Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet pilots receive a pre-flight briefing from Air Component Commander, Air Vice Marshal Tayo Oguntonyibo (2nd right) prepare to take off to Niger from Abuja
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Beegeagle's Blog 
What’s a two star general still doing in the cockpit of a combat jet? Doesn’t NAF have younger pilots of Flight Lieutenant to Group Captain rank. Chai!!! *smh*
Does he look like a armchair general?
Let me speak based on observed trends and conventional practice as I have seen them. First off, do note that he is the Commander of the Air Operations – not the pilot. Just there to guide these chaps.
Most pilots I know are in the Flight Lieutenant to Wing Commander category. Oguntoyinbo is part of the generation of A-Jet aces who flew nearly 3,000 sorties during the ECOMOG era. Fifteen years ago at the height of the War in Sierra Leone, Oguntoyinbo himself would have been a very senior Squadron Leader or a fresh Wing Commander flying an A-Jet in COMBAT. Obviously, it pays to learn from an ace thereby avoiding some pitfalls during actual flight operations.
I have only ever heard of three Group Captains behind the controls – one during a 2010 air crash, another during a F7 crash and the third, during the Golden Jubilee of Independence P’rade where he flew a Mi-35P attack helicopter which ferried chaps who were rappelling.
Hark back to Lungi in Sierra Leone. Colonel Khobe was in the marshes fighting to gain a foothold in the airport.As a Brigadier General, he had to delegate command of his troops in the battlefield.
By convention and based on considerations for the risk entailed in having such repertoirs of experience on whom millions of dollars in training fees have been expended, sitting inside the cockpit of a combat jet, an AVM (Major General-equivalent) would obviously not be doing any flying. Certainly not to the knowledge of the NAF High Command.
Oga Beeg, But he is dressed like one.
@xnurr with his training and experience it would have been best he mentor and inspire younger pilots from ground control and the classroom, not from the cockpit.
@ OriginalPato: This is normal of our flag officers who lead from the front (the commandant of the NDA, joined his graduating class in rappelling jaunt last year, he is a 2-star Gen and mean paratrooper too). At least he is fresh 2-star, he is still clocking hours in a ferry flight and not in a CAP. He knows that he won’t be allowed to take a A-jet into battle. His time his over! As Air Contingent Commander, he is an enigma to his men and flying them into Niamey will make an impression on both Nigerien and Chadian forces, meanwhile, he is also getting a feel of what the capabilities of the upgraded A-jet has to offer plus understand what his men will face when they do go into battle. Moreover, he is a veteran of Liberia and Sierra Leone conflicts, his experience is too valuable to be allowed too close to the battlefront.
Maj. Gen. Dogonyaro flew in with the Alpha-jet when he assumed command at Sierre-Leone. It’s no beeg deal.
He looks like he’s dressed to fly and this is their pre flight briefing, most likely ‘exercised his priveleges to lead the flight to Niger for nostalgia sake. Can’t blame him really, but obviously the young boys will be doing the flying stuff while he’ll be doing the planning stuff
Yeah, OriginalPato. Same way we have photos of Sarkin-Yaki, Khobe and Dogonyaro dressed in combat fatigues here on combat operations which they did not personally lead.
There is no way in the world that the NAF would send an Air Vice Marshal to pilot a jet on combat operations – not even in Op Desert Storm, let alone in Mali.
Whatever is playing out here, AVM Oguntoyinbo will not fly any A-Jet in Mali without risking being charged for ‘reckless conduct’
Beag! All the reports (including yours https://beegeagle.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/nigerian-air-force-deploy-two-alpha-jet-aircraft-for-mali-operations-flown-out-from-abuja-nextdoor-niger-will-be-operational-hub-for-afisma-sorties/) had it that AVM Oguntoyinbo led the team that flew to Niger!!! But i agree with Peccavi, that he wont take part in combat operations. My guess is that from the comand post he’ll be in charge of all operations!!!
