The attack on the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State which claimed the lives of about 60 students still remains fresh in our memories, likewise many other attacks where the military were caught operating in unionism with Boko Haram fighters in a well embarrassing and disgracing fashion.
It still remains ambiguous on the motives and missions of Boko Haram, their unspecific attacks irrespective of gender, age, tribe or religion is worrisome, they remain anonymous after about five years of intensive bloody attacks, we are only being told that they are fighting a holy war to impose Islamic rule in Nigeria.
According to a recent survey by Amnesty International, dead figures as a result of Boko Haram activities from 2009-2014 were estimated at about 13,000 while more than 25,000 people sustained various degrees of injuries, and nearly 6m civilians are displaced and thousands in a critical need of humanitarian help.
Many successful coordinated attacks by the insurgents and the rising spates of wanton killings in the northeast raised several disturbing questions and solutions from all and sundry, Nigerians began scratching their heads wondering what the hell.
Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, was the first to aired his frustrations regarding the poor handling of security situation by claiming the insurgents were better equipped and motivated than the military. This prompted a war of words between the Presidency and Gov Shatima to the extent Mr President threatened to withdraw troops out of Borno state and see if Shatima can survive it.
The then Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, equally voiced out his discomfort over Federal Government's ill-approach to the so-called fight against terrorism and claim that there may be Fifth Columnists sabotaging the efforts of the military from within, President Jonathan got so furious at Nyako and arranged for his impeachment.
As days gone by, the truth is now manifesting itself and Nyako's allegations has began coming out to the fore. The recent fighting between Boko Haram and the military in a border town of Gamboru Ngala which saw about 500 Nigerian troops crossed into Cameroon to escape from Boko Haram insurgents justified it all, it exposed the ill-equipping of the military and the lack of morale to confront the Boko Haram sect.
This well embarrassing retreat by government troops left many stories untold, it backed up the fact that the insurgents were more motivated than the military which government and top military leadership continuously disagreed upon.
The military headquarters denied these development, insisting the runaway soldiers found themselves in Cameron in a "tactical maneuver" while battling the insurgents, the military insisted that Nigerian troops found in Cameroon was as a result of a sustained battle between the troops and the terrorists around the borders with Cameroon, which saw the Nigerian troops charging through the borders in a "tactical maneuver".
There is nothing like tactical maneuver in this case, the real picture of the incident is that Nigerians troops were engaged in a gun duel at Gamboru -Ngala before the troops ran out of ammunitions and had to cross over the border into Cameroon to escape death and it was also gathered that the insurgents, while in Banki, overpowered the troops on ground by using rocket-propelled launchers and improvised explosive devices, while the troops managed to escape and flee towards several villages, before they entered Cameroon for safety.
By the way, let's first understand what "tactical maneuver" is before going into full business. According to my dictionary, "Tactical Maneuver: can be defined as the ability of small combat units to perform sophisticated tactical movement in order to increase the combat power of the units, thereby increasing the overall combat effectiveness of the army as a whole" but in this case, Nigerian troops were overpowered and opted to runaway into a nearby location seeking for safety. It was an open indication of inferiority in a shameful display of cowardice and a clear retreat without any attempt to increase the effectiveness of combat powers, it was just another show of unprofessionalism and lack of armaments.
Assuming we all agree with military that the troops crossed over to Cameroon on a tactical maneuver not on a retreat as it openly portraits, then why is the top military leadership arranging to court martial the returnee soldiers who fled into Cameroon? When did tactical maneuver became a punishable offence in the military?
The continuous denial of such national embarrassment within the top ranks of the military prompted many questions adding to the already existing unanswered ones, where government troops abandoned their duty posts hours before terrorist attack, despite prior notice from the attackers. What type of maneuver was it where troops miraculously disappeared at their duty station only to return after a terror attack?
Early on the 3 Dec 2013, the sect swept comfortably into Air Force base located near the Maiduguri airport. They left in their wake scores killed and five aircrafts razed. It was a stunning and embarrassing blow to Nigeria’s military pride, and it occurred with the armed forces firmly in charge of managing the war against the insurgents. Troops stationed at the base scampered into nearby buildings for safety. What type of maneuver is this?
On the Sunday morning of 17 Jun 2012, suicide bombers blew off two churches in Wusasa Zaria after sending a week long notice, all the military guards stationed to protect the area were seen packing hours before the attacks and when asked, they claimed to have received orders from above directing them to vacate Wusasa with immediate effect. Is this a deliberate plan to pave way for Boko Haram to strike or another tactical maneuver? Who ordered the military withdrawals?
On February 25, 2014, more than 60 students were massacred at the Federal Government College of Buni Yadi in Yobe State, where soldiers guarding the college miraculously disappeared hours before the attack. Did the soldiers went to pee at once or another tactical maneuver?
