the heart of what have been the major factors hindering the complete defeat of insecurity in Nigeria. 

For long, various administrations have either been blackmailed or stampeded into taking hasty actions which they later regretted.

The Yar’ Adua administration for instance rushed into clamping down on Boko Haram terrorists in their formative stages when they were operating in known places in Maiduguri, forcing the group to go underground, while the Obasanjo and Jonathan administrations were compelled to change service chiefs too frequently without achieving much.

These have shown that people’s reactions are most times instigated at best by emotions or at worst due to some selfish considerations.

But President Buhari, whose experience and knowledge of security and defence cannot be faulted, understood better and chose not to be intimidated.

He carefully picked his service chiefs when he assumed office and with them has been able achieve much in securing the lives of Nigerians.

In spite of that, any time there’s a security breach, the agitation for the removal of service chiefs would start afresh from certain negating completely the progress being made in that turf.

But if there’s anyone who understands that some of the measures required to wage an effective war on insurgency, terrorism and banditry require time and resources to put in place, it is the President who has seen it all in terms military strategies.

For instance when the Nigerian Army made to purchase the Chinese Rotary Wing AVIC AV500 drone to be able to carry out ISR missions at medium altitude, carry out strikes and stay airborne for nine hours while fighting terrorists, it took a long time to conclude the deal.

When it comes to managing the security situation  in the country Mr. President understands these issues better that is why he has received commendation from both local and international experts who have all rated his strategies as top notch.

No war is won in a flash. It requires strategic thinking, planning and coordination and the current service chiefs have shown several times that they know what they’re doing. 

They for instance were the ones that changed the story of the fight against insurgency from when soldiers were fleeing from battlefield prior to 2015, to the series of victories being experienced now.

The service chiefs are the ones that made it possible for troops to enter Sambisa Forest and capture Camp Zero and are the ones that recaptured territories seized  by terrorists and brought them back to Nigeria.

They’re the ones that stopped the rain of bombs across the country.

Hence the President Buhari administration must be applauded for degrading the terrorists, retaking captured military bases in  Bama, Monguno and Gwoza as well as recapturing territories captured by the terrorists including the 20 local government areas that came under the authority of the terrorists.

It should also be hailed for putting a stop to the activities of the terrorists in Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna and Abuja and confining them to few communities along the Lake Chad,  putting terrorists in disarray and making it impossible for them to launch further attacks on communities.

One is not unaware that as Mr. President is busy trying to return the entire country to normalcy, that there are some fifth columnists working against that by arming bandits to destabilize the country. Same people have been busy sponsoring terrorists in the Southeast and other places in order to paint the current administration in bad light.

The service chiefs can sustain these victories for the greater good. 

Let’s give the service chiefs and the security agencies a chance just like Mr. President has pleaded, and we will all win the war together as one nation.

Kolawole PhD wrote this article from Keffi.

By Philip Agbese

When the alarm was raised that there was a plot to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari during this festive season little did one know that pretender to Nigeria Expertise, John Campbell, was among the line-up of those given the assignment. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had this week raised the alarm about an ongoing plan to launch a smear campaign against the President, with the claim that he has lost grip of the security situation in the country.
Adesina had outlined that the the plan of the disgruntled political elements sponsoring this campaign is to portray Buhari as not being in charge of the country using cooked up media stories, especially online. Incidentally, Campbell has outed himself as being part of this plan, which is in addition to his being well known as being part of the foreign chapter of Nigeria’s opposition.

Campbell, who has abused and exploited his stint as one-time United States of America’s ambassador to Nigeria, continued his now trite position as pretender to Nigeria’s expertise to spew his now regular rant about Nigeria without disclosing that he was on errand for an opposition whose distance from power has been on a daily exponential increase as it became clearer that those within its ranks are not likely to ever get the freely given democratic mandate of Nigerians.
The piece that the former US diplomat used to deliver on his contract for the opposition was improperly captioned “Darkness in Northern Nigeria” and published by neo-colonialist website of the Council for Foreign Relations (CFR). That site has been Campbell’s sounding board, for each time he seeks to inflame passions in Nigeria and that organization on its own has the notoriety of manipulating circumstances in other countries in a manner that furthers the narrow interests of the dark circle of humans that fancies itself as the owner of the world.