I watched the video on youtube days ago. The AVM is the head of the air task group, and he didn’t fly any of the Alpha-jets that day. He just hitched a ride on the WSO seat, that’s all.
Leadership is the key, take lessons from the american movie Pearl Harbour whre d flight instructor though and led his men to bliv in low elevation approach to landing over a short distance on a US carrier. Men love to see bosses be experts in dier fields hence would be more inspired to achieve goals. His role is to pass his combat experience. The no of hours flying during peacetime be it 5000 or more cannot be compared to 30mins in a dogfight, these lads needs proper briefing at all cost.
Yeah – LED…not bombing, we said. The very first report at the time when the Nigerian Air Force were said to have undertaken recon flights and provided technical assistance to their Malian counterparts and which I based on a CCTV report spoke about a Nigerian Air Vice Marshal in darks glasses seen at Bamako Airport. That was one week clear of the dispatch of A-Jets to Niamey, Niger, so he evidently did not fly in the A-Jets to get to Bamako, on the same flight as the AFISMA Commander, General Abdulkadir. They also visited Niger as part of the trip to discuss the air operations.
That said, we must not forget that there are several strands to the air operations and these could involve several airframes
Ground Attack – A-Jet, Mi-24V, Mi-35P
Recce – Alenia Surveyor, DA42 MPP
Airlift – C130 Hercules, Alenia G222
General liaison/utility Do-228+Super Puma
Technical Support – Mil helo mtce for Mali
The operations shall also span three countries – Nigeria, Niger and Mali
A man such as Oguntoyinbo would know first-hand how we managed crunchtime airlift, such as
– moving 9,000 troop reinforcements into SLR in ten days at Xmas 98/New 99;
– attacking targets in Liberia from Sierra Leone and vice versa before we actually moved air operations into the particular territory haven taken control of and properly secured the airbases.
– the actual combat operations
– general liaison using Super Puma
That is the meaning of the word “EXPERIENCE” – the seasoned and battle-hardened guiding and inspiring the young and the willing who are sure to become aces themselves
My dear Generals,
A foreign military journals once said this about Nigeria Navy “Nigeria Navy has more Admirals than warships”. I thinks its the same thing we are seeing here.
I respect AVM Oguntoyinbos very much and I appreciate his taking time to share his combat experience with our ‘fly boys’, but the truth here is that IF THE NAF HAS ENOUGH FIGHTERS, AN AVM SHOULD NOT BE SEEN HERE IN A FLIGHT SUIT WITH SUNGLASSES AND GLOVES’. This man here is a national asset and the flight to Niger/Mali is not an emergency. Its not as if a NAF base has just been bombed and the only surviving/fit officer is an AVM neither are we shooting a ‘motivational/patriotic movie’ .People like him are ‘worshipped’ in other countries where military authorities will not even allow him out of sight. I believe lower ranking officers can do this.
The FG should acquire more fighters very quickly so that we dont keep having “MORE AVMs THAN AIRCRAFTS’
He is most prob in flight gear to boost morale,and let them know he has been there and done did it…and he might for the fun and adrenaline rush, hitch a ride in the back seat to Mali……there is nothing like seeing your leader come down to you level.
gen spirit, u are getting it all wrong. if u have been in combat, u would understand what it takes for a commander or a very senior officer to be at the front with the men. except u have a gripe with NAF for sending a 2 star gen with less than a dozen committed assets; fighter jets, helos and fixed wing platforms for troops deployment.
there is nothing better than having ur commander up front, its a morale booster. it takes the brave and innovative commanders to be seen getting their hands dirty.
the israelis are more adept to this. to my personal knowledge, the IAF had ace pilots in their late 40s and early 50s who where base commanders, these guys where still conducting their thing with youger pilots on F-16s. mind you, these veterans flew mirage 3s and neshers in the 60s and 70s.
the fact that the AVM is hugging a flight suite does not in anyway indicate that he is flying combat missions. flight from abuja-niamey is not an issue, neither will a flight from niamey-bamako, its his personal prerogative, and his men will thank him for that.
