Military and the Burden of Safeguarding Nigeria’s Territorial Integrity

Military and the Burden of Safeguarding Nigeria’s Territorial Integrity

By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

The constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) including the Army, Navy and the Air Force is to safeguard, and of course ensure the maximum safety of Nigeria’s territories against any external aggression.

With a force strength of about 223,000 active personnel, the Nigerian military is one of the largest uniformed combat services in Africa. According to Global Firepower, the AFN is the fourth most powerful military in Africa, and ranked 35th on its list internationally.

Nigerian military personnel are well trained and deserve all the medals they wear. You can tell this explicitly during international training or operational engagements, when they meet with members of other militaries. The armed forces of Nigeria have an enviable operation record both in and out the country

However, over the years, insecurity has plunged Nigeria into a quagmire which had never been experienced before since gaining independence from the British colonial masters.

Across the lengths and breadths of the country, the activities of non-state actors have been rife. This include but not limited to the insurgents in the North East, Farmers -Herders’ Clash and ethnic militias in the North Central and the monstrous bandits and kidnappers in the North West. Similarly, there is separatists’ movement in the Southeast, cultists and Yahoo boys in the Southwest as well as militants and pipeline vandals in the South-south.

Thus, surmounting these security challenges requires a veteran soldier who has the vast experience and leadership skills to command and guide the entire military in their operational conduct toward restoring normalcy, peace and security in the troubled regions in the country.

Amidst this security challenges, General Lucky Irabor, assumed the role of Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) in January 2021 and is able to ensure inter-agency harmony among the military and other security services in which the overall effect is nothing but success stories.

It is undeniable, the fact that the Nigerian Military has been overstretched and overwhelmed with its involvement on so many operations internally and externally aimed at ensuring security of the country. The AFN is currently conducting operations in at least 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The security became endemic that for every misadventure of criminals, the military is invited to curtail domestic challenges that could have been tackled by the police and other sister security agencies. It is so bad that even Petty crimes and demonstrations, the military are summmoned to manage the situations. Without the military intervention, EndSARS protests would have led to a worst scenario.

General Irabor, being a seasoned veteran in the defense and security industry, in spite of the difficult task of coordinating the entire Military operations, he has never been oblivious of providing the required leadership by examples through his conducts and necessary public interventions on reassurance from the right quarters.

Due to several misgivings and misconceptions on recent military operations in the press, Irabor hosted a parley with editors and media executives on building strategic military/media partnership for Restoration of Peace in Nigeria.

Not only were his guests, the gatekeepers were adequately informed and educated on successes on intelligence led military operations, the editors had the privileged of watching videos footages of attacks on the camps of bandits and terrorists at different locations in the North.

In the North West, North Central, South East, South South and South West, the AFN with other security agencies, are committed to constitutional responsibilities of keeping the geographical space safe for all citizens to aspire and live their dreams.

In view of the fears being nursed over forthcoming elections, Irabor used the occasion of the parley to reassure Nigerians of adequate security to ensure successful and hitch free polls where the citizens would exercise their franchise without fear of harassment or violence.

His assurance was timely and very apt as Nigerians at this moment need strong reassurance that no amount of threat by anybody will deter them from exercising their constitutional rights of vote and be voted for in 2023. And this pledge needs to be heard from strong authority who have absolute power to control and command the military to initiate operations.

In spite of these giant strides by the military under the command of Irabor, a columnist with the Punch, Mr. Tayo Oke, who writes a back page column launched an unwarranted attack on the CDS, thus accusing him of usurping civilian power.

Imagine Oke, claiming that managing of polity and restoring public confidence on matters related to security and political tensions has never been the role of the military but that of the interior ministry. The writer even insinuated that Irabor has been ‘telegenic’ who rather makes himself visible to the public through constant appearance on television screens. Alas, despite clarification by the Director Defense Information (DDI), Major General Jimmy Akpo, Oke erroneously stated in his article that Idris Ojo, an escapee of Kuje prison who was arrested by the military, was among the perpetrators that attacked Owo church in Ondo. Nonetheless, this is all part of his calumny campaigns against the CDS aimed at portraying the military in a bad light.

While some may ignore the writer’s ignorance on the purpose of such media parley, it is necessary to point out that most editors commended Irabor for putting in confidence on sustaining ongoing military for national security.

Remember that, in the cause of performing their enshrined mandates, soldiers and members of security agencies keep guard, endure hardships, and sometimes even pay the supreme price with their lives or get maimed, all that the citizenry and the nation owe them is appreciation.

Now that insecurities are rife and military offensiveness against these terrorists is on top gear, the AFN and its leadership does not deserve distraction in form of calumny campaigns or whatsoever form from any group or individual aimed at discrediting its efforts before the public.

Let’s rally behind our military and strengthen their morale. This will go a long way in entrenching their efforts towards surmounting the monstrous security challenges.

Mukhtar is a Staff Writer with the Emergency Digest