Campbell would have better served those he is running errands for had he just maintained a dignified silence. But he simply could not resist the temptation of pitching in, perhaps so that he does not lose out on whatever the Council gives him and not to be cut off as a consultant to Nigeria’s opposition. For Campbell, the prospect of hunger for not honouring his contract is real, and he will definitely do anything not to go on the dole even at the cost of selling himself to darkness.
Only such desperation will make him to pick issues with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai to all troops to put themselves in a “war mode.” He is concerned that there is a move to intensify the screening for Boko Haram terrorists among civilians, which he fears would lead to abuses without admitting the flip side that the terrorists had fled battle fronts and tried their best to blend into the civilian population. Of course, facts and logic would be a luxury that someone attempting to discredit the government can ill afford.
His claim of being an expert on Nigeria was lost with his shabby suggestion that fears are surfacing that “the Buhari government may revive shelved legislation that would seek greater control over social media—including the death penalty for spreading “fake news,” as defined by the government”. Such claim would only be the product of ignorance or mischief or a toxic combination of both. A man who is an acclaimed expert on Nigeria should have known that the National Assembly is not the same as the Presidency and that the lawmakers in parliament can introduce legislation without taking permission from the executive arm. To then claim that the “Buhari government” will revive the legislation is the height of irresponsibility.
It is not surprising that Campbell’s validation for his entire piece came from the actions of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), a group that has been repeatedly exposed as the mob arm of the opposition, one that is looking to exploit the security situation in some parts of the country to precipitate anarchy in the north. One wonders if Campbell will, in good conscience, endorse a group with similar outlooks in the United States, knowing that their intents are not in national interest.
Campbell will have to explain the bit about how states have organized informal militias that “are likely now acting independently more often than in conjunction with security forces”. This is simply racist. It depicts a Campbell who thinks Nigeria does not have the right to evolve its structures and institutions in the manner that they find fit and practical – states have been agitating to have their own police but have been limited by the Constitution, if they find a workaround that addresses the problem of insecurity in part, why should this be a source of headache for this failed contractor?
If the other things Campbell claimed in the piece are pointers to his desperation to satisfy his client(s), his suggestions that “security service abuses contribute to the alienation of the population from the government” and that “government is also failing to fulfill its obligation to provide security for its people” is the final confirmation that he needs to see a shrink, possibly for a case of old-age related senility or worse still as someone for whom the light has gone out and completely replaced by tangible darkness. Perhaps he should have first analyzed the epidemic of mass shooting in the US from this same prism to see which one is more deserving of the attention he is wasting on Nigeria.
As a bonus, Campbell should have devoted more resources to analyzing the allegations of voting fraud in the US Presidential Election as leveled by Donald Trump, who should know since he is a sitting President of that country. Even if Trump should be dismissed as a clown, the concern should remain that the US elections have been ushered into the realm of doubts once occupied by the so-called third world countries. It is a phenomenon that would worsen in 2024 and then 2028 instead of going away. Thus, rather than obsessing about “Darkness in Northern Nigeria”, Campbell should focus on the darkness that is blanketing his own home country, one that has already enshrouded his soul.

Agbese is a law graduate of Middlesex University and wrote this piece from London.

By Musa Sani

Northern Nigeria is at the cusp of a new era. It is caught in that moment of separation between a gloomy past and the imminence of a bright future. Those who choose to look at the past would see the gloom that shaped an unfortunate era worsened by lack of capacity in leadership; while those that choose to look at the present would see the rising sun of a beautiful new beginning.

American journalist, John Campbell, betrayed his calling as a writer, when he failed to confront the present while doing a report on the security  situation in Northern Nigeria but chose to dwell in the past.

Campbell’s published report entitled, Darkness in Northern Nigeria, indicated that the writer was conspicuously missing when he was supposed to deconstruct the fable woven around happenings in Northern  Nigeria with his mandate as an investigator; it showed that he only chose to go with a mob mentality and relayed a forlorn tale being told in years gone by, as the current security situation in Northern Nigeria.

I can bet my last penny that Campbell did not go close to many of the areas he reported on but relied mainly on stories from old newspapers and internet junk sited to put out his report. 

Since he has failed in his task as a journalist to confront fresh facts and new realities,  I consider it incumbent on me to report the true situation of things in Northern Nigeria today and I dare Campbell to contradict the facts I’m going to put out.

Campbell, in his report lied that there are signs that the Nigerian army and the police have continued to fail to meet the security needs of the Nigerian people and often turn toward repression. 

He said in November, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen.Tukur Buratai called on troops to put themselves in a “war mode and that he obtained an internal army communication  where Nigerian soldiers were exhorted to treat all individuals in places where Boko Haram is active as suspected jihadists until they are properly identified and claimed that by this, the door has been opened to yet more human rights abuses by the security services. 

There is however no one leaving in the Northeastern part of Nigeria that can claim that the Nigerian Army and police have failed in providing security to the people of the region as reported by Campbell. This is because it’s simply not true.

In the middle of this year, for instance, several independent groups working in the Northeast of Nigeria, have reported how the Nigerian military have freed hundreds of communities from constant harassment and attacks by the insurgents. Campbell, in his fictional report did not find out that about 20 local governments in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe were overran and taken over by insurgents prior to the coming of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

He failed to discover that since all the local governments and communities were liberated through sustained military operations, that no Nigerian territory has again fallen to the insurgents since 2015!

On the claim that the Army Chief is trying to goad the Army into human rights abuses by asking soldiers to be vigilant, Campell seemed not to be aware that the Nigerian Army is one of the highly professional in Africa.

He did not realise that for an asymmetric war that has lasted over 10 years now, the Nigerian Army has conducted itself with high sense of discipline and professionalism that it is being commended the world over for the least number of civilian casualties and for observing rules of engagements even while fighting a murderous group like Boko Haram who have shown no mercy to security agents or the civil populace. The military has even been criticised for accepting surrender from insurgents.