Like I said, Spirit, there is no way and nowhere in the world that he is going to fly that aircraft..even if he dresses up like a masquerade. I do not draw that conclusion based on his jumpsuit or whatever – after all, GEJ appeared for NAF Expo in an airforce uniform, in a Fleet Admiral’s uniform for the Golden Jubilee of Independence Fleet Review and a Field Marshal’s uniform at NADCEL 2012. He is an AVM and cannot get involved in flying combat sorties.
For this minute, it is pilot to pilot and appearing like this is just the total motivational aspect to saying ‘been through these motions as well’. He is going to be seen across countries and with Alenia Surveyor, Mi-35P and C130 crews in the days ahead. Then, all of that shall be made clear.
There is no dearth of pilots anywhere. For an Army which is growing its Aviation Unit, the NAF have trained 40 pilots for the NA – never mind fulfilling their own requirements.
Ahead of the delivery of F7 AirGuard jets, SIXTY THREE pilots, engineers and technicians were trained in China. When the first female pilot, Blessing Liman qualified about fifteen months ago, twenty nine others received their wings as well.
NAF crews are training across the globe, so this is no different from a father-to-son banter between pilots. He is the Commander of the Air Operations. There nothing untoward about dressing, looking or talking the part for officers who obviously had even not entered the NDA as cadets during the ECOMOG years.
FOREIGN TRAINING
NAF WING 30 OFFICERS (April 2012)
http://thisdaylive.com/articles/nigerian-air-force-wings-first-female-pilot/114693/
As far as I know, for every airframe in service at this time there is a surplus of pilots – Mil, Agusta, Alenia Surveyor, Alenia G222, C130, Albatros, Aermacchi, Do 228, DA42 MPP, Alpha Jet and F7 AirGuard.
We also have technical partnerships for the advanced maintenance of Mil, F7, Agusta and Alpha Jet airframes operable.
Leadership Experience is invaluable. From a personal point of view whomever is going to give me advice I would personally like for them to share their personal experience they must of been through it. Nigeria does not need any more arm chair general we need as we are obviously seeing general who have had personal combat experience because they can better relate to the troops and also they automatically garner respect.
The ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCES are notorious so much that when they go to WAR their commissioned officers tend to have the highest casualty rate because their maxim is leaders lead from the front. glad to see the AVM still looking trim.
Great Patriots,the fact that AVM Oguntoyibo wore the jumpsuit does not mean he was going to fly the A-jet into battle over northern mali,his dress was and will continue to serve as a morale booster to the young inexperience NAF A-jet pilots.
During Operation Desert Shield in August 1990 that later transformed to Desert Storm i.n January 1991,the then US Air Force Commander in the Pershian Gulf and the then Spokesman for the US Military High Command,an air force two star general,were always dressed in their jumpsuits with the pilot wings on their left-breast pocket.
So its not a big deal for AVM OGUNTOYIBO to wear a jumpsuit,infact he may even fly with his men around the airbase,teaching them some important air combat tactics but not over the battle area.US Lt Gen Robert Bond was killed in the crash of an Egyptian MiG-23 Flogger swing-wing fighter he was flying at Groom Lake,Nevada in 1984.
throughout military history, bold and innovative commanders have always been present upfront fighting with the men. from alexander the great, to hannibal, to much recent commanders like erwin rommel and gotthard heinrici, and the foot soldiers practically worshiped them.
of course, the book see this act as reckless. first, being at the front and fighting with the line troops put the commander’s life in danger, thereby jeopardizing the mission. second, by being up front, the commander can hardly get a comprehensive view of developing battlefield situation, this in turn limits his ability to react to emerging development.
however, the book was written to instruct and level the playing field. the above commanders where not part of any equal playing field, they where first among equals and never worked according to any written conservative guidelines. they all did better than the book.
