Badaru: A Defence Minister of Few Words, But Great Actions
By Abdulsalam Mahmud
Permanently tackling the lingering insecurity malaise in Nigeria is gradually becoming a possibility. It is however, partly as a result of the renewed fighting troops of our military. It is partly also, because we now have dedicated and fearless Service Chiefs at the helm of affairs, dishing out marching commands and orders to rout terror gangs.
But it is majorly owing to the personalities of Alh. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and Alh. Mohammed Bello Matawalle, the two Ministers of Defence and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. In particular, Badaru, the immediate-past Governor of Jigawa State and ‘Chief Defence Minister’, is rewriting the narrative of Nigeria’s security ecosystem.
At the Ship House, the Ministry of Defence, the former Jigawa State Chief Executive is offering what even the blind will feel as visionary, strategic and exemplary leadership, geared towards making terrorism, armed banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, piracy, cultism and violent secessionist agitations, among others, a thing of the past soon.
An astute administrator and goal-driven politician of no mean repute, Badaru, having done with excellently transforming every sector of Jigawa’s economy, is now doing everything assiduously possible to make Nigeria and her citizens safe. Since he assumed office as a federal cabinet member last year, the Defence Minister, together with his Minister of State counterpart – Matawalle – are toiling day and night to restore peace and security to all parts of the country.
In pursuing the aforementioned noble goals, the Ministry of Defence – which Badaru steers its affairs – has been working diligently to enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces. It has also been providing our troops with necessary resources and ammunition to battle criminal elements, with a view to checkmating the threats (the criminals posed) to national security.
When he came on board as Defence Minister, the former Jigawa Governor, had one cardinal vision for our national security: that it should not even be threatened, much less disrupted. Since that vision is built on the solid foundation of strategic planning and mutual collaboration, Badaru has been quick to identify and also address some critical security challenges in the country.
Though it is not yet uhuru, one can objectively say that insurgency, terrorism, banditry, hooliganism, thuggery, kidnapping and other sundry crimes are waning, amid the heat our security agencies are giving “those who do not want us – citizens – to sleep, or go about our activities peacefully”.
Again, Badaru also views the collaboration between Nigeria and other neighboring countries, together with international partners, as crucial to ending our security woes. Since security challenges transcend borders, the pragmatic Minister of Defence has been vocal in advocating a stronger regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and other forms of transnational crime.
If others are surprised about the sterling feats Badaru has already recorded within a short spell, as Nigeria’s Defence Minister, this writer is not. He had done it before, hence I am not the least taken aback. Prior to 2015, security issues ranging from farmers herders’ clashes, communal and land skirmishes, banditry, threats of terrorism, name them, were almost asphyxiating Jigawa.
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However, by the time Badaru left the Jigawa Government House in May last year, sanity had been restored, and chaos suppressed in “The Jewel of the Savannah”. Within eight years serving as governor, Badaru was remarkably able to reduce, to the barest minimum, Jigawa’s insecurity malady.
Credible facts in the public domain also indicate that, within Badaru’s time in office as governor, the crime rate in Jigawa dropped by almost 39 percent, while the state’s economy grew by 47 percent. Blending a modest demeanor with a charismatic leadership style, the visionary Defence Minister, with a strategic approach to tackling Nigeria’s insecurity crisis, somewhat detest being in the news, even for the good works he does.
Many leaders thrive in the spotlight. However, Badaru’s leadership style is awesomely unique, as it is characterized by a more reclusive nature. Operating behind the scenes, the Defence Minister prefers to let his actions speak louder than his words. However, despite his self-effacing disposition, Badaru’s charisma is palpable. It is evident in his ability to inspire confidence and trust among his peers at the Federal Executive Council, and subordinates at the Ship House that influence harmonious inter-agency relationship, especially among the military and security services.
Without exaggerating, Badaru’s phenomenal coordination ability has been instrumental in fostering unity and collaboration within the defence establishment. It has also bolstered the effective coordination by our security agencies and the Nigerian military, in addressing security challenges.
In furtherance, Badaru’s strategic and innovative leadership at the Defence Ministry, has jolted our military to orchestrate series of offensive operations which are degrading terrorist networks and also disrupting their logistic support systems. In pursuing a multifaceted strategy aimed at enhancing both the offensive and defensive capabilities of our troops, Badaru has also championed initiatives aimed at promoting socioeconomic development in conflict-affected areas.
What a novel approach to addressing grievances and undercutting the appeal of extremist ideologies! By adopting a holistic strategy to boosting Nigeria’s security, Badaru is apparently helping to create a stable, secured and friendly environment, necessary for the country’s accelerated growth and national development.
It is apt to aver that the Nigerian military has intensified efforts to combat Boko Haram and other insurgent groups, resulting in significant territorial gains, together with the dismantling of key terrorist infrastructure, thanks to the good works of Badaru and Matawalle.
That Alh. Badaru Abubakar has prioritized the modernization of Nigeria’s defence infrastructure, through investing in advanced combat equipment and technology to enhance operational effectiveness and force readiness, is obvious. Recognizing the transnational nature of security threats, the former Jigawa Governor, used is good office, to help foster closer cooperation between Nigeria and other neighbouring countries and regional organizations. This has facilitated information sharing and joint operations to address common challenges.
Globally, proactive leadership is enabled more by taking action. It is not what rhetorics midwife. Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, as Nigeria’s serving Minister of Defence may be reclusive, yet he is charismatic. One can tagged him as a “talk and do leader”. That is why he is steadily and brilliantly executing the job of safeguarding our national security, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, tasked him.
Therefore, our prayers should be that he does not fail. But rather succeed.
*Mahmud is the Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, and can be reached via: [email protected].*