The growing military- civil relations is why communities go out of their ways to request military presence around them and even come out to applaud troops when they see them.

This wouldn’t have been the case if the military have shown tendencies of harassing civilians as Campbell claims.
Campbell relied on a contrived statement by an amorphous group called the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), to buttress his claims that the Nigerian military is failing.

He reported that the group is calling on local communities to defend themselves against Boko Haram and “bandits” because the Buhari government is failing to protect them adding that the group said “northern Nigeria has been abandoned at the mercy of various insurgents, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, rapists, and an assortment of hardened criminals,” with a “huge vacuum in the political will and capacity of government to challenge” such violent actors. 

But Campbell failed to mention the numerous groups that have commended the Nigerian military for the success of the fight against all those crimes he mentioned.

Within the last one month, no less than 15 verifiable groups have commended Nigerian military for their various operations.

Again, Campbell claimed that around Nigeria, numerous state governors are organizing and supporting informal militias, which are likely  acting independently more often than in conjunction with security forces.

This is why I make bold to say that Campbell was not reporting 2020 but the situation in Northern Nigeria prior to 2015.

Under the current administration, vigilante groups have been disbanded and the Civilian JTF and most of the existing state security outfits came about during past administrations. The only regional owned outfit that came under the current administration is the Amotekun, but it has never acted independently of the state security forces hence could not have contributed to the alienation of the population from the government or help drive jihadi recruitment.

Contrary to his claims that the Nigerian state is losing an attribute of sovereignty and that the government is also failing to fulfill its obligation to provide security for its people, the Nigerian government has proven several times that it is in control and has the capacity to protect citizens. 

In March, for instance, during an operation that was carried out in Gorgi, Damboa local government of  Borno State, more than 100 Boko Haram insurgents and their top commanders were killed.

In April, Nigerian troops also killed 105 insurgents in confrontation at a town called Buni Gari with remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP that attempted to infiltrate the village. They captured  five AK-47 rifles, three GPMG, one Duska anti-aircraft gun, one PKT gun, two handheld radio, while one terrorists’ gun truck was destroyed and several ammunition and ammunition links, two hand grenades, two magazines with ammunition and assorted hard drugs in that operation. 

When the Army launched Operation Kantana Jimlan, 78 members of ISWAP and 56  Boko Haram members were killed.

Nigerian troops also arrested 28 informants of the groups and recovered lots of ammunition from them.

In an operation on the Timbuktu Triangle and another artillery engagement in Buk,  Damboa LG of Borno State, Nigerian troops killed134 number of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.

Between March when Lt. General Buratai relocated to the theater of operation and now, Nigerian troops have killed no less than 2000 of the terrorists that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau gave an indication that he was considering turning himself in in an act of surrender.

In July, the Nigerian Army, received a big thumbs up over the killing of 8 top Boko Haram commanders and their spiritual consultant when counter-terrorism troops of Operation Lafiya Dole engaged Boko Haram fighters who were attempting to infiltrate an Army Super Camp in Damasak, Borno State.

Those killed included their Imam,  Mansur Abu Fatima, Tumbun Dabino – Ba Issoufo, Tumbun Bororo – Amir Batam, Tumbun Jaki – Almustapha, TumbunBagaruwa – Modou Kollo, Dogon Tchoukou – Issah, Tumbun Rakke  – Mustapha Woulama, Tumbun Dila – Boukar Kowa and Tumbun Mita – Abou Aisha.

While items recovered from the Boko Haram include three AK 47 rifles, magazine with 48 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Honda Salon car, one motorcycle, eight bicycles, three mobile phones with multiple SIM and memory cards and five copies of the Qur’an, a letter written in Hausa to the top commander, documents and other logistics.

A report by Andrew Granit,  President, Preventive Diplomacy, United Kingdom, who was in Nigeria earlier contradicts and rubbish the Campbell report. 

Granit had reported after his tour of the Northeast that the vigilance, hard work, commitment and the undisguised patriotism of the Nigerian Arny have consistently frustrated the agenda of the ISWAP terrorists. 

He said, “Of course, flashes of terror attacks on communities, ambushes of troops in the battlefields and casualties on both sides would continue to occur because of the drowsy and aberrant character of managing terrorism combats and conflicts to its conclusive end.

“However, I am impressed with the courage, bravery and tenacity of the Nigerian Army. Troops in the frontlines have displayed determination, rather than fatigue. “And the counter-insurgency leaders have displayed ideal and focused leadership; it has not flinched from support to troops, which are the greatest psychological weapon a soldier needs in war.” This is the reality and not the imaginary picture painted by Campbell in his highly fictional report.

Sani PhD is a political analyst and wrote from ABU, Zaria.