I have already said that o, Gbash10..using Khobe as example. He fought waistdeep in the marshes as a Colonel at Lungi. As a General, he had to delegate reponsibility.
Oguntoyinbo is just there to boost their morale. For a man with his depth of experience and as a Commander, it would have been surprising to me if he had left home on the day, dressed differently. I would not be surprised to see him dressed up like his C130, G222, Alenia Surveyor or Mil pilots either because he is COMMANDER of the overall AIR OPERATIONS.
We have even given the examples of GEJ dressing up as Field Marshal, Marshal of the NAF and Fleet Admiral for NA, NAF and NN events just to identify with the particular service in totality and to boost morale.
As we speak, NOBODY has a photo of General Ewansiha (I do though) of the JSTF. He is the Commander but the field operations, he cannot get into. His Field Operations Officer, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme does that.
During the 2009 BH uprising, then GOC 3 Armoured Division General Saleh Maina moved his HQ temporarily to MDGR. He was photographed with his top officers at his command post – not on the battlefield. That task was delegated to Colonel Ben Ahanotu.
Again, I have a photo on this blog of a General Joshua Dogonyaro dressed up in camouflage and with his officers at Monrovia, Liberia during his time as ECOMOG Field Commander. The actual battlefield operations were led by Colonel Musa Bamaiyi, then Nigerian Contingent Commander.
These things are not so hard to decipher. Even without getting a hand on the spirit and letter of same, the conventional practice is enough to serve as a very reliable guide.
In which Nigeria will an AVM fly an A-Jet into a battlefield? Because there are suddenly no pilots? I have said that the reason why we even have an AVM at the helm probably has to do with the sheer diversity of the operation – F7 interceptors, Mil attack helicopters, A-Jets, C130 and G222 airlift planes, Alenia Surveyor and DA42 MPP recce aircraft and almost certainly, Super Puma and Do 228.
With such an array of airframes, each unique unto itself by way of function, an experienced senior officer who has been part of similar operations before and lived through the ten year-long ECOMOG air operations, both on the battlefield in West Africa and in-country as a staff officer, is just what we need to have the different strands of the operation mesh smoothly together.
Okay, here is a photo of the former CDS, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike and the ex-JTF Commander, Maj. Gen Sarkin-Yaki Bello at Camp 5 after the capture of the strongest militant base in the Niger Delta in 2009. Dressed as they are, did they not personally fight in the battle?
Even when Mi-35Ps used to do livefire demonstration at Makurdi annually, the CAS would come dressed in a jumpsuit. It did not mean that he was going to do the flying or firepower demo. He NEVER did.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9825444/Mali-airstrikes-footage-released-by-French-military.html
The problem is one of scale. Because of the chronic lack of assets in NAF, you have an Air vice marshall, commanding the activities of just 2 jets.
Mind you, a squadron leader, is supposed to preside over a squadron of 12 to 15 jets. A group captain should command a wing of 2 or more squadrons.
So an AVM in the RAF rank structure that NAF is following may have a force of over 60 jets under his command.
It’s kind of like a major general, commanding a company or a battalion.
Oga Doziex, haba no be so now! The AVM is the Air Contingent Commander. Under the AISIEMA ORBAT, he is in charge of all air operations including, logistics, ferry, liasion, battle plans, reconnisance, air assets in the deployment of troops etc. Abeg, NAF is not the Malian Air Force nah? A 2-star general to manage 2 jets, are you being serious?. AVM Oguntoyinbo has big job on is hand, he needs air assets to move men and materials to across three countries, Nigeria, Niger and Mali. Plus he has to bring information about Enemies movement across the whole of Mali, whilst ensuring the troop staging from Nigeria is on track and on schedule. If you read Oga Beegeagle report, its a complex operation that needs a 2-star Gen in charge based on the multiple components of the AISIEMA missio requirements.
