NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
April 29, 2014
The Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday in Abuja, urged the Federal Government to declare full scale military operation against insurgents in the North East.
Mark made the call in an address to welcome senators back from Easter recess. He said the heightened spate of terrorist attacks and killings carried out by insurgents in the North East amounted to a declaration of war against the country.
He noted that in view of the fact that the insurgents had rejected calls for dialogue, the government should embark on comprehensive military
onslaught to stamp out the menace. “There is no doubt that our nation is at war. The enemy has clearly and unequivocally served the nation notice of its vile intentions.
“It is obvious that we are dealing with insurgents and well-funded
nihilists who are determined to
violently trample upon the secularity of the Nigerian state and destroy the country. “Therefore, a clear, unambiguous and decisive military response from the government, beyond the imposition of a state of
emergency, is urgently required
in this circumstance.
“The full might and strength of our security services must now be deployed to confront this scourge. And this must be done within the shortest possible timeframe with minimal casualties,” he said.
Mark also urged the Federal Government to deploy all available resources to not only combat the forces of destruction,but also unmask and punish the sponsors of terrorist groups plundering the country. He said the campaign would be realised when local communities and other sections of Nigerians gave adequate support to the armed forces in their quest to contain the insurgency.
He added that “our emphasis must, therefore, be on winning the hearts and minds of the communities in the immediate theatres of conflict.“Government must do all it can to
immediately identify the sponsors and the source of funds to the terrorists and the insurgents. “In this connection,anybody who is implicated, no matter how highly placed, should not be treated as a sacred cow.’’
Mark pledged the determination of the National Assembly to sustain its partnership with all arms of government and Nigerians to bring insurgency to an end. He warned politicians to desist from making statements capable of undermining the efforts of the members of the armed forces.
The Senate president said “we will activate and deploy every possible constitutional legislative instrument in aid of the war against terror. “We must not quibble, nor speak along party lines. We must speak out as Nigerians and collectively, we must flash a powerful signal against terror.’’
He, however, noted that the door
should be left open to any effort to employ dialogue as means of finding a lasting solution to terrorism and insurgency in the country.
Beegeagle's Blog 
All the right signals contained. Hopefully, the entire top echelon key into this mood which is emblematic of the kind of political will and military readiness which savvy Nigerians crave in the lead up to the resolution of this conflict.
All the right signals
– POLITICAL WILL
* politicians need to stop running with the hares and chasing with the hounds. Senator Zanna and Hon. Monguno represent this hideous standard and it is not surprising that all the BH-infested states are opposition strongholds.
* the law should be enforced tyrannically in the pursuit of backers and sponsors of terrorism
* the dithering local populace who let in this monster which is now consuming them, need to move away from sitting their suffering behinds on that trifling fence.
* affirms the reality that BH have fluffed all efforts to get them to dialogue, something which the blabber mouths of the international media consistently gloss over. The example set by a more public-spirited MFDC in Senegal this week comes to mind. Not so BH with their all-consuming lust for power. Who they want or hope to rule over, I do not know. In the event, should the FG of Nigeria hand over power to terrorists?
* do not close the door to dialogue while the offensive is underway.
MILITARY
* ALL possible resources (material, human and financial) should be deployed to put an end to this menace
* A full-blown military operation should commence. Real politik..the same point of realisation of the difference between “police action” and “military offensive”
* resources to be provided for a timebound operation with the shortest period cannot be factored around equipment deliveries slated to commence in 2016 or later. FACTORY REFURBISHED and UPGRADED equipment is what we should be in the hunt for PRIMARILY given the exigencies of time which is not on our side in this case.
That was why Gowon placed an order for factory refurbished MiG 15s, L29 Delfin and MiG 17s in July 1967 and they were rolling in 60 DAYS later in Sept 1967. That was why Ethiopia paid US$160 m for eight Su-27 air superiority jets in April 1998 and they were delivered 60 DAYS later.
So this is no time to issue tenders and open bids. The NAF need to get an infusion of used armed scout helicopters, Mi-24s and Mi-17s. We seem not to know even what should be acquired! Pre-oil boom, Angola in 1983 grabbed 36 Alouette III helics set to be offloaded by Romania, had them armed up in France and moved them into the theatre. In Kashmir, India acquired 90 used Casspir MRAPs from SA so as to retake the mined roads and fight insurgents.
As far as provisioning goes, we have scored very low. Insurgents can still travel 200km without the fear of air interdiction in Borno? Why not, where are the airframes needed to deny them such operating space? Such gaps still exist over 3.5 years since the Sept 2010 start of this insurgency? It is pathetic really. Did you read about what a boyish Gowon managed to do in 60 days?
😦 Perhaps we are finally approaching the tipping point in this war.
Good talk. Well done Oga beegs.
For other bloggers, I would suggest we follow Beegs example and concentrate on HOW WE CAN HELP the situation, rather than how emotional or disappointed we feel.
To express your emotions, talk to your partner or the nairaland website.
Beegs, I would suggest that some of the expedience issues you raised, i.e., how to quickly buy and deploy new equipment, should be under the Political Will category.
Thank you Oga.
^^^
Thanks for your sincerity Oga Beegs. This is no more time to hide head in the sand, we must swallow the bitter truth of our abysmal failure in the war so far. Too many queries on our conducts and inactions so far. The senater president just got the courage to admit that we are at war after so much irreparable damage. Locking the door after the horses have bolted. Shame on us all! 😦
Oga Nnamdi,
I wonder what they thought has been going on for the last 2 and 1/2 years .
The outrageous number of civilian death and displacement could have given them a clue.
The casualty and KIA rate in the NA, could have told these lootocrats , their was something amiss.
Our politicians have failed Nigeria, by every conceivable standard.
I am only relieved that more Nigerians are now expressing these sentiments.
I just hope it’s not too late.
^^^
Oga Doziex, thanks for your sanity of thoughts and good judgment. It is only insanity to see a burning house and go outside to tell tale by moonlights as some juveniles and dimwits here want us to do. The current situation is just so embarrassing. Students of strategic studies now have another bad case study with us.
The Senate President sounds his personal opinions but it changes nothing. The C-in-C has the power to commission the armed forces to war (for 90days) but he does not want to, his philosophy of territorial. defence is to manage insurgency and wishfully think a magic wand will end it to the accolades of friendly and foe nations alike.
This insurgency will last as long as they want it to.