On 29 September 2013, Boko Haram gunmen entered the College of Agriculture in Gujba, Yobe State, killing about 70 students and teachers while soldiers at a military checkpoint attached to the college were nowhere to be found, only to return four hours after the attack. Where did the soldiers went to? Who directed their withdrawal? Were they also charging through a tactical maneuver?
On May 5, Boko Haram invaded an unprotected border town of Gamboru Ngala in Borno state. BBC Hausa Service reported that choppers hovered in the air while the attacks were ongoing, 300 people were killed, houses and a market burnt while soldiers helplessly watched and were ordered not to repel the insurgents nor render any assistance to those being attacked. Who ordered to stop the soldiers from engaging the terrorists at the time of attack? Can this also be another tactical maneuver?
General Muhammed Shuwa, was killed 2 November 2012, by gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram sect in front of eight armed soldiers deployed to secure his residence. To the surprise of many, the armed soldiers watched helplessly as Gen Shuwa was being murdered, before later retreating to nearby buildings scampering for safety. Another tactical maneuver indeed.
On July 18, 2014, Armed gunmen numbering about 200, that were reportedly on a revenge mission, stormed the 33 Armoured Brigade, Damboa and the Divisional Police Station at about 5pm in Toyota Hilux vehicles, destroying the Divisional Police Headquarters, market, shops, houses, vehicles and killed many troops and policemen. How on earth could the military watch helplessly while Boko Haram were destroying a police base right adjacent to the military barrack? Yet, another tactical maneuver.
On the 14th of March, 2014, members of the Boko Haram terrorist group launched an attack on Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State. The mission was to free many of their members who had been captured and held in the detention facilities in the barracks, which resulted to the lost of over three hundreds souls.
Interestingly, the attack was even videoed by the insurgents, thus showing the world how easily and unchallenged they operates, it further showcased how sophisticated their artillery is.
On the night of 14-15 April 2014, 276 female students were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State, the kidnapping occurred in an audible distance from a military base, but the terrorists succeeded in packaging 276 virgins into trucks and drove away unchallenged. A military officer revealed how they were stopped from rescuing the girls, he said and i quote; "we were ordered to arrest the vehicles carrying those girls but just as we started the mission, another order was issued that we should pull back. I can assure you, nobody gave us any directives to look for anybody.” Who issued the withdrawal order? I can see another tactical maneuver here.
On May 18th, 2014, the National Premium Post, Nigeria daily online newspaper, published army Generals selling weapons to Boko Haram, (nine serving Generals to face court-martial for treason). Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Minimah leads the investigation but was later debunked as rumours.
These scenarios and more further illustrated the best possible examples where Nigerian troops were caught blatantly in or on the verge of scandalizing an offence, in which the military will vacate their duty post to pave way for Boko Haram insurgents to operates in an unchallenged free reign.
Although it will be unfair to blame our gallant forces at war front for such recklessness, whoever found himself in their shoes would beat a retreat in the face of superior firepower.
They would definitely runaway or surrender before the insurgents who joyfully embrace death if they see no reason to die for their country, the issue of lack of welfare and motivation may be a determining factors for the troops to retreat but nevertheless, it's the business of the military to forfeit their lives in fighting enemies from within and outside to defend the sovereignty of a nation, likewise the most highest punishable offence in the military is when a soldier turned his tail before an enemy.
Tensions are now high among Nigerians about the disturbing increase of unseen hands manipulating the security situations currently ravaging Nigeria. We now have to contend with reports of about 500 soldiers abandoning their location and charged into Cameron to flee Boko Haram assault leaving Gamboru Ngala and some nearby villages at the mercy of the insurgents, in what was also termed as tactical maneuver not retreat.
With how things are now unfolding, the military high command needs to look inward in order to be able to contain the activities of Boko Haram. There is no doubt that with the various ambushes and surprise attacks on military formations, there are saboteurs within the military itself.
Corruption, impunity and government insensitivity has brought Nigeria to its knees. The government is intentionally not committed to end these nuisance called Boko Haram, those who have stolen the monies meant for security are well-known but the government is so care less to demand accountability. Those in authorities do not care to halt the menace of terrorism but rather concerned on how to deceive Nigerians using Boko Haram to loot public funds.
There's need to restrategize the entire military and other security agencies to meet the contemporary demand of social and economic challenges, as nothing can stop Boko Haram except a woeful defeat which can never be achieved with the current set of armaments and kindergarten leadership.
Unlike other terrorist groups across the world, Boko Haram's agendas and modus operandi are unique, they are an unappeasable adversary that wouldn't want to settle for anything less than victory, not even a draw.
The Federal Government most rise to curtail the increasing attacks on Nigerians and their properties, and most stop the blame game and politicking with the blood of Nigerians.
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