he is Air Officer Commanding so he has alot more responsibility than that. Bear in mind he will be dealing with AFISMA HQ, French Air Force, Nigerien, Malian, Chadian as well as Nigerian staffand HQ he needs to have General officer rank to carry any weight. even for a liaiso n tasking you generally send someone just a rank or 2 under the the commander or on par wih the staff level, so Captain to Battallion, Major to Brigade etc. All you are really doing is relaying messages and giving advice sometimes on doctrine but if they just send a Sgt who go give am space, he’ll be making tea the whole time. So the actual operational tasking will be done by the Sqn Leaders and Wing Commanders, he will be attending meetings and making sure the boys don’t get pushed to one side. The fact that he flew in with the boys is a very good sign that this is a fighting commander who is in touch with the guys. I like that move any commander who doesn’t abuse his privileges to spend as much time with his boys as possible is always suspect to me
General Beeg sir ! When would the nigerian Airforce by more fighter jets? Even if it is the yak fighters or the j10’s we need at least a fighter fleet that is 200 strong! A mixture of su30’s,yak130 and the j10’s
Yeah man, NAF has no excuse for this paltry fleet that it currently operates.
I have said this many a time on this blog. This is a grossly irresponsible act on the part of NAF and GEJ/OBJ govt’s.
How can nigeria with it’s available resourses, excuse the fact that we have maybe 12 F-7s and 4 to 10 alpha jets operational for combat.
Somebody out there must be sick in the head.
So while the french air force pilots, have the option to strike their targets with laser guided bombs from 15,000 feet, NAF pilots are going to have to make do with dive bomber tactics they used decades ago in liberia and sierra leone.
And FYI most of the targets they will be diving at, posses mounted anti aircraft artillery.
You raise a lot of valid points here, and I must say that I’m equally concerned about our flyboys. The Mi-35 Hind crew will be fine ‘cos they fly a beast, but I fear for the Alpha jet pilots as they make their dives and strafing runs. With the amount of AA guns and MANPADS in the possession of the rebels, their sorties ain’t gonna be easy. I only hope they’ve come up with a good SEAD plan.
Hmn, it turns out that the French have chartered the following cargo aircraft from RUSSIA’s Volga Dnepr to aid the movement of troops and materiel.
– An-124
– Il-76
– An-225 Mriya
The NAF need to learn that most of those whose commentators run down Russo-Chinese gear necessarily believe in “do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do”. The USA and France have now to my knowledge hired the AN-225 to aid airlift into Afghanistan and Mali respectively.
When we say that some of these assessments are nothing more than cheap commercial propaganda, it looks like we are joking. Well, so much for Russian gear being one way or the other. Reality checks.
Confirmed to be in Niger:
NAF Alpha Jet light attack aircraft
(NAF 452 and NAF 455)
Confirmed to be in Mali:
NAF Mi-35 attack helicopters
It is however not clear at this point if those are Mi-24V Hind E (interchangeably known as “Mi-35” without the surfix ‘P’) which is 23mm cannon-armed or the Mi-35P Hind F (which has an alphanumeric designation and is 30mm cannon-armed)
Please can someone process the IP number of this real nuisance called D-e-S. Perhaps he needs to be straightened out once and for all.
I have told him that he is not welcome here, having been found out as one who is only here to denigrate all things Nigerian with subtlety while upholding and trying to force us into learning unsolicited lessons from his corner. We are not interested – having shown himself to be a Nigeria antagonist who weeps at weddings and sings at funerals.
He predicted the decline of this blog just because he got shut out for his idiocy and heaped scorn on commenters here to suggest, in his haughty delusions, that the quality of comments have dropped since he paid a price for his dalliance with buffoonery. Now, I want to fix him up.
That chap has been scribbling a lotta bull on my wall and I think it is time to have him undone for his own sake. He got shut out and that is that. Posting here is a privilege, not a right.
D-e-S is always antagonistic because he feels that that the likes of Nigeria and South Africa are not paying enough attention to his own corner. Napoleonic complex? Whatever be the case, it is now time to hit back because his excesses have transcended those of a stalker.