By Emmanuel Ekpe

Securing life and property is something nobody should hold with levity, especially government at all levels. Due to the established fact that the world has become a global village, any threat to peace in any part of the world is now a threat to peace all over the world, because, if the security situation is not urgently tackled, its escalation may affect areas that never envisaged that such could affect them. Nigeria has had its share of security challenges, especially in the Northern parts. That the country is still peaceful today is due to democracy which made it possible for the true representatives of the people to be at the helms of affairs.

We all should accept the fact that the insecurity challenges in Nigeria cannot be entirely blamed on the service chiefs. In my opinion, the service chiefs are doing incredibly well in combating insecurity in Nigeria. When I took the time to critically analyze the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, I realised that the current administration has done so well compared to the past administration. I remembered the frequency and severity of the attacks by both insurgents and bandits on the lives and properties of the Nigerian citizens back then, most of which their painful memories still linger in my heart. The terrorists had the upper hand because the service chiefs back then were very ineffective. But thanks to the sagacious decision of President Muhammadu Buhari in choosing the present security chiefs, insecurity in Nigeria is gradually being defeated. The president’s administration and the current service chiefs have been burdened with cleaning after the previous administrations’ mess.

Indubitably, the service chiefs aren’t magicians who would instantly make the evil of insecurity disappear. It’s a gradual process. Remember that they are faced with many security threats such as Boko Haram, Niger Delta Avengers and other clandestine forces who have the backing of both internal and external forces. What has made matters worse for the service chiefs is the fact that they have had to deal with many disgruntled elements sponsoring bandits and terrorists. Let’s not forget that even the country with the most powerful military in the world, the United States of America is still struggling to win the war against the Taliban due to the fact that there are unscrupulous elements sponsoring and protecting these jihadists.

Many have chosen to point out the so-called failures of the service chiefs, but in truth, the service chiefs have accomplished a lot. The Federal Capital Territory is now safe for everyone, also there is no Local Government under the control of the Boko Haram terrorists. The people of Zaria and their neighbors were saved from the threat of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, The Niger Delta Avengers have been properly checkmated and thus prevented from continuing their mindless attacks on Nigeria’s Oil infrastructures and foreign workers that would have led to the sabotage of the Nigerian economy. Boko Haram has been prevented from establishing enormous control of the Northern parts of the country just like the Al-Qaeda jihadists did in Western Asia.

Interestingly, we have had lots of recorded success in quenching the fire of insecurity in the country, due to President Muhammadu Buhari’s action in charging the heads of security agencies including the service chiefs not to tolerate the worsening security situations that were sprouting in different areas in the country.

As such, the country is relatively safe, devoid of rancour and friendly for investments. Though, the President still showed his extreme unhappiness about what is happening and he feels that even though the security agencies are doing their best, their best is not good enough for him and he wants an immediate reversal of the current trend.

The president understands the wild influences of corrupt mediocre that have turned to criminal elements and terrorist funders that aimed at destabilizing the country.

Let us also take note that the calls for the President to sack his service chiefs due to the insecurity challenges in Nigeria are driven by the witless efforts of nefarious individuals with what I term ‘anti-Nigerian military agitprop’. They know quite well that due to the immense efforts of the service chiefs have prevented the insecurity issues in Nigeria to proliferate beyond control. This is also part of the efforts by terrorists to dislodge the current chiefs who have so vehemently opposed their evil doings since the assumption of their respective offices. If we join the calls for the sack of the service chiefs, then we are inadvertently joining the cause of these terrorists.

Indeed, it is known that this administration came to power on the platform of three issues – fighting insecurity, overcoming our economic difficulties and dealing with the scourge of corruption. I can boldly say that, this administration as recorded monumental achievements that have touched these three issues. Both local and international experts have all rated President Muhammadu Buhari’s strategies at achieving such feat, a top notch, and they gave credence to these claims, especially in managing the security situations in the country.

But for a few a disgruntled elements, PMB has not perform very well to their own expectations. They so much think otherwise, and One would begin to wonder how President Buhari can solve all the problems, when we are winning the war against Boko Haram and its factions, they are busy arming bandits to destabilize another region, causing mayhem, and being a grievous menace to the nation.

I was very impressed when the Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Buratai relocated to the epicentre of the war earlier this year, where he decided to lead his soldiers and in battle against the terrorists lodged deep in the Sambisa forest and other parts of the region. This is a brave effort by the General, and it shows how devoted he is in carrying out the directive of the president in ensuring the protection of the lives and properties of the Nigerian citizens. With this, the Nigerian military was able to regain hold of the region, free a lot of innocent citizens kidnapped by the terrorists, and killed a lot of them. This brought back hope and raised the spirits and morale of the Nigerian army. The Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe Ibas has also led his men in ensuring the safety of the Nigerian waters and the transformation of the Nigerian Navy into a formidable force. Let us also not forget Air Chief Marshal, Sadique Abubakar for his efforts in counterterrorism and increase in the number of aircraft which have been effectively used to combat insurgents from the skies.

The president knows how these obnoxious acts could distract the focused security forces, therefore, he has urged them not to be deterred, but to remain focus on their goal in the continuous fight.

The President has also told the heads of security agencies to justify their continuous stay in office as he expressed anger at their less than satisfactory performance so far and that he will no longer accept further escalation in insecurity in the country, which has led to protests.