“..to war (for 90days without recourse to the Senate)…”
All stories our armed forces most especially the ARMY has failed dismally in this war! with or without the political input or otherwise, they have not been able to show will, direction or know how to engage or defeat the insurgents
Its strange you say so when they previous comments have made it clear the security agencies are not being provided tools to work. the truth is that they have done the best they can. please imagine a platoon or patrol team encountering 30 BH armed with an assortment of arms including AAs. my brother those soldiers have families too and i dont expect them to go into an encounter they know they will definitely lose, that happens only in hollywood movies
Oga sele,
If those NA troops are equipped to NATO standard, which many countries do for their troops nowadays, those NA troops are expected to stand, fight and neutralize that 30 or so strong BH force you speak of . AA or no AA.
When the French intervened initially in ivory coast, and rebel technicals approached their check points, they did not wait for them to get within effective range, they fired their HOT the MILAN made wire guided stand off missile to destroy those AA mounted vehicles at stand off ranges.
In some cases, the technicals were neutralized with rockets from helicopters. In other cased the 90 mm gun of the ERC sagaie did the talking.
In Mali, the French used laser guided bombs from fast moving Rafales and mirage-2000s to destroy these gun trucks wherever they were found. Also, tiger attack helicopters were used to neutralize them.
So, if NA troops are equipped and trained similarly, they too are expected like the French to neutralize this threat.
Any army that lets Technicals aka gun trucks get close enough to bring their powerful AA guns to bare on it’s troops, has itself to blame for the outcome.
Oga Makanaky, inspite of the failures, our boys in NA have been laying down their life and limb for all Nigerians.
Having said that, NA as an institution must use their own human resources more wisely.
NA cannot remain an institution with it’s hands out to our till date irresponsible political class.
The institution must innovate, in order to advance.
President OBJ suggested military industrial farming, great idea, too bad he did little about it while he was president. Being a farmer himself.
But NA cannot remain oblivious to prevailing war tactics, 1st world or 3rd world. Technicals or laser guided bombs.
When a situation like Ukraine, Belaruss, Libya , Russia or the excess western defense articles presents it’s self, NA as an institution should have in place standard operating procedures of how to take advantage.
NA could have re equipped enough to deal with all our current challenges with sound utilization of the existing budgets on used or excess defense items.
Gaddafi’s arsenal has become an international arms bazaar. And the likes of Sudan are replenishing their stocks.
Sudan, south sudan and Uganda amongst others have been skewering Ukraine and Russian used arms dumps looking for deals.
Beegeagle has discussed how Bangladesh and Pakistan maintain respectable naval fleets with meager budgets, taking advantage of western excess defense articles.
This is the real world our armed forces have to operate in, if they want to remain a viable force.
You confirmed what I said, the aim of my comment was equipping the men.
DEEPLY INSIGHTFUL: MUST READ!
BOKO HARAM: TEARS IN THE SENATE, “GO FOR THE KILL, MARK TELLS JONATHAN
NIGERIAN OBSERVER
30 April, 2014
ABUJA – It was tears, sense of frustration and sorrow at the Senate yesterday as Sen. Ahmad Zanna (Borno Central)narrated his experience with the seeming
unwillingness of Nigerian security
agencies to effectively combat Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
The senator had while seconding a
motion on abduction of school children in the Christian community of Chibok, Borno State galvanised the entire red chamber into cold shiver and wet eyes with his
intermittent wiping of tears from his eyes. Not even presiding Senate President David Mark was spared the agony of seeming frustration that the Boko Haram activities have brought upon governance
and national security.
“I had about 30 minutes chat yesterday with the traditional ruler of Chibok. I have spent so many years at the senate here. I am not sure that there is any motion that
has had so much emotional touch as this one. 234 girls can disappear and up till now none has been rescued. The 53 who are back escaped on their own. The people
we are dealing with are not just locals. They are well trained and they know what they want. They are not terrorists, they are
insurgents; and all along we have been reacting. Unless we are proactive we are not going to get anywhere”, the SP declared.
Earlier in his second net of the motion raised by Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, the senator representing Borno Central, Sen.
Zanna went thus: “I rise to adopt this motion passionately based on the ages of the girls that were involved and the human lives that have suffered as a result of this unfortunate development. I have been constantly in touch with the
security agencies, telling them the
developments, the movement of the girls from one place to the other and then the splitting of the girls and eventually the marriage of these girls by the insurgents. What bothers me most is that whenever I inform where these are, after two to three days, they will be moved from that place to another and still, I will go back and inform them that see, this is what is happening. I lost hope two days ago when I found out that some of them were moved to Chad and Cameroon.
“Actually, some of them moved through the Mandara mountains that is in Gwoza and some of them are just a stone throw from their barracks, even now as I am talking to you, in Cameroon,because it is in Kolofata, which is in Cameroon about 15 kilometer or even less to the borders. Because one of the insurgents called somebody in Bama and said I just got married and said I am now settling in Kolofata and then three or four days ago,some Fulani men reported that they saw some girls being taken by boats into the island in Lake Chad and that some of them happened to be between Marte and Monguno, maybe. Maybe, those ones might still be within Nigeria but that is the current and new base of the insurgents, they just took over
that place less than a week and that village is called Chikungudua, the place is the constituency of Senator Maina Maji.
“I informed the security agents about the situation and from that place, they can just go into the lake and go to either Chad or Cameroon because it is very open,there are no weeds in the lake and so they can go to anywhere. They have snatched all the boats around that area including the one for NNPC and so they are free to anywhere without being chased by anybody. There are about 40 islands there and they have ejected most of the occupants of the island and they have occupied the islands.
“What is most disturbing is that hitherto,Sambisa was their base and is well known to the military and Nigerian security. After the abduction of those girls, they have started moving out of that Sambisa and even before then I have been discussing with the military and they said they were going to attack that place, about 15 or 20 days ago, I don’t know what delayed them. Eventually, when they launched the attack, all the insurgents had already gone out of the place. So, I don’t know
what is happening.
“Even before then, I even told them about the shrubs in northern Borno where they stayed last year till after the rainy season. Since rainy season is approaching, I told them that these people will leave Sambisa and other areas and go to that shrub but it seems there is no much presence of military around that area up till now and they are now much moving into those shrubs. When they go in, the shrub has some canopy whereby the ground is empty and you cannot see any human or animal movement or under that canopy even with aircraft. It is the same place where they hid last year and came out after the rainy season without any challenge, they came into the hinterland.
“I don’t know if the military can take very serious and willing action in this matter but if there is no way to fight them, I think we are wasting our time. It all depends on their willingness. If the state of emergency was extended, I was interviewed by the press on whether the military would succeed and I said yes,if there was willingness, they will. Their number is not all that much as being touted and without cooperation from certain group of people within the
security agencies, there is no way thesepeople will survive like this.”