As for you, D-e-S, let us see if intimidation and hate messages get you any closer to your life ambition of posting comments here. Bottom feeder
Please someone lemme know the details behind these pathetic digits
D-e-S
IP No 81.1*3.26.123
host81-1*3-26-123.range81-1*3.bt******.com
D-e-S does not have to be here. That he has all the traits of a paranoid schizophrenic nay stalker makes it imperative that I finally get this guy sorted out.
I can take him out if you want…. No clown disturbs my oga, when I am alive
Oga Tim, compared to real life, he has exceeded the worst excesses of a stalker. He is desperate, unrelenting and is probably, on the evidence of what I see, a sex pest and a serial beast in real life, he has all the traits entailed. As we write this, he has changed his email and IP address – just to continue his drivel.
I mean, I did not appoint him associate moderator, he is not my friend, I do not know him and do not want to know him.Yet he would post all sorts of weblinks from Kenya or Youtube or wherever, asking “why are you not discussing this!”
Since he has such clear ideas of what to put on a blog, why does’nt the waif just go away and start one? Because I won’t allow him post, he calls me “anti social”(like I have to be friends by force – is that not the stuff of a stalker); because I won’t allow him to advertise his Army Aviation on a Nigerian SF thread, I am “anti intellectual”
If that guy were not a lazy bonehead, what stops the percher from stuffing all those links and unsolicited opinions from whereever in one blog and let us see how many, even from his country, take notice of the attention-seeking troll?
I mean, I do not like the antics of some foreign media operators and I am writing it here – not on their pages where they can decide not to publish. I have made it clear and I say again, on account of the offering that emanates from most of our openly hostile and supposed African brethren, I am ONLY okay with Kyall Kelvins and am looking to hear from chaps in South Africa who do not feel threatened as many of these passersby do. I have tried them and seen a whole lot.
Most of them, oblivious of the firewall around here, first post very hideous stuff with the intention of dumping their frustrations here and when they find that it does not register, they try to tone down their diatribe with a view to getting a second chance. By then, they would have already shown their wretched hands and been closed out.
Here are a few rules in blogosphere:
QUOTE
“Today I cover how to protect your blog from the attack of the mean commenter.
First, let me say that except in cases
of libel and defamation, anyone has
the right in most “civilized” countries
to say what they want about you – ON THEIR BLOG, NOT YOURS. It’s their playground, so if they want to play nasty, it’s their right. However, you do not have to let their sand spill into your sandbox.
Again, you have the right to delete, edit, and control comments and commenters on your blog. You have the “right to refuse service”, so to speak. You also have the right to respond or not, it’s up to you.
Just remember,many mean commenters live for your response. They thrive on the negative attention, so by responding, you may be throwing fuel on the fire.”
end of quote
This is why I have asked him, if only for the sake of raising his country’s profile in blogosphere like you and other Nigerians have done here, to go and open a blog about the new African superpower with an economy the size of Lagos State’s. Not here – perhaps on a Rwandan or Malawian blog.
This blog is primarily about the advancement of the interests of Nigeria’s defence and security forces. It is not an AU or Salvation Army blog, so he does not need to come here trying to compete for a share of the coverage with Nigerian forces.
On the evidence of what I have seen,outside of South Africa, Kyall is all I am willing to risk here. Asians, Europeans and Westerners are also welcome. If D-e-S needs his high decibel opinions ventilated, let him create a space and choose his theme. Alas, he is sure that it won’t fly, so he insists on trolling around here and trying to force his nation’s story down our throats? It will not happen, since his kind have no love to show any other country but theirs.
After all the prime coverage that I gave his country’s military foray in Somalia, what he insists on doing ON a Nigerian blog of all places, is to work against Nigeria’s own interests and feign ignorance when it is going well for us, only to pop up and pontificate about what he does not know at inoppotune moments whereas his own country is on fire?