I believe we should all agree with and support the president in his decision to carry on with his current service chiefs as he is well informed the military structure in Nigeria better than most of us and thus knows the right men for the job. The removal of the current service chiefs will only be to the advantage of the terrorists and the unscrupulous agents sponsoring them. Sacking the service chiefs is far from the solution. We all have to work together and tackle the underlying issues that have bred the demon of insecurity in Nigeria.

On this note, President Buhari has solicited for more time to be given to the service Chiefs and security agencies to do their Job to the letter.
Let’s give the service chiefs a chance just like Mr President as pleaded and we will all win the war together as a Nation.

Ekpe is a security expert and wrote from Abuja.

By Thomas Uzah PhD

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” —Max DePree
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In numerous forums, I have always stated that all that is required for Nigeria to make progress is when there is a commitment from those in positions of authorities to provide credible leadership in the task of nation-building.

In Nigeria today, few have distinguished themselves in this regard and without the pomp and pageantry, yet, making great sacrifices without expecting a thank you in return. They have carried on as servants of the people in the discharge of their responsibilities.

One such person is the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, who qualifies to be called a true leader in all ramifications. He has done what others considered as rocket science. He has displayed that once there is a will, there would always be a way.

I doff my hat for Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai for how he has repositioned the Nigerian Army since he assumed leadership. He has not only done well, but he has also returned the Nigerian Army as the Pride of the Nation, with regards to the prosecution of the war against insurgency, as well as other vices that nearly brought Nigeria on its knees.

Today’s Nigerian Army is indeed a professional force that abides by the rules of engagement in its operations. This much is evident in the numerous successes recorded in North-East Nigeria and other parts of the country.

We might not understand the import of the Nigerian Army’s efforts in addressing the security challenges in the country. However, when we look back five years ago when the Boko Haram terrorist group controlled territories in parts of Nigeria and nearly overran the Federal Capital Territory, we would indeed realize that a lot has changed for better.

I recall when Boko Haram terrorist group freely attacked public places and critical government infrastructures in the Federal Capital Territory; many feared that Nigeria might not survive the onslaught. There was palpable fear in the country, so much so that going out and returning safely was somewhat a miracle because nobody knew when the next bomb was going to detonate.

Roads were barricaded as preventive measures. Life was generally miserable for all, the poor that queued in their numbers to board public buses at the Nyanaya motor park, to those working in the United Nations’ headquarters in Abuja before explosives were detonated. It was a gory period in the annals of the country.
Today, all of that has changed. It didn’t happen overnight. Some persons kept vigil when others slept. And the result is what we see today. The barricades on major roads have disappeared. Not a single bomb has detonated anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory. Boko Haram does not control any local government area in any part of Nigeria. Militant groups have been neutralized. And many more exploits too numerous to mention.

If not for anything, we must give honour to whom it is due. That is why we must commend the Nigerian Army’s leadership for its giant strides in the protection of lives and properties in the country. I know for sure that some mischief makers would not agree with the position because they are blinded by the filthy lucre that they get whenever they spread fake news and undermines the efforts to address the security challenges in the country.

I am not one of those that shy from speaking the truth. I must at this point state that Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has led the Nigerian Army in such a manner that has elicited commendation from wide and far. For him, it is all about service, and this has been seen in the way and manner he has personally led the onslaught against criminal elements in the country.

We have witnessed instances where he gets to the trenches with soldiers in North-East, Nigeria. We have also seen how he has traversed the country’s length and breadth inspecting and reviewing operational strategies on times too numerous to mention. This is indeed legendary and one that would take a long time to come by again.

Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai is the soldier’s soldier. He is frequently on the field and not holed up in the luxury of the office. He is tireless and a workhorse who derives joy when criminal elements are neutralized. He is indeed one rare breed that has redefined what leadership entails and a lesson in service to humanity.

For him, there is no time for frivolities. It is also a statement of the fact that during festive seasons such as this, he has been known for moving around all formations and units of the Nigerian Army reviewing and assessing operational strategies to boost the morale of troops. I am not sure we have many leaders in this country with such work ethics as Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

As I write this piece unlike many others in position of authorities who have closed shop and at home with their families in celebratory mood, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai is currently in the trenches with the troops strategizing and boosting their morale. This is leadership and should serve as a lesson to all who occupy leadership positions in the country. That Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has elected to be in the trenches when others are feasting with families and friends defines his leadership style that emphasizes country first above anything else. This has remained customary over the years.

Nigeria is indeed blessed to have such at this critical point of our existence. He is indeed gallant, and a unique breed will take us a very long time to get in the Nigerian Army again. It consequently behoves on us to do all within our means to support and appreciate the Nigerian Army and its leadership.

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. This is indeed the reflection of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, as he remains in the trenches for all.

Uzah PhD wrote this piece from Kwararafa University Wukari.

By Joyce Matthew

The year 2020 will be remembered as the year the Nigerian Army recorded its greatest onslaught so far against the evils of banditry, insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria.