Meanwhile, peeved by the absolute
recalcitrance of Islamist Boko Haram sect in their onslaught against the Nigerian society and their campaign to overthrow the current democratic governance in the country, Senate President David Mark has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to as the Commander-In-Chief of the
Nigerian Armed Forces, take the battle to the domain of the blood curdlers.
Making the call to round up yesterday debate on recent abduction of school children in Chibok, Borno State, the presiding Senate President asserted that “the people we are dealing with are not terrorists but they are insurgents” and identified external elements in the festering crises.
“We should not sell the truth to serve the hour;and the truth is that Boko Haram has declared war, not just on the present government, but on any government founded on the principles of democracy,secularity and tolerance!”, he asserted.
Furious Sen. Mark further noted that he had initially canvassed that the federal government should dialogue with Boko Haram, but regretted that unfolding events have made change of tactics
imperative, such that the insurgents would be pressured into call for dialogue.
“I have been in the forefront of saying we must go to dialogue with the insurgents but I think we must take this battle to a level where they also will now call for
dialogue”, he stressed.
He however noted that “we cannot do this unless the locals on the ground there cooperate with the members of the armed forces”, arguing that “our armed forces are doing their best” as “this is not a conventional warfare”.
“For those who study insurgency and terrorism know that the locals are extremely important because they must work hand in hand with the members of the armed forces”, he continued “ my prayer is that all hands must be on deck in this war; all of us must begin to appeal to
the people in our constituencies”.
“What happened in Chibok can happen anywhere in the country, unless we nip it in the bud now, it will engulf the whole country and the consequence are better imagined; if we need external assistance,then, let us go for it and get that assistance; there is no nation that will fold her arms and watch her citizens being killed and kidnapped with impunity”, Sen. Mark also noted.
Gen Beegeagle,
I hope the will put their money where their mouths are. I am very sorry, but I do not believe any of this. I am tired of hearing long oratorical speeches. Na today? We don’t need many words.
” Talk slowly, carry a big stick, and you will go far”–African Proverb
Let action speaks, its usually louder than words.
When the frequency of bombing, abduction of girls etc reduce, then I will know the military is working.
I don tire joo
I am a very cautious person by nature but at this point i will advocate the sacking of all members of the armed forces in the top positions they have all failed, we want new blood and new direction at this point, what is happening now in Nigeria is a shame without comprehension
Stalin made that same mistake (of decapitating) his army. The result was that the Germans swept into Russia with ease and killed millions of Russian soldiers. I am getting tired with the level of comments ! perhaps instead we could commission an SSS team to investigate the top hierarchy of the military and make suggestions to the CIC ?
Just perhaps that would be better than destroying the army completely !
shocked to see another of your comment. even if you sack the top echelon of the armed forces and inject new blood as you suggested. you still need to tool the rank and file. what you should be thinking of is re-equipping. in most countries of the world the bulk of the rank and file of their armed forces would have down tools by now. pls study the Malian army case then our military acquisitions in recent time. When you are done pls clap for the men in the front line and their commanders you suggested should be sacked for still be able to keep them together.
Excellent footage.
NA please embed journalists in your activities more frequently, where security allows.
Can someone in NA ask the US if they are night vision goggles are part of the EDA from Afghanistan.
Pakistan is angling for EDA US MRAPs, and the ANA(the Afghan national army) are opposed to the Pakistani troublemakers getting anything.
Many of our politicians and generals, have the access and contact with the US to campaign for these things, But they are unfortunately preoccupied with other pursuits.
Nigeria, if you want to be a miser, you have to be resourceful.
Can someone ask the US if they have NVG as part……….
wont be surprised if on contact, the base fail to provide flares to turn night into day
That doesn’t sound like a cautious statement @Makanaky
Though I have to read in detail about Boko Haram and Nigeria’s response towards it to be able to comment in this thread. But, wanted to share this massage on the T-shirt of a survivor of a train blast in India today.
The motive being, you have to finish off Boko Haram at any cost and by any means as without it, it will destroy you economically and otherwise.
No country chooses insurgency, but it’s circumstances that breeds them. But if it is there, you have to take it by the horns.
Initially it’s difficult for regular infantry trained in conventional war to re-orient into CI operation, but with good motivation and as pointed out with proper equipment they are bound to come on top.
for christ sake i think it is time the nigerian army should stand up nd make their camoflages stand out.all nigerians know is that ny individual in an army camo is a military man.it is also annoying to see soldiers wearing desert camos in tropical areas.i suggest we should upgrade our camoflages with nigeria insignia alongside a series of reg numbers on one of the hands which when sent in a text message to a certain short code it would tell if the soldier is fake or original(the nafdac style)also all personnel should have a straped dogtag on their boots as well as on their necks.it is time to create an efficint hacker proof database for our personnel and also the NA,NN and NAF should embark on a massive campaign on media platforms to sensitize the public on how to identify military fatigues.and please get thayt guy in bama who was called by one of the insurgents
my one penny i stand corrected
We keep calling this a CI operation, I have said this severally, Boko Haram are not some faceless insurgents scrambling in and out of Sambisa Forest for the purpose of opportune terrorism-NO! They are a trained(albeit poorly) force with sustained and successful rank replenishment scheme, modern weapon, funds, Command structure, Foreign backing and clearly defined area of influence-These are rebels and we are smack in the middle of a mini Civil War. If these were not true how else will they have survived ( strongly) several months of military operations and are emboldened to lunch counter offensives when and where least expected?-There was an operation that seized over 700 Vehicles from them-yet they are not even near grounded! How many has been killed-yet there is not much waning of terror! This is much bigger than we are thinking.
I think people who regularly criticize the army have little understanding of CT/COIN operations and if you believe the army and security apparatus are just sitting idly by are mistaken.
I would ask you to go and live in Iraq and see how regular the bombings are in and around Baghdad and this is with all the equipment the Americans left behind as well as the helicopters (including scout/attack helos) at their disposal.
It isn’t easy, because even with a full scale deployment, BH will simply melt away into the populace and across the borders.
What is needed is a long term strategy from securing the borders as best we can to better intelligence gathering mixed with the right equipment for COIN operations.
This will limit BH in the long run as there is no quick fix. If it wasn’t for the Armed Forces, the North would be under BH by now and threatening the south.
Oga RKA, the Iraqi insurgents have had to be at their best, to remain active against the fairly well equipped Iraqi army.
