Renewed Attacks: Experts Call For Good Governance To End Insurgency

Security experts have said only good governance can truly address the widespread insecurity in Nigeria, particularly insurgency.

They said military efforts could only address less than 40 per cent of the crisis.

The experts’ submission comes days after the abduction of over 300 students of St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State and the kidnapping of 38 worshippers from a church in Kwara State.

The bandits also attacked a community in Abuja and kidnapped six girls and a boy.

Yesterday, bandits launched a deadly attack in Palaita community of Niger State and abducted 24 people.

A military veteran, Brig Gen SK Usman (rtd), who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend on the issue of renewed attacks, said it was not an issue of a gap in transition of service chiefs.

He rather blamed poor governance for widespread insecurity across the country, arguing that military operations will, at most, address only 40 per cent of the crisis.

Usman, however, cautioned that speaking on evolving security situations could jeopardise or pre-empt certain things.

He said, “When we are discussing these issues, about new service chiefs and all the rest, you see the conditions; there are certain things when you are dealing with insurgency, for instance, put it on the scale of 100 per cent.

“The military effort is just 40 per cent. So, the other 60 per cent is something else.

“You see, you don’t operate in a vacuum. There is a limit to which the security forces can do, and so that is why the issue of experiencing gap. The security challenges predate them.”

He lamented that Nigeria has been unable to address security challenges in the last 20 years due to a lack of political will.

“They kept on evolving. Most times, we feel we are not ready to address those issues. Why?

“You may say there is no political will, but that is a blanket way of saying so. But the long and short of it is that some of the security challenges — there are triggers, there are root causes and triggers, and drivers as they are with us. The issue of unemployment is there. Sixty-seven per cent of the total population of this country are youth. How many of them are gainfully employed? You know, the bulk of the perpetrators of these crimes, they are youths. So how can military deployment address that issue? So the long and short of it is issue of governance. Because if everything is going on well, yes, we will have crime, but not at this high rate.

“Yes, it (crime) can easily be detected. It can easily be controlled and all the rest of them.”

According to the retired general, the government saw insurgency coming but failed to address its triggers.

“And that is the beginning of insurgency, so to speak, or banditry. Possibly, you must have heard of Kwanta Kwanta in the northeast. In those days you must carry between N5,000 and N10,000 if you are going to the northeast, simply because something will happen to you. If you don’t have money, they will use you and write ‘no money’ on your body. And mostly, they are more or less like all these Chadians and Niger Republic people.

“Now, the proliferation of arms is also there. And you know in Maiduguri an AK-47 rifle has become a status symbol, so to speak. Almost everywhere there, they all have it in each family.”

General Usman further lamented that both Christian and Muslim religious leaders have been playing with people’s intelligence.

He further blamed Nigeria’s faulty system for the dysfunctional religious practice.

“By the time you miss promotion or anything, they will start telling you it is that person, but if the system was working perfectly, you won’t need any fortune teller,” he said.

Speaking on security operations further, he said the setbacks in the operations were not just about equipment but misplaced priorities.

He said the military left its constitutional duty to take up policing duties, just as he lamented that many Nigerians were working at cross purposes, including governors and local government chairmen.

A public and private security analyst and trainer, Major Banjo Daniel (rtd), lamented the recurring security breaches and blamed them on poor governance and the culture of criminality.

He expressed disappointment in the failure of the Tinubu-led administration to confront the threats.

“The last decade or so has been something else. When the late President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, came onboard, he was able to reduce the tempo by recapturing the local governments occupied by these terrorists, but the effort was rubbished over time, and these people regained control of some of the local government areas, and that’s how it has been till Tinubu came in and, to my greatest surprise, they allowed the situation to worsen.

“When a government starts negotiating with bandits and terrorists, nothing is expected of such than failure. Insecurity has become a business to most people, not just the bandits or criminals but also politicians and citizens,” he said.

Banjo Daniel explained that many Nigerians find the situation rewarding by providing essential administrative requirements for foreigners that come in the guise of humanitarian support to victims.

“It’s a business that is flourishing and people saw it and keyed into it. It has become a part of Nigeria and Nigerians that criminality is the norm.”

He described as unfortunate the sudden change of service chiefs.

“I thought things were going to improve with them,” he added, stating that the President has demonstrated no will to end insurgency.

“I don’t see the President showing the intent to eradicate insurgency — for his own personal interest. All he needs to do is instruct the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Service Chiefs: ‘I want insurgents quelled,’ and I’m sure they will move in quickly and end it.”