This year has seen the Nigerian Army tackling all forms of insecurity in the almost all the geopolitical zones in the country with tangible and verifiable results!

The previous year, 2019 had not been a bad year for the military as it killed and flushed out Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists from most parts of the Northeast Nigeria which saw them fleeing to neighbouring African countries like Chad, Cameroon and Niger and made it possible for elections to be conducted successfully in all parts of the country including Borno which had high rates of security challenges. 

But as internally displaced persons returned to their communities and the military was trying to consolidate on gains of the previous year so that complete normalcy would return, some of the terrorists who had fled from the superior fire power of the Nigerian Army and settled in Chad rose against the Chadian government and killed over 100 of President Idris Derby Itno’s special squad.

The killing saw the Chadian government moving against the terrorists,  killing quite a number of them which forced many of them to run back to Nigeria.

The Nigerian military detected that the return of the insurgents was going to pose fresh security challenges for Nigeria and it quickly took action.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai offered to lead the operation that would check this challenge and flush the terrorists out of Nigeria for good and offered to relocate to Borno State to lead the troops from the front.

Some of the Chadian escapees who ran with their weapons by then have started showing signs of desperation due to hunger and had started raiding communities and killing innocent villagers to feed and dispossess them of their property.

But the relocation of the Chief of Army Staff to the theatre of war stopped all that as it introduced new strategies in the fight against insurgency and the Nigerian Army is sustained operations made it impossible for the insurgents to operate.

In one of such incidents, the Nigerian Army stationed in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State, repelled attacks by Boko Haram insurgents who swarmed the area at about 2:30 pm.

The insurgents had arrived in about 13 gun trucks and one gulf car and attempted to attack the military location from different angles by trying to envelope their camp, but soldiers countered them and the insurgents took to their heels.

Within the period, the Nigerian  military also penetrated the fortresses of the insurgents and brought many down  on their knees.

The military killed hundreds of terrorists in different locations in Kwalaram, Ngilewa, Sabon Tumbu, Bukarmairam, Wulgo in the Marte and Gamboru Ngala and in Gorgi, Damboa local government and in Buni Gari all in Borno State.

The Army also overran the camps of the terrorists in places like Durfada, Allafha, Timbuktu, Bulajibi and Gonikurmi near the Sambisa forest which led to surrender of the 11 of the ISWAP members.

Attempts to attack Maiduguri were  twice repelled by the army and also  in Damboa, Banki, and Madagali and other places with heavy casualties on the side of the insurgents. 

Within two months of Butatai relocating to the Northeast, the military neutralised about 2,000 of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists while many were seriously wounded or arrested.

But as the military was pummeling the Northeast, the insurgents who could not bear the heat on them ran to the Northwest and Northcentral parts of the country to continue their criminal acts.

This agains drew the attention of Lt. General Buratai who by then had gone to submit reports of the success of the operation he was leading in the Northeast to President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The new challenges posed by the worsening security situation in the Northwest states of Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kaduna, moving up to the Northcentral state of Niger, again compelled the Army Chief to personally move there.

By then the Northwest was becoming notorious for the rate of killings and abductions on a daily basis where entire villages are sacked by bandits,  houses were being torched and valuables forcefully taken away.

On a particular day, the terrorists attacked several communities in Katsina and Sokoto States and killed hundreds of people.

In response, the Chief of Army of Staff, On the 6th of July 2020, as part of activities marking the Army Day, flagged off Operation SAHEL SANITY in Katsina State. 

The operation was to complement Operation HADARIN DAJI in stemming the tides of the activities of armed banditry, cattle rustling , kidnapping, incessant killings and other  crimes in the North-West zone of the country and before the end of July, the gallant troops of Operation SAHEL SANITY carried out series of clearance operations, ambushes and other aggressive and confidence building patrols within Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara States which led to the rescue of kidnapped victims, recovery of rustled cattles, arrest of suspected armed bandits, arrest of bandits informants and collaborators. 

The troops also recovered large cache of arms and ammunition as well as motorcycles and other bandits logistics.

In less than a month, troops of the Operation SAHEL SANITY eliminated armed bandits, recovered 943 cows, 633 sheep/rams recovered; 33 suspected bandits arrested; 7 AK47 Riffles, 1 GPMG and 16 Dane guns captured.

The troops also rescued 17 kidnapped victims and arrested 14 bandits informants and collaborators and also penetrated several bandits’ camps including the notorious Dangote Triangle and destroyed their logistics bases.

The Army also mounted sentry in areas hitherto occupied by bandits making it impossible for them to regroup or launch fresh attacks.

Within a month of launching the operation, the people of the North-West Zone began to have sighs of relief as thousands of people that ran away from their communities after bandit attacks, began to return.

But last week was the icing on the cake when the army rescued 342 boys who were abducted at a secondary school in Kankara, Katsina State without casualty. 

The operation was so successful that many have called to commend the Nigerian Army for bravery and efficiency. The year 2020 is indeed a great one for the Nigerian Army and its proactive leadership.