This is an armed force that can now boast M1A1 abram Tanks, and F-16 fighter jets,
8000 up armored Humvees, 600 otokar cobras, helicopter aviation etc.
Here BH has chosen to engage NA head on. If NA was sufficiently equipped, this would have been BH’s death warrant.
All we are saying is more equipment and training for our troops.
And the CIC is yet to deliver on that, even though he promised he would.
See, while NAF has only a handful of alpha jets and may be 7 remaining hinds to conduct business, the Sudanese Air force has a squadron of su-25s, a squadron of Chinese A-5 Q attack jets, more than 30 hinds, 2 squadrons of mig-29s,a squadron of SU-24 long range heavy attack bombers and they are aggressively seeking more from Russian officials.
They are probably readying themselves for an offensive to seize south sudan’s oil fields, when the Dinka’s and the Nuer are done killing themselves.
^^^
Oga, this excuse and sentiment has gone on for too long and made us accept abysmal failure as good enough. What is your definition of long term? Every courses on Strategy I have taken puts long term as from 5 years, now this lackluster operation is near 5 years and someone is still talking long term, do you mean 50 or 500 years? That US, India or ISAF failed in some way is no excuse for our failure. The commonality is the tacit acceptance that we are FAILING!
Borno state has been the epicenter of the problem and Sambisa, Damboa , Bama, Gwoza have been strongholds from Day-1, has anything changed apart from relative security of Maiduguri itself ? Does it justify the huge deployment of men, resources, equipment, money and 3 years plus?
Please let’s get aside the rhetorics and tell it as it is. We are not winning this war so far! Boko Haram are achieving their strategic goal better so far, and it is who does that wins in a war, not necessarily how many battles won or lost.
Doing propaganda for boko haram free of charge, well what else to expect from someone who sees no wrongdoing in calling for a crime to be committed. How has that your comment helped Nigeria ? Don’t you think it is this kind of comment that helps boko haram spread its fear ? Don’t you think you are helping boko haram to make new recruits ? I guess you don’t see further than the tip of your knoze. Cluelessness at its best !
If you are too stupid to understand a proper legal maxim then blame yourself and your failed teachers, and stop being an ass. What do you know about crimes and what constitutes a war crime? Obviously the level of discuss I raised with you is above your level of intellect . You open your mouth and rant up and down ignorantly. Please learn to shut up kid.
I think its best if you stayed in nairaland to discuss with people of your caliber (with no brains). We don’t have time for your rubbish. All you are bringing is foolishness.
Perhaps this is why still exists, because of people like you who lack the ability to use their brain cells.
why boko harm still exists
Oga Nnamdi, it ain’t sentiments nor excuses, but the reality of the situation. Look around the world and point to a country that has stopped terrorism in 10-15 years.
You are looking for a miraculous cure and it won’t happen. Not an Islamic insurgency mingled with politics.
It isn’t failure and you cannot stop terrorist attacks, you can only try to limit them and by and large, we have been successful.
Look at China which is a totalitarian state. They haven’t been able to stop terrorist attacks. I can draw you a long list of countries.
By all means deploy more troops and go all out, which will be a decision by GEJ, but they will simply melt away to continue striking because you can’t be everywhere to protect everybody. There simply isn’t the manpower and if there was, they will be a daily target for IEDs and suicide bombers.
A long term strategy is what is needed whether you like it or not.
Oga Nnamdi, you can’t blame the army for being deployed too late in the day to fight an already entrenched enemy. Blame the intelligence network in the country plus the politicians who have failed to develop basic infrastructure and created no go/inaccessible areas where insurgents can establish strongholds.
Where were you when the armed forces were neglected over the decades and are now playing catch up?
We are about 3 years or less into CT/COIN training and you want us to have achieved what nobody else in the world has.
Oga rka, I haven’t in anywhere exempted the politicians from blame, neither will I get soft on the military. The war effort is in failure so far. I’m glad that you agree that we are not achieving our strategic objective while the enemy is achieving its; that’s a simple decider of who is winning the war. This is no time to massage any ego or make excuses, we have done too much of that for long. The military are as culpable as much as the politicians.
Oga Nnamdi, I appreciate the frustration of this terrorist crisis. However, I implore you and other Ogas on this platform to channel the greater part of our efforts to providing nuggets of ideas that would help the NA to overcome the enemy. Not saying we turn blind eyes to apparent incompetence. But God knows the hapless chaps on the frontline saddled with the dirty works of this fight can do with some charitable words just now. Please, I am not been belligerent.
It seems that this blog is attracting many of nairaland semi-trolls lately.
Bharat, how are you? There is this thread on COMPARATIVE CI which I posted here many months ago. It has to do with IA COIN OPERATIONS IN KASHMIR. I thought the mix of equipment deployed was exemplary and the tactics good.
Most were kind of disheartened , on the other hand, by the inexplicable preference for perilous soft-skinned 4WD trucks which your fraternal neighbours in PAKISTAN seemed to be impressed with
I am fine General. A well compiled thread indeed. The way you have presented and later the discussion was carried forward by esteemed posters there about tactics of CI ops. was heartening.
And about the confusion about the blasted MRAP, the passengers died in the blast. The capability was for withstanding 22kg explosive but more than 50kg of explosive was used in the land mine.
The the equipment that you see today and SOP’s have evolved after failures and some of them bloody ones. India has been dealing with insurgency on a smaller or larger scale from late 1950s onward. Most of them fought on Indian soil with the exception being IPKF to Sri Lanka.
Apart from CI operation in North East India, the largest precursor to successful strategy in Kashmir and Punjab in some extent was the lessons learnt in IPKF in Sri Lanka in 1987 to 1990. ( Indian army was pressed into CI Kashmir in early 1990s)
No expert would call our operation a success in Sri Lanka having lost nearly 1200 men and failing to achieve our objective ( how ambiguous it might have been) but, it provided vital lessons to be implemented latter.
The lessons are well documented and I will search for the article and link it here. And so was my post in the other thread concurring with a fellow poster that Sri Lanka can provide a good CI learning case . Sri Lanka’s army’s Civil war doctrine too is a good piece of study.
Though, rightly pointed out, Sri Lankan model and Nigerian model is very different.
Now, coming to fixation of Pakistani Army over soft-skinned vehicles. I rather than calling it a fixation would call it compulsion. The operation in SWAT was carried out in considerable haste with the equipment’s they had rather than what they wished.