What business does he have posting his unsolicited sanctimony in the name of COIN 101 here when his own country is on fire as has never been the case since the August 1998 terror attacks in their capital city? Why does he not take his stuff and his inferiority complex to a forum or blog where he crawled out from at a time when police, paramilitary and military personnel are getting killed like never before since his country’s troops went into Somalia? He wants dialogue with Boko Haram whereas his own compatriots are held by Al Shabaab and his government won’t dialogue? Why are so many Africans such idiots and hypocrites?
Oga Beeg, abeg leave this dirty rat, no allow the guy enter under your skin, he no worth am. On the subject of the Alpha Jets, my small research showed me that this airframe was originally conceptualised as a training/light attack aircraft for the French and German air forces. Entering production in the early 70s, it was phased out (even as a trainer) by Germany between 1992 and 1998.
Abeg o, for the more knowledgeable people here, what is this platform still doing as our air force’s response to a serious foreign conflict situation such as Mali? Somebody dey fall my hand o…
Because its still a very capable aircraft that is suited to our needs
Detona, I hear you. Perhaps the guy thinks this is the United Nations military blog where he has a right to participate.
The desperado sees his imbecilic rants shaded in yellow and thinks everyone else can see it. Hahaha..what a lunatic. That is why he is inspired to continue running his mouth. I have NEVER encountered anyone so very desperate (well, perhaps I have since some of his crowd superimposed a roundel on an attack helicopter just to drive home the point of ownership) and without an iota of respect for himself. Spends his whole day ‘paraphrasing’ people here and even begins with “you are telling us..”
Lol..who are the ‘us’ that he talks about? Who is talking to him? I said the guy is delusional. A man who has no posting rights is talking about ‘us’. How many here belong to that category which he delights in like a sadomasochist. Five months of dumping twenty verbose posts everyday without gaining posting rights and he can still put himself through more indignity. Absolutely low self-esteem.
That he can subject himself to such self-abasement just to appear on a Nigerian blog beggars belief. It is a fixation. He even changed his IP and opened a new Russian hotmail just to sustain his desperate attempts at getting heard. It is befuddling., his tactics desperate to the point of insanity.
He is still posting his incoherent epistles and hate messages and I am compiling them and he shall reap his rewards soon enough. Beegeagle’s Blogger wannabe. It has to be here or nowhere else. What a raving desperado. Shameless really is an understatement.
A man so rejected can still hang around talking tripe about ‘we’ on a blog where he was never part of the crowd and was at best an object of comic relief for his verbose egotism?
Anti intellectual, intellectual hoax – I get heard and you do not, D-e-S the desperado. Professor without a published work..intellectual without a berth or acclaim. I am a blogger, not anything else. Put your high-sounding intellectualism on the pages of a blog and let us see who takes notice of your hollow rants steeped in emasculation and ignominy. Take the challenge, unacclaimed intellectual.
I did not realise that you also endure a split personality syndrome as one of the woes which assail your pathetic existence. A third email address – hotmail.eu and a new IP thre*m** in 24 hours. Shameless online creep and stalker. Who are you really?
@ Marshal Beegs, what’s the news on the just concluded GOA offensive up north? It seems the Chadians and troops from Niger will be playing a major role in providing a right flank and occupying the city, while the Nigerian military is yet to play any active role at all. Are our vehicles now on ground? Or do we still have light infantry units with no mobility in-country?
Last I heard and saw on CCTV tonight, French Panhard Sagaie and Malian lorries were heading towards Gao and appear to have occupied the airport on the outskirts of the city. They could be in the city tonight.
For now, it is only French and Malian forces which I have heard about getting into Gao. Some Burkinabe chaps arrived about two days ago but are in non-desert Central Mali near Mopti, a commercial city on the Niger. Guinea and Senegal are in already as well but are not deployed as yet.