Matthew is an author and public affairs analyst based in the United Kingdom.

By Anthony John

As Nigerians are set to usher in a new year in less than two weeks from now, one cannot help but guage the minds of those who see themselves as opposition figures to President Muhammadu Buhari.

This group of people aptly called wailers because of their penchant to criticize everything the President does since their favourite candidates lost election, always betray their intentions with the way they reason.

How they would react to issues in 2021 is easily predictable going by their penchant for mischief.

In January, they would call for the impeachment of President Buhari for as flimsy a reason as Nigeria not experiencing harmatan in December. 

A former minister whose wife left him because of assault and battery and who unofficially leads the pack of these wailers, is bound to champion this call.

He would say: “At a time when other nations are experiencing cold weather, President Buhari has shown incompetence by not allowing us feel the same.

“This is a northern agenda to make people not to travel for Christmas. He should either resign or be impeached.”

The other one who prides himself as the king of Okada riders would call for the sack of the Chief of Staff to the President for allowing the New Year Day to fall on a Monday.

He would say: “Nigerians, our mumu don do oh. How we go come dey celebrate new year Day on Monday when Sunday or Tuesday go better pass?

“This na another northern agenda to make me lead protest so dem go beat me for Wuse Market again. Tufia! Carry dis camera comot for my face joor!”

The other one who was beaten up by protesters and flown to Dubai by his sponsors would also try to be noticed and post a fake news claiming Aso Rock has been made ungovernable.

He will say: “All the  domestic staff in the Villa must go or Nigeria cannot move forward.”

The other one who tried to use a fake name to falsely accuse a former CBN governor of links with Boko Haram will via his Twitter handle call for the sack of the SGF for aĺlowing his family members test positive to Covid-19.

And the other one who failed to make it back to the Senate would claim he climbed a tree while trying to escape assassins and then Call for sack of the Chief of Staff to Mr. President or the National Security Adviser, NSA.

The one with Afro will then twit that all ministers have failed to get a hair cut hence should be removed.

The other less ingenious ones will cal for the sack of Mamman Daura’s family as Buhari’s relatives. And so on and so on.  Happy wailing to the wailers in advance as they call for the sack of all government functionaries.

By Charles Ibekwe

The true worth of leaders is measured by their consistency. True leaders are known for jutting and upholding truth; avoiding actions which might erode public confidence in them. That’s why Bulgarian-born writer, Maria Popova Maria reasoned that “Greatness is consistency driven by a deep love of the work.”

In today’s world, most characters speak before they think. That’s the accident of nature and the burden destiny has foisted on others. Leaders should try as much as possible to avoid what is commonly referred to as slip of the tongue.

That’s why true leaders are not flippant. A leader measures his words and actions. A leader does not recklessly parrot like a woman under menstruation. Leaders who speak based on spur of the moment are the most untrustworthy specie of homo sapiens. Jack weatherford cautioned that “if you can’t swallow your pride, you can’t lead.”

Borno state Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum is fast becoming a mere shadow of an ideal leader. In Nigeria’s Second Republic, some politicians were reputed for frivolous public comments. He was later derogatively branded as suffering from diarrhea of the mouth. It is Zulum’s greatest undoing and nightmare at the moment. Reed Markham says, “Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty, rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.”

Gov. Zulum praises the Nigerian Military and President Muhammadu Buhari over counter-insurgency operations today and by the break of dawn, he begins to chant all manner of abusive hallucinations on the same people he eulogized over the same matter. A Governor should rise above such prisms. A Professor should not reason or act like an infantile.

Unfortunately, that’s the toga Gov. Zulum garbs now. The Governor feels no one else in Nigeria is concerned about Boko Haram insurgency and ISWAP terrorism in Borno state, except him. It’s a wrong impression by whatever interpretation. Gov. Zulum is prodded to learn some wisdom from Brian Tracy’s counsel; “Leaders think and talk about the solutions. Followers think and talk about the problems.” Zulum is not a follower, but a leader of his people.

Zulum has committed too many gaffes on the counter-insurgency operations in Borno, his home state, where he is also the Governor and the Chief Security officer. He spites others, but avoids a step in the direction of the glaring solutions on containing Boko Haram in Borno.

Every life is sacred and so also, the lives of others who stake their necks to ensure the people of Borno have peace and security. They are also human and have families. They have blood running in their veins like any other human being. Gov. Zulum cannot elect upon himself to constantly disgorge upbraids on the same people.

When the Auno Boko Haram attacks on travellers happened, President Buhari cut short his foreign trip to pay a condolence visit to the people of Borno. In Gov. Zulum’s remarks, he spoke of resurgence terrorists’ attacks in the state, which ironically happens to be the only state still held on the jugular by Boko Haram terrorists.

Zulum paid glowing tributes to the administration of President Buhari for dousing the fires of Boko Haram in the state. The Governor was detailed that before the Buhari Presidency, over17 LGAs in the state were under the serfdom of Boko Haram.