They have learnt their lesson and are desperate for surplus uSA MRAP’s from Afghanistan as evident from news article below.
http://www.voanews.com/content/us-proposal-to-donate-mraps-to-pakistan-exposes-rift-with-kabul/1876102.html
Though I must admit, Pakistan needs a bit more time to develop mature tactics against TTP. Though with the use of air power, they are OK with the CI part but weak in Anti-terror part.
In the other thread, one fellow poster was questioning the need for co-operation of Nigerian forces with Pakistani forces. But with my limited knowledge Af-Pak sector is closest active insurgency sector, where if Nigeria co-operates with Pakistan, both stand to gain.
Whereas India offers a more academic and training approach because Kashmir and North East has stabilized a bit and Maoist insurgency is a different ball game altogether.
Where till now we are employing a containment approach.
Regards,
Bharat.
Interesting.
I can see that you are a keen observer of events, but current and past.
One tends to forget that India has on going insurgencies with the Maoist being the most organized.
But at almost 10 times the size of Nigeria, these insurgencies doesn’t seem to affect the Indian psychic as much as it affect’s Nigeria’s – or maybe it’s because the insurgencies have been going on for decades.
Oga asorockweb,
The difference between nigeria and india, is real and perceived competence.
The competence of india’s institutions, and overall security structure breeds confidence in the abilities of the state to withstand it’s numerous challenges.
Nigeria once had a similar aura about it, even during some military regimes.
But corrupt leadership and neglect of our security sector has given way to a house of cards.
Breaking news another bomb blast in Nyanya just opposite the scene of the last one
This Chibok thing is distracting the military, I think it should be left with the SSS or a special squad of the police. I think the aim of this kidnapping was to distract the army. Boko haram and its allies in the senate and the media are really playing their part here. They have made the whole situation to be about that kidnapping. But I blame Nigerians for being so gullible. Any trick on earth will work on Nigerians. Tell them any rubbish that doesn’t even make sense, they will believe ! Such a shame.
^^^
Keep living in denial. lolzzzz
Keep being clueless.
This blast just like the previous ones are targeted at maximising confusion in order to derive politico-military advantage for the less powerful military force that BH is.
It’s not an occult strategy. .they know that we know what they are doing. So the question is when the next blast happens and kills another 100, do we all just keep quiet so as not to seem to be congratulating the enemy?. No.
This is a time when radical action is required. It is because of situations like these that security funds dont pass through oversights. So any President worthy should be able to think out of the box and do something original.
First thing to do expedite procurements for the NA and NAF, bring back some measure of community policing, rejig the SSS, break open the bank and buy light choppers for intra city patrols and heavier choppers for the NAF.
Most importantly, do something shocking to gain the initiative. Stop strategizing.
^^^
Abeg helep me tell them again o!
I dont agree with those calling for the top echeleon of the army to be sacked. The present officers especially at the headquaters were the ones in charge of operations against boko haram in the AOR of 1DIV. They performed creditably well. The problem is the inability of the government to provide funds for purchase of military assets needed for this war. The president must decide if it want to take the battle to boko haram or keep reating it with kid gloves. Our intelligence network need a total overhaul and work needs to be done to get it up to standard. The bomb blast in nyanya was designed to cause panic and create more fear in the civilian populace. Nigerians will fall for it and will call the president and the army all sorts of names. With the tone of the senate president, i think it is high time the president wields the big stick.
Oga Beegs and Bharat Ji,
some of us have come to the conclusion that standing up the combat arms of the Nigerian Police Force will go a long way in improving internal security in the country.
I came across a link that lists the various Indian police forces and their roles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Armed_Police_Forces
Of particular interest to me are:
A) Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) – a 10,000 strong anti-Naxalite force.
B) National Security Guards (NSG) – An elite counter terrorist and rapid response force.
Of cause, the real problem with have “elite” forces in poor countries is that these forces soak up much of the allocated revenues and, in turn, get drafted into situations that are out of their scope.
For example, I saw a video that was taken in PH that showed our anti-terror cops being used to breakup a political rally of some sort.
So, for Nigeria to have an effective “combat” police, it probably has to be outside the chain of command of the IG.
Just thinking.
For the Chibok girls kidnap, it is our foolishness that trapped us, Boko has been killing students on campus since last year. All schools in Boko infested zones should have been closed down to keep our children safe at home.
During Biafra war, how many schools operated in the East? It was foolish of us to have 200 girls inside one school in a Boko infested zone, when we know that the Bokos are desperate for young girls as wives, cooking slaves, and hostages for ransom.
Field Marshal Beegeagle, I agree we need to rearm for a full scale war, but I have to agree with @Spirit that we have to ask our leaders to put their money where their mouth is.
Nigerian leaders should not declare war with ordinary ‘child soldier class’ AK-47 rifles, Light skin Cobra APC, slow coach VBL APC, and old school Alpha jets.
We need in each Boko affected state minimum of :
12 Mi-35M Hinds E
6 M-171s Terminators armed version
6 Augusta AW 109 Patrol/Scout/SAR version
6 Super Tucanos with Brazilian napalm bombs and some laser guided bombs
3 Alpha jets upgraded for night attacks
6 MALE UAV/Drones
20 Air Beetles for rotated shifts 24 hour patrol of our borders with neighboring countries.
We need in each Boko affected Local Government area :
12 Soldiers with 1 Toyota Hilux up-armoured/up-armed and 1 South African made high speed MRAP that can withstand RPG blast, these vehicles armed with a 12.7mm gun, a 20mm cannon, and a South African made hand held automatic multiple grenade launcher, an 81mm mortar, a hand launched glider UAV/Drone
The above mentioned 12 soldiers should be able to call in armed helicopter gunship back up with airborne troops and Super Tucano to arrive withing 20 minutes of distress call as reinforcement.
We need in Makurdi TAC NAF base :
6 Su-30 Flanker jets to purse any necessary air strike deep inside Cameroon, Chad, Niger.
Don’t tell me there is no money, 2 million barrels of oil sold everyday, abeg go put hand inside NNPC and CBN accounts and get me money for war !
Dead Nigerians don’t need money in the grave, spend our money now and save our lives !
Long live the Federal republic of Nigeria !
They are surely going to tell you there is no money. Nothing wey you fit do!!!.
All these orbat you laid out to sustain the war and achieve quick victory are good but I personally have stopped discussing military strategy. It is kid stuff.. what we have here may be more of a personality problem.
Whomtold us that the military had not drawn up plans to level Sambisa before now?, However, when a CIC or MOF and other faceless advisers decide that the cost estimate and projected casualties would be too much to take nko?. What does the army do?
