At a time that some success is being recorded by Nigeria’s security forces against terrorists at various locations across the country, the news that 13 soldiers were lost in an ambush at the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State is, to put it mildly, disheartening.
A few weeks ago, the Defence High Command, speaking through the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba issued a statement that 38 terrorists were ‘neutralised’, 242 arrested, and 89 kidnap victims rescued. Besides, weapons of various types and many other equipment were captured. A reasonable achievement under the peculiarly ‘Nigerian’ circumstances in which our forces work. But the upbeat sentiments of Nigerians were dampened by the unhappy incident in Niger State.
A top military officer and several soldiers died, and a military helicopter was brought down (according to one account) by up to 70 well-armed criminals. The entire area of this incident have been thrown into panic and, in the words of Sanni Kokki, convener of Shiroro Youths, ‘villagers living around the area are moving in large numbers (away, which) is another problem because people are being displaced from their ancestral homes to unknown destinations.’
The military should be worried about the ambush in particular that led to so many soldiers being killed. Military operations are usually carried out in top secrecy until the end. Sadly, Nigerians have been inundated too often with reports of ambush, causing neutralisation of soldiers, and in a manner suggesting sabotage. Military authorities should therefore treat the latest report of ambush with all seriousness and thorough investigation with a view to making it the last of such incidents.
A one -step -forward – one-step backward situation is not acceptable in this fight, nay war, against terrorism. No serious country fights such a category of heinous criminality with anything but maximum commitment and force. Nigeria cannot be an exception; and fighting insurgency should not be forever.
Niger State borders the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It is even more unwholesome that the theatre of action is dangerously close to the capital of the country. It may be recalled that under the Buhari administration, terrorism expanded in strength, in area of coverage, and even in audacity. State officials were forced to ‘negotiate’ with ransom, the release of citizens; to pay protection money of sorts against attack on their areas of jurisdiction, to even lend their support to so-called ‘discussion teams’ of religious leaders who acted as middlemen-cum negotiators between governments and terrorists. At another level, whereas the terrorists were well focused on their respective missions to generally destabilize this country, the Federal Government under Buhari captured large numbers of them only to release them on the dubious ground that they had repented and had been rehabilitated. The criminals were thereby housed, fed, and enjoyed better living conditions than the hapless victims of their dastardly acts who were in IDP camps. This response to terrorism was not only disgraceful, it was so common sense-defying that it could only be described as a joke! In the face of it all, the palpably lackadaisical attitude of Buhari to a country falling apart around him ridiculed the notion that security of life and property was ‘the primary purpose of government.’
Mercifully, there is now, in popular parlance, ‘a new sheriff in town.’ President Bola Tinubu’s 80-page Action Plan for a Better Nigeria rightly posits that ‘national security is the bedrock of a prosperous and democratic society.’ Indeed, it may be said that, in an appropriate consideration of the fundamental justification for the existence of any government as unambiguously enunciated in Section 14 (2) (b) of the extant constitution that ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,’ the President’s working document makes national security the first issue addressed (in five pages to boot). In the particular case of terrorism, Tinubu government committed itself to establish ‘anti-terrorist battalions’. ‘Highly trained and disciplined anti-terrorist battalions (ABATTS) with special forces will be established.
Their objective shall be to seize the strategic and tactical initiative, giving terrorists, kidnappers and bandits no respite.’ Other intentions of Tinubu’s ‘[Redefinition] of Military Doctrine and Practice’ against all aspects of criminality include to ‘upgrade tactical communications and transportation’, ‘upgrade weapons systems’, ‘exploit aerial and technological superiority,’ and ‘improve salaries and welfare’ of security personnel.
Since this document reflects deep and broad thoughts possible only from being long in preparation, it is not unreasonable to expect that the new administration would begin promptly to implement these good ideas and the impact would begin to be felt. So far there is little to show.
The recent killing of soldiers elicited the usual comment of regret and threat that beleaguered Nigerians heard with tiresome repetition that remind, tragically, of past governments. One example: In response to the killings in the Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State in March 2023, Buhari was quoted to say that ‘there is a concerted attack on innocent citizens in the state and the security and law enforcement agencies must take serious action to put an end to this.’ He went on to express ‘my deepest condolences to the families of those killed in these horrific attacks. May their souls rest in peace.’ On its part, the Tinubu Presidency responded to the Shiroro killing thus: ‘ the tragic loss of our gallant officers and soldiers in a helicopter crash…brought immense sadness to me…on behalf of a grateful nation, I extend my condolences to their families…and the entire Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’
While expression of regret is in order, Nigerians did not elect a government of regrets and condolences. No. Nigerians elected a government ready, willing, and able to faithfully implement the letter and spirit of the constitutional provision in Section 14(2) (b). With a new government, supposedly well-prepared for the job in place, with a new set of service chiefs charged to bring not only fresh ideas and commitment but teamwork into their respective and collective assignments, Nigerians expect more effective proactive military action against terrorism as spelt out in the Tinubu ‘[Redefinition] of Military Doctrine and Practice.’
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