He said, contrary to beliefs, the military is well equipped to meet the firepower of the terrorists.

“The only thing they may not have is communication gadget that we used during special operations.

“If the government can provide those ones and retrain the infantry to conduct special operations, then you don’t need a brigade where a Brig Gen will get lost. You don’t need a whole brigade to move into their enclave. Even if other countries are not going to support in intelligence sharing, we should be able to provide our own.

“We should be able to provide equipment that will give us reference of the locations of all insurgents and if that is done, the job is practically done. We move in — special operations that I was a part of — execute. Only 11 trained men are enough to wipe out a battalion of those ragtag marauders.

“There is absolutely no political will to ensure this crisis is confronted appropriately.”

Daniel further lamented that the National Assembly that is supposed to check the excesses of the President “is already in his pocket, so I don’t see how we are going to get out of this in this century at all.”

He, however, opposed the invasion threats by President Donald Trump of the United States.

“Inasmuch as I don’t agree with the United States invading Nigeria or coming in to assist, I expect and wish that Mr President should call his men and give them the instruction,” he added.

A security consultant, Dr Abdullahi Muhammed Jabi, described as unfortunate the reported capture and execution of a Brigade Commander by terrorists.

Jabi, who is the director of media and publicity of the International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), attributed the setback to intelligence failure on the battlefield.

He added that the sudden change of Service Chiefs created a gap which the terrorists exploited.

“The reported death of the Brigade Commander is one of the unfortunate things that happen during such crisis. Until the military is able to recapitalise their equipment and get more manpower recruited, or even get private military contractors, such is bound to happen.

“Remember immediately they changed service chiefs, a good number of their peer group retired unprepared, so that alone is probably responsible for the gap in operations. There is intelligence failure at the field level, but that could be bridged with proper manpower recapitalisation.”

Jabi further stated that the threat by President Trump to invade Nigeria would put the fragile country “into a mess as it is in Afghanistan, Libya, South Sudan, Central Africa and others, but that can’t work in Nigeria. Nigeria has overcome the issue of religious intolerance amongst themselves.”

He continued: “These enemies of state do not know any geopolitical zone, religion or ethnicity. They kill anybody they see. But again, Trump’s threat is a wake-up call for the government to work up to its responsibility. The whole aim of governance is to protect lives and property. So if this is now being alienated over time, then we find ourselves in this condition. We need to re-strategise and, if necessary, get external forces — especially on clear mandates, not on the perceived mandate of any foreign power. We’ll need to invite them.”

Kebbi Schoolgirls Rescue: PDP, ADC Laud Tinubu, Idris Efforts

Meanwhile, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, has rejoiced with the parents and government of Kebbi State over the rescue and release of 24 abducted students of Government Girls’ Comprehensive College (GCSS), Maga, who have reunited with their parents.

He commended the quick response by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Nasir Idris in rescuing the schoolgirls safely and handing them over to their parents.

Turaki made the commendation when he led the party’s leadership on a sympathy visit to Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi.

He said, “Issues like these — of abduction of innocent students or other people in the state — don’t concern the ruling party alone but attract the attention of all and sundry, including the opposition parties.

“That’s why we are here to condole with families of those killed and those whose daughters were abducted, and to rejoice with the government and people of Kebbi State over the secure release of the abducted students,” Turaki added.

While commending the efforts of both President Tinubu and Governor Idris for the safe release of the students, the PDP national chairman also advised the federal and Kebbi State governments to beef up security everywhere in the schools to avert the recurrence of attacks and abductions.

Governor Idris, who was represented by his deputy, Senator Abubakar Umar Tafida, thanked the PDP national leadership for the sympathy visit.

Tafida assured that the Nasir-led administration had adopted an open-door policy to work with other political parties for the sake of security and national development.

In a related development, the chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Kebbi State Chapter, Abdulrazak Abubakar Issa Iko, has described the visionary leadership of Governor Nasir Idris as commendable.

He made the commendation when he led executive members of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) on a sympathy visit to the Governor, Nasir Idris, at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi over the abduction of GCSS Maga students by bandits.

The ADC chairman said that despite political differences, it was extremely important to speak the truth on Governor Idris’ efforts towards ensuring that security improves in the state.

Governor Nasir Idris thanked the ADC executive members for their visit and for sympathising with him and the people of Kebbi State over the abduction incident.

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