Some people have been trained and conditioned by culture and environment to be wary of over commitment to any course of action, so they hover in indecision and rehashing of pros and cons, they call it native intelligence or risk management, it works in politics, sometimes in business, seldom in leading a country.
One key point here is that security against suicide attacks is not a job for the army but SSS and civil police, guarding of key towns and communities should also from now temporarily be given to MOPOL backed up by civil defence corps, the entire 7th division and SFs should be in the Mandara mountains, Sambisa forests and interconnecting roads to major towns tracking ambushing and killing BH.
About 3 weeks before the incident there was an order by the FG to have all schools in the north-est closed. Apparently someone decided to go against that order. I think that person should be questioned.
Boko suicide attacks is mainly a job for the Police and SSS to deal with by improving preemptive intelligence and counter-intelligence operations, with help from military intelligence and maybe the Israelis. Our intelligence agencies needs much foreign help urgently, covert and unnoticed help.
Police, SSS, over to you now, let the army and air force do their own thing while you do yours.
If you don’t stop the suicide attacks, foreign investors will run away from Nigeria and it will weaken our economy.
May God help you. I dey pray well for all of you. Please don’t let us down.
Thank you sir.
Another set of families have started morning now.
With the latest bomb blast, BH is simply telling Nigerians that;
“Hello guys, can you see that this GEJ administration is not on top of any situation at all?
Can you see that all the security meetings being held all over the place are just tea parties?
Can you see that we can go out and come in and cause massive carnage at will?
Can you see that your military intelligence cannot do anything to hamper our activities?
If we can be hitting Abuja, the seat of power like this, can you see that we can hit any other city?
Think of this things my fellow patriots and lets stop speaking big vocabularies at each other. Our house is burning and we are behaving like this! Common guys, this is not the time for this. Let us call a spade a spade and not a farm implement!
Everyday, we keep hearing about “a new approach to tackling the insurgency”, I keep hearing that ‘Boko Haram will soon be vanquished’, I keep hearing “the military is winning’. Yet we keep having more bomb blast (IN THE SAME PLACE WITHIN TWO WEEKS). Haba, what sort of convoluted logic is that!
We are winning, yet BH keeps bombing, kidnapping, raping, killing and looting at an ever increasing frequency!
The incessant bombing can be attributed to failed intel. We can excuse that because Nigeria is such a vast country with innumerable illegal boder.
BUT HOW ON EARTH DO YOU EXPLAIN A 5-HOUR KILLING SPREE AT THE VERY FORWARD EDGE OF THE BATTLE WITHOUT ANY FORM OF INTERVENTION BY THE MILITARY?
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE ABDUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF 250 GIRLS ROM A SCHOOL LOCATED IN THE VERY HEART OF AN EMERGENCY ZONE WITH COUNTLESS ROAD BLOCKS?
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN BH WRITTING TO INFORM COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE COMING AND KEEPING TO THE EXACT TIME AND DAY SPELLED OUT IN THEIR LETTER?
I beg, my simple mind cannot just comprehend this. Can more knowledgeable people explain to me please?
My country is burning, and I cant just understand why (with the kind of resources we have) we cant put out the fire!
This explanation really
BUT HOW ON EARTH DO YOU EXPLAIN A 5-HOUR KILLING SPREE AT THE VERY FORWARD EDGE OF THE BATTLE WITHOUT ANY FORM OF INTERVENTION BY THE MILITARY?
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE ABDUCTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF 250 GIRLS ROM A SCHOOL LOCATED IN THE VERY HEART OF AN EMERGENCY ZONE WITH COUNTLESS ROAD BLOCKS?
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN BH WRITTING TO INFORM COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE COMING AND KEEPING TO THE EXACT TIME AND DAY SPELLED OUT IN THEIR LETTER?
One key suggestion is out of scope of this blog and is even unheard of in the military but the NSA office should look into it.
Take a demographic of the Nigerian Army officers in terms of age, tribe and NDA course No, then do a poll of the political views of all mid rank officers, Majors, Lt colonels and Colonels, this is usually done incognito at mess halls, training course by specially trained DIA officers. Do financial forensics on bank accounts and assets of the target group and then run some analytics on the data to to find out what is really happening.
You may be surprised at what is probably brewing below surface.
The NA is not a mediocre outfit at all and by any standards. There seems to be a sort of silent protest or industrial action at some level in the force.
One should be careful of statements but two points here are relevant.
1. Allegations of some local communities
2. The Nigerian Army is uncharacteristically inefficient and ineffective in prosecuting the war.
3. Helicopter supplies to herdsmen have been reported again this week.
Even basic things a boys scout body would do well have been botched by the NA and things Boko Haram would normally not have capacity to achieve have been successful.
Let’s think about it.
I was told something similar was done with the US military in Afghanistan as the NACO trade seemed to be winning the war then. Or how could you explain that the worlds most powerful military and its allies saturated a country and that country was still the biggest heroine producer in the world years on.
Something was wrong
Oga Are James,
NA is NOT being uncharacteristically inefficient.
This Inefficiency as been documented in military operations spanning 20 years.
It has just progressively gotten worse.
NA hid the truth with an information black out, and a lot of Nigerians fell for it.
We wanted our country to be great. We wanted our military to live up to it’s reputation.
But NA should have snuffed out Charles Taylor and his Burkinabe and Ivorian backers, but couldn’t.
In sierra leone, out right defeats in some battles, the loss of koidu and Makeni specifically
And the eventual debacle in freetown, continued to show NA’s decline in military prowess.
Back at home, NA’s decline led to Cameroon’s trouble making, and the mend rebels further exposed NA’s vulnerabilities.
So, I put it to you, that NA’s current inefficiencies in the NE has been more the rule, rather than the exception.
Oga spirit,
With all due respect, I have mentioned what the solution to this crises is.
More times than I care to recount.
I am also on record as predicting that this crises would get progressively worse.
I further predicted recently that in 3 to 6 months, BH cadre’s would attempt to march on Abuja.
For now, they are just rattling nerves with bomb explosions.
The NA and the Nigerian state will collapse like the house of cards it has become.
The politicians in Abuja ruling like corrupt feudal lords, accountable to no one, would soon break and run for it, to their various hamlets.
This brings us to the case of the CIA analysts and 2015.
No need for an uproar of emotion that usually follows the mention of Nigeria’s demise.
If the CIA is wrong, who cares ? But if they are right, we are all out of a country.
Ask Somalis and afghans how that feels.