And not long ago, Gov. Zulum paid an official visit to the leader of the counter-insurgency operations and Nigeria’s COAS, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. Zulum released a carefully crafted symphony of eulogies, on the Army and the Nigerian Military for their relentless efforts in putting out the fires of Boko Haram insurgency and ISWAP terrorism in his state. Many mistook his utterances as genuine and reflective of the true realities in the warfront in Borno.

Undeniably, the Nigerian Military have been doing their best in the counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast. Even an outsider knows this fact! Why Boko Haram still strives in Borno state is because it has been commercialized and politicized by Zulum’s tribesmen; himself a recent recruit into the clan of sabs. No amount of blackmail or diatribes by the Governor against the Military would distort this truth.

And from every indication, it appears some political elites in the state, as now symbolized by Gov. Zulum enjoys the business of terrorism in Borno. It is rash for Zulum to think he can mesmerize Nigerians or callously and deviously reprimand the Military over the endless Boko Haram in his state. In the whole of Northeast now, only Borno still glamorizes Boko Haram.

The Chief of Army Staff is not a fool! He is a knowledgeable soldier and a unique professional infantry combatant with a record of excellence in all assignments for many years, within and abroad. As soon as he stepped on the hotbed of leading counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, he introduced the “stick and carrot” approach, combining both kinetic and non-kinetic weapons in battling terrorism.

The non-kinetic approach has yielded impressive results over the years with the massive surrenders of Boko Haram top commanders and foot soldiers since the last quarter of 2015 to date. It was a master stroke in insurgency combats.

It is expected that the political, religious and community leadership of Borno would buy into this agenda as a secured means of ending terrorism in the state. But Gov. Zulum has ignored it; his other political elites have shunned it and the business class in the state have never and do not ever contemplate it. They are just playing politics with it. And Gov. Zulum goes out unconscionably to scout for scapegoats to blame.

The recent comments of Gov. Zulum in Jakana, where Boko Haram sneaked an attack on travelers, where he berated the Army and accused them of failing to protect commuters along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway were truly reckless and unguarded. Zulum harshly reproached the Army, the Rapid Response Squad, vigilantes, local hunters and everybody involved in the counter-insurgency operations. It was nonsensical of him!

Gov. Zulum outrightly proclaimed that ‘the Nigerian Army has failed in discharging their responsibility of protecting the commuters and quite expectedly forecasted that “… how can they (military) keep us with the hope they will defeat the Boko Haram?” This statement betrayed Zulum’s inner plots and his co-conspirators who are unprepared for the exculpation of Borno state from Boko Haram for purely political gains.

It absolutely nonsensical for Gov. Zulum to arrogate to himself the power and clairvoyance to determine when Boko Haram would end or the impossibility of defeating it. Let Zulum and his partners in this evil tell Nigerians why only Borno and the Northern axis of the state is refusing to let go Boko Haram terrorism?

Zulum knows the game plan and intentions of his political godfathers. That’s why he praises the military today on counter-insurgency operations and lambasts the same Military on Boko Haram. Stupidity is nobody’s baptismal name. Its not good to tag a Professor as foolish. But the arguments canvassed by Gov. Zulum in Jakana are sadly foolish and silly.

A professor should reason better. He should know that in an unconventional war like Boko Haram insurgency combats, occasional security breaches or setbacks could occur. It happens everywhere in other countries under the spell of terrorism. But it does not qualify those dousing this fire as failures as preached by Zulum.

Zulum and his political godfathers have first failed their people. They are exploiting Boko Haram for political and commercial gains. Its an open secret now. If Gov. Zulum doubts it, let him courageously come out publicly and challenge former Borno Governors like Senators Ali Modu Sherrif and Kashim Shettima on whose wings he has ascended to the prime position of Borno’s Governor.

This is the problem. Gov. Zulum knows the truth. He is a man entangled in the web of godfatherism at one end and his ethnic stock who have refused to tackle the Boko Haram problems. Zulum hedges the convoking of a broad-based stakeholders dialogue in Borno over Boko Haram to speak truth to themselves. He is afraid such a forum would a platform for some people to spill the beans and the vaunted secrets on why Boko Haram has refused to depart from Borno.

Gov. Zulum knows, his immediate political godfather, Sen. Shettima beats him in dark rooms each time he publicly tells the truth about Boko Haram and the effectiveness of Military operations in the state. Shettima is a soulless leader and he threatens Zulum with withdrawal of re-election ticket for 2023, if he supports the military. These are things known to many Borno people.

For the Machiavellian Sen. Shettima, Boko Haram should not vanish and there must not be any local government elections; there should be no accountability to the people in order to keep milking Borno. And Boko Haram insurgency offers an automatic excuse-there is no security in the state. So, they cannot make the Nigerian Military their scapegoats!

The persistence of Boko Haram diverts attention from probing Shettima’s past tenure as a two-tenured Governor of Borno. Gov. Zulum should be more circumspect henceforth. Let him demonstrate his sincerity by fighting Boko Haram on the open dialogue plane in the state. They should not force Nigerians to believe Leo Tolstoy’s ideology that “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Ibekwe wrote this piece from Abuja.