As for the Chadians and Nigeriens, a vital bridge on the route leading into Gao from Niger got blown up two nights ago. Perhaps this French-Malian combo might overshoot Gao and install a makeshift bridge for them to cross over. They are expected to arrive from Niger in a motorised convoy of gun-trucks and Panhard AML armoured cars.
The angle of these chaps melting away into the desert which I felt was inevitable and methinks Peccavi also believed this to be a foregone conclusion, is starting to play out very fast. After the rather heavy altercations around Konna, Douentza and Diabaly in central Mali, these guys in the North have simply been melting away in the face of the advancing Malian and French forces.
Today, I did not see any evidence of fighting having taken place around the airport – just French Sagaie AFVs poised in the grassfields around and Malian lorries rolling into the town. The airport was probably taken without incident. I also did not hear of any air strikes preceding the entry into the hinterland of Gao today. It could be that last week’s air strikes by the French had already depleted the combat assets of the terrorists. There have been no reports of resistance anywhere by the rebels as of now and the frontline has now shifted 1,000km from Bamako, compared to 400-500km last week.
The question now is where are they fleeing to? Will they regroup and fight back or are they going to adopt tactics of attrition – classic guerrilla warfare hit-and-run maneouvres?
My belief is that latter shall suffice. They have probably fled further up north and almost certainly blew up that bridge to prevent any pursuers coming after them in their northward retreat. I strongly suspect that Gao has already relieved itself of its fanatical overload.
Even after these three regional capitals upcountry have fallen, there is bound to be resistance coming in the form of ambushes, mine+IED attacks and perhaps, onslaughts and invasions which would lead to urban warfare.
The terrorists have merely fled to come back and fight at some point in the near future. While details of the combat assets brought in by the NA are still unknown, the NAF have Alpha Jet planes in Niamey and attack helicopters in Mali. The NAF are almost sure to commence operations with the Nigerien and Chadians advancing from the East.
GAO, BIGGEST TOWN IN NORTHERN MALI, FALLS TO MALIAN-FRENCH FORCE
Jan. 26 (Xinhua)
The Malian and French forces on Saturday said they have recaptured Gao, the biggest northern town, after a series of counter-offensives against rebels in the past two weeks.
The biggest ever gain on the ground was
announced by allied forces after an
overnight bombing by French warplanes
on rebel positions and sporadic street
fighting. Dozens of rebels were killed in
the battle over the town. Mayor of Gao Sadou Diallo would arrive in the town from the Malian capital Bamako in the day, according to the French military.
Reinforcements were reported to
consolidate the control of Gao, including
350 Malian soldiers. Chadian and Nigerien troops, who are known for experience in desert warfare, would reach Gao “very soon,” the same source said.
The Malian and French troops took control of Wabaria bridge and the Gao
international airport before seizing the
town. Early this week, the Malian forces and their French allies began the second
phase of their operation to recapture the two regional capitals of Timbuktu and Gao that came under control of the
Islamist rebels earlier 2012. The airport is about six kilometers east of Gao and the bridge is at the southern gate of the city. The control of the two sites is strategically on an upper hand position for the coalition forces in the fight against the al Qaeda-backed rebels.
Besides the Gao airport, the locality of
Lere is also under control of the Malian
army which is advancing with the French
support towards Timbuktu in the western part near the border with Mauritania.
Supported with airstrikes by the French
forces on the rebel strongholds, the
coalition forces are advancing quickly
since the launch of offensives against the rebels who occupied the northern part of Mali in earlier 2012, including Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal. Since Jan. 11, the Malian-French troops have liberated several towns starting from Konna in central Mali, pushing back the rebel forces to the north.
The rebels had overrun the Malian army since January last year when the conflict
started sparked by call for political
autonomy of the northern Mali region of
Azawad, an area inhabited by the Tuareg people.
The rebels took control of that region in
April last year and advanced to take over
several other cities including the worldly
known cultural site of Timbuktu. The
conflict worsened when the country’s
President Amadou Toumani Toure was ousted in a coup by mutinous soldiers in
last March.