As I have said many a time, only an UNNIGERIAN way of thinking can save us.
If you ask me, TODAY, NOTHING MATTERS IN NIGERIA BUT DEFENSE.
Madam Okonjo would watch insecurity and instability overtake all her world bank remedies for Nigeria’s ills, because she underestimates the singular importance of security to a nation.
So, at this stage, the best supporters of NA, if honest , would tell you that the outfit is a shadow of it’s former self.
We need competent and well equipped units to fight period.
If Nigeria’s corruption induced inertia doesn’t allow it, we must go extra curriculum.
As events gets worse, I hope those that have loudly opposed my solution, would do the honorable thing, and announce their change of heart.
Not to impress me, but to attempt to influence our decision makers.
Oga Doziex,
The military situation has not changed.
Boko Haram simply did something that is getting all Nigerians very emotional – the kidnapping of more than 200 young girls.
You have been spreading the same message for many months – get foreign PMCs to lead NA formations.
Stop sowing fear to have your way. You are simply helping terrorist to terrorize.
IF you are interested in helping the situation, make a variety of suggestions, decision maker, who have more information that you do, might find some of them useful.
Annoying radio interview with one of the parents is revealing things about the NA we don’t want to hear about.
“a commander at Biu was informed about the ongoing attack at Chibok Girls Secondary School and his orders to his men was simply this: try to engage the enemy but if the BH calibre of weapons are found to be ”higher” than yours then run away from the place. The men carried out the order to a tee. A few ‘exploratory’ shots were fired to elicit reply and measure the ‘calibre’ of the enemies weapons, then the big boooom of the BH reply was heard and all the soldiers guarding the ‘girls’ secondary school simply melted away”
This beer parlour kind of gist is all over the radio waves and I believe has elements of truth.. It happens when mediocrity and crass materialism becomes a culture and pervades from civil society into the security institutions. The level of cynicism, unprofessionalism and street smarts that would make a middle level commander in the army deploy a weak force to protect a school and give this kind of instruction can only be imagined.
Hehe he Oga Asorock,
Let’s add him to the count. There goes another genius claiming that I am exaggerating, that things are all peaches and cream.
Get in line buddy, let me be the fear mongerer, but if I am right, what does that make you ?
The “X” that put his head in the sand ? you know, the ostrich defense.
Inshallah, I will be here to remind you of your stance, as events get worse.
I actually want to be wrong about these things, but evaluating the situation dispassionately, leads you to one conclusion.
For those, who consider themselves to be analysts here on beegeagle’s blog, my advice to us all, is to treat Nigeria as if it were not your country.
Opine dispassionately. Call the score, as you see them. Forget about what feels good. Forget about your sense of national pride. Those can get in the way of your analysis.
Believe me when it’s all said and done, the true Nigerian patriots would shine through.
hehe prophet oga doziex, boko yeye march on abuja ke. this your prediction is quite audacious o. abeg wait let them capture kano and kaduna first, before predicting immediate danger for the FCT.
truth be told, I do wish this your prophesy be accurate. i really do. it is then you will see the FG on super duper mode.
not until strategic cities in the northwest and FCT is directly threatened would we see the naked unambiguous might of the federal republic of Nigeria. until then, this BH crisis will simply be containment policy rather than the maximalist option of Eradication
Oga freeegulf,
No be today when I start with our government vs. NA issues.
You think an attack on Abuja would wake these clowns up ?
Bros, no hold your breath O !
Mend had our oil industry crippled and Abuja barely blinked.
Cameroun and france threatened bakassi and Nigeria for years, yet our air force was grounded and our navy couldn’t sail.
Our peers and rivals are re equipping across the continent, and guinea Bissau in our region and all we can wait for is 2 Chinese OPVs and US hand me downs.
For years, poorly equipped NA forces were sent to fight and die, even as some west African nations equipped the rebels, and under cut our efforts . Yet in Abuja, minds couldn’t be concentrated to do the necessary.
I fear for this people. BH would be in Bar beach before they take anything serious.
It seems the bomb attack was unsuccessful in hitting its target, since it was stopped by a checkpoint, it is unfortunate however that it killed innocent civilians. Boko haram members this blog, stop pretending to care for innocent people while your only aim is to spread fear. Believe me we are watching you.
It seems BBC still doesn’t know that Nyanya is not in Abuja.
The quality of this blog is going to the gutter. This is no longer the blog I joined some years ago. I have had enough.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05/schoolgirls-abduction-4-battalions-mobilise-sambisa-forest/
I am wondering what this operation is going to achieve. I am thinking the army wants to prove to the world and Nigeria that they are doing something about the situation nothing more because I don’t think those girls are still in the forest.
The ultimate rule in this anti terror campaign: Take every thing you read or hear in the media especially the print media with generous amounts of salt. Every thing in this context includes public display of grief by some senetor(s), how he recieved a phone call from someone about the girls and all that bullshit…we have reached the thresh hold in this campaign. Since we are part of a rare breed of society that understand how this works, please let us control our emotions and watch our utterances. While everyone is entitled to his opinion, let us try as much as possible to be constructive in our arguments.
The ultimate battle if you ask me is being fought in the hearts and minds of Nigerians. The lack of information is creating fodder for alot of harmful and misleading speculation up to international level thanks to the policy of “over classification” of every bit of information including some basic common photographs by our military and the Nigerian intelligence institutions.
To my compatriots in the DHQ: the media is like a wild dog. However this “dog” can be tammed to do your bidding and in some cases can serve as an effective tool. Systematic and timely release of basic information(photos and videos) to trusted patriotic sources (this blog,the state media, your PR department, your facebook and tweeter accounts, official websites of various arms, youtube etc) will do alot to calm frayed nerves. You might want to borrow a leaf from the KDF during its campaign in Somalia. However I know that this might be difficult or impossible given the peculiar political climate that is obtainable here in Nigeria. I must commend you for how professional you have conducted yourselves during this campaign in spite of unnecessary political interference and distraction, absence of will power from the political class and lack of adequate funds, platforms and equipments.
My fellow cybergenerals, this is the much I can divulge at this point because of restrictions placed on me. This war has several fronts and is far more complicated than what it seems…the Niger delta conflict is even childs play compared to what we are presently facing.
Don’t forget your bucket of salt when reading our media sources, at best they can give you a general idea of the situation not facts. Over and out.
More troops mobilised to comb Sambisa Forest:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/05/schoolgirls-abduction-4-battalions-mobilise-sambisa-forest/
If this news item is to be believed, it means one of two things:
1) Existing troops are being repositioned
2) An additional 3472 troops will be sent to the North East.
