What the Nigerian Military Can’t Tackle Alone

General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Defence Headquarters DHQ

What the Nigerian Military Can’t Tackle Alone
By Abdulsalam Mahmud

Exactly four years ago, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), then as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), incurred the ‘wrath’ of many Nigerians when he dragged spiritualism into the fight against religious extremism. At a seminar organized by the Nigerian Army Headquarters, in Abuja, Buratai asserted that terrorism and terrorist groups could not be eliminated alone by the military.

He noted that religious bodies and organisations in the country must come to the “forefront of this spiritual battle.” Buratai observed that the focus must be religious groups interfacing on addressing the ideologies which fuelled the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.

During the seminar themed, “Countering insurgency and violent extremism in Nigeria through spiritual warfare,” and which held at the Army Resource Centre, Asokoro, the then Army Chief urged Islamic and Christian clerics across the Army formations to join the fight against terrorism, and reorient the people against negative ideologies.

Buratai said, “It is easier to defeat Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists than their ideology because, while we degrade the terrorists and their havens, the narrative of the ideology grows the group.

“Therefore, communities, families, and groups should join in the fight and narratives to reject and prevent the ideologies of the terrorists and extremist groups. Religious bodies and organisations in particular who interface regularly with the grassroots should be at the forefront of this spiritual battle and fashion out ways of stepping up their roles.

“The fight against terrorism, Boko Haram and ISWAP, as well as other security threats, cannot be left to the troops in the battlefield alone. Yes, we will do our duties, but the need to tackle groups through spiritual warfare and re-orientating the followers against the ideology is also a necessity.

“It is a well-known fact that terrorism and terrorist groups cannot be totally eliminated by mainly military actions. The need to defeat the ideologies of Boko Haram and ISWAP is based on the awareness that it is the ideologies that enhance their resources and help to recruit new fighters to their fold and as such; kill their ideology and the terrorist movement withers and dies.”

As expected, a large section of the general public did not cut Buratai some slack. They bayed for his blood and demanded for his head. Journalists, columnists and commentators also locked horns as the battle over Buratai’s statement (then) raged. If my memory serves me correctly, Casmir Igbokwe, one of the erudite columnists I follow at Daily Sun newspaper, ‘somewhat’ doubted the potency of the spiritual warfare ‘gambit’ of Gen. Buratai.

Mr. Igbokwe, in a piece: ‘Beyond Nigerian Army’s Spiritual Warfare”, quipped: “I am not sure how far Buratai’s spiritual warfare will go in eliminating Boko Haram. What I know is that soldiers are trained to ward off external and internal aggression. It is not for nothing that they are called armed forces and not armed spirits”.

But a ‘firebrand activist’ and ace commentator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the Head of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, in a ‘counter article’ titled: “Spiritual ‘Warfare’ And Counter Terrorism”, however rose firmly in defense of the ex-COAS.

According to Onwubiko, Buratai’s statement was misinterpreted and misunderstood. He wrote: “But let me remind these critics, who I must admit mean well for Nigeria, that the Chief of Army Staff did not call for the abdication of combats by the professional soldiers, neither did he advocate that the soldiers, who are fighting in the war or flashpoints of war on terror should abandon their professional callings to embrace spiritual exercises in churches and mosques”.

Regardless of the divergence in the opinions expressed for and against Buratai’s ‘words on the marble’, I could recall arguing with a fellow journalist that the former Army Chief did not deserve to be ‘lynched’ in the media. Left to me, the ‘spiritual warfare soundbit’ of Buratai implies that only through collective efforts, can the fight against lingering insecurity be won.

Fast forward to September 2023, the incumbent Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has equally re-echoed the sentiment shared by Buratai. Although, Gen. Musa this time around did not patently solicit for the intervention of God and our religious preachers, he did not prevaricate in stating the obvious: the fight against insecurity is not what the military, alone, can powerfully wage.

At its media briefing on military operations ongoing in the country, the Defence Headquarters, DHQ called for the support of all Nigerians in its fight against terrorism and insurgency, saying the military cannot do it alone.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, the Director, Defence Media Operations, DMO, Major General Edward Buba, who spoke at the conference, said: “Experience reveals that, military means alone cannot end terrorism and insurgency. Our mission against terrorists, insurgents and perpetrators of insecurity in the country is not one that should be seen as the exclusive preserve of just the military alone.

“…This underscores the need for our counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency war to remain a reflection of a whole of society’s commitment”. Even without the DHQ coming out to restate the views of Lt. Gen. Buratai on counter-insurgency, rational citizens know that fostering national security is everyone’s job. It is not something exclusively reserved for the Nigerian military or army troops. Citizens also have a crucial role to play in the war against insecurity.

Though, it is expected that our military will always take the lead, as it has always done, in terms of dealing with criminals whose nefarious activities are further deteriorating our security. It should however, evolve a more robust and practical strategy of fighting terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, pirates and secessionist elements, among others. Enhancing and prioritizing the welfare of troops in the frontline is very, very vital.

It will help in boosting the combat morale of fighting troops. I also have some words for the military authorities, led by the Defence Chief, Gen. Musa. There is the need to review ongoing military operations, laws and ethical codes, with a view to identifying areas and gaps that need to be strengthened or amended.

It is pertinent for them to come up with sound policies that will comprehensively rejig Standard Operating Procedures, SOPs, and rules of engagement by troops, especially against enemies of the Nigerian State. As for citizens, they should do well to help bolster the intelligence of security and military agencies.

If they must rid their communities of terrorists and other bad elements, persons of dubious characters and merciless criminals should not be accommodated. Their presence in any Nigerian community, instead, should be reported to relevant security bodies.

It is also expected that Nigerians, particularly those in the North East, North Central and North West, should not spare informants and collaborators discreetly working with terrorists and bandits. If the rotten eggs can be identified, they should be exposed, arrested and diligently prosecuted. Our local vigilantes, across the 36 states, have always complimented the conventional security outfits.

Like the police, army, and other sister security agencies, they also deserve the moral and logistics’ support of government and the spirited Nigerians. To the government, the need for adequate funding of our security institutions cannot be overemphasized.

But annual security budgets which are becoming humongous, should duly be accounted for. We cannot be pumping in money to boost national security, with nothing tangible to show. Above all, Nigerians can do more for our military troops and security personnel.

The road to making our dear nation insecurity-free is still long. Attaining that goal, however is not impossible. What is unrealistic however, is for the masses to think that the Nigerian Armed Forces, warts and all, have the exclusive wherewithal or permanent solution for the nation’s insecurity malaise. It is time we do away with that fallacious and misleading school of thought.

*Mahmud is the Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, and wrote in via: [email protected].*