I hope it’s the latter.
In January of this year, I called for the immediate deployment of two additional brigades with the ultimate goal of bring troop strength up to 50,000 in the North East.
It seems that we are now approaching a troop strength of 20,000.
The presidency should learn that they have to do more than is required, then scaled back, instead of always reacting to events and throwing resources to plug holes.
The NA of the 70’s and 80’s would have simply brought in enough troops and walked through the forest fighting, and if need be, dying, until the entire forest is cleared.
Today’s NA is in transition and is fighting a “smart war” with special forces and ISR equipment.
The problem with this approach is that we don’t have enough of the air-mobile SF formations that we need or enough of the ISR equipment.
That is why a battalion-sized formation of BH could slam into Giwa barracks from the south, without being interdicted.
Part of doing more than is required also includes building new formations with new, standardized equipment.
Thank you for this knowledgeable post.
4 battalion?it’s too much,2 are enough will 2 wil stay back as backup.wot we need is superior air power and u wil see d cockroach running for shelter
Sambisa forest may be up to 500 sq. km depending on how you measure it.
4 battalions is not too much.
Hmmm,
Nah wah for this guy Oga Asorockweb.
He condemns my suggestions on the one hand, then parrots the rest out of the other side of his mouth.
So, I take it we just disagree on the type of help we need.
You want NA to do it all her self, to get all the possible glory . Regardless of how long that would take, or how plausible it is.
Some things require time and experience. You know, now is late in the game. NA is trying to make up for lost time. We all witnessed the tireless effort of General Ihejirika.
But the fact remains, NA did not make hey while the sun was out.
In peacetime, NA did not ready it’s units for this type of war. Inspite of past experiences.
So our inexperience in counterinsurgency warfare is stinking to the high heavens.
So now, EX UK PM Gordon Brown is offering us much needed air support.
So genius, would you accept the UK’s help ? Why ? or Why Not ?
Gordon Brown is the ex PM, he represents no one but himself and the people that pay him consulting fees.
You probably think that all plans and actions of the FG instantly show up in the newspapers – they don’t.
There’s nothing you said that I could have parroted – our tones and approaches are markedly different.
You call the NA corrupt and incompetent, and yet, you think they will have the “good sense” to hire your PMCs to lead them.
You help spread terror as a pathway for PMC-lead NA formations in combat, and yet you forget that people are already fighting and dying as we speak.
If the NA is as incompetent as you make them out to be, Maiduguri would have had a black flag flying over it two years ago.
You sow fear in a time of war, and think you should be considered a patriot?
All the significant “victories” that BH has had is borne out of the anxiety and fear of the civil population, yet your preferred way of communication is to call the protectors corrupt, incompetent, and yes, raise more anxiety and fear.
Think.
This is not a game.
Oga Asorockweb,
Why you dey cry now ?
A little tough love never killed anybody.
Fact is, before you were a regular on this scene, I had arguments with others.
I said that BH would soon graduate from motorbikes to technicals. And that NA should rapidly reequip in order to be able to cope with the situation.
Some bloggers said it’s BS. Who be BH ? I specifically said that military bases will fall, towns will fall, and significant Nigerian territory would be no go areas for NA.
Some bloggers said no body can confront NA frontally, or seize territory from them.
Well, the truth is, that is happening today.
As I have said before, I didn’t know this from wizardry, I knew it because I observed NA on a daily basis since the early 90s.
So, my tone may be off putting to you, that is neither here nor there. You shouldn’t care about my tone anyway, the substance of what I am saying is what matters.
And that is what I look for in this blog. Substance. not the frivolous BS.
You said I should offer constructive criticisms, well that is my forte brother, but you just don’t like my opinions.
(1) First, I not only said that NA needs to reequip, I have suggested how. The issue of excess defense articles, ex soviet bloc arms bazaars came from some bloggers.
Some people brought these issues to the fore for discussion.
I have always said UPDF is doing this, sudan is doing that, our peers in Bangladesh and Pakistan are doing the following, we should follow suit.
I have advocated 2 ways of reequipping, the aforementioned poor man’s route, or the Algerian/Moroccan/south African route, which is Nigerian leadership and Nigerians must realize the strategic role of a strong and capable armed force in order to stomach the requisite expense.
I have said severally, a strong military covers a multitude of sins.
It makes up for our failings in other areas.
(2) In terms of tactics, I have vehemently advocated that NA keep up with combat best practices.
For years, NA benefitted from UK and US military training. But as soon as we fell out over military rule, and they withdrew their support, NA stopped investing in training and the institution has been reeling ever since.
So Just as electricity and telecom services have gone private, sophisticated military services are also going private.
And many nations are opting for privatized military training, than dealing with western nations, or the soviet blocs.
Many capable countries employing PMC services, are not even at war. They are just preparing for the rainy day.
The use of PMCs for all manner of services is so wide spread, that it’s opposition on beegeagle’s blog has to be comical to some observers.
So for NA units to exist without the best training available is unconscionable.
And you can quit slinging that mud anytime now. I never said PMCs or foreigners should lead the NA in any damn way.
And if you are an honorable man, you should apologize for that since you have asked me specifically what I meant by PMC services, and I took pains to explain what I meant in detail.
I said train and advise, NOT lead. In angola and SLR, EO basically lead missions.
But in Croatia, the MPRI mentored commanders on issues of strategy. Ex American generals to Croatian generals behind close doors.
In NA I believe the institution is top heavy. There is a lot of investment in the quality of officers, But the enlisted personnel have been badly neglected.
So I have advocated PMC training and mentoring at company level.
One or two individuals calmly exchanging ideas with a company commander, is not going to destroy the officer’s command authority.
So these are all the constructive parts of my critic of the NA.
NA is mine as well as yours, I have every right to my opinions about the institution, as you do yours.
I would rather we debate idea’s and quit the mud slinging. My intent on this blog, is to change opinions where it counts.
But my style is my style. If shit stinks, am gonna say it stinks. But I will tell you why it stinks. And give you my 2 cents on the remedy.
About pressing the panic alarm, about doom and gloom in Nigeria, that, I wouldn’t change for nothing.
Anyone who doesn’t like it can jump out the window. (LOL)
If it is true, then you all should consider it a favor. We are too lackadaisical in Nigeria.
But the medical staff is saying that the Vital signs of the patient is nearing disastrous levels, and folks still want to party.
NO, Sound the alarm now. Let’s party when things actually get better.
Oga Doziex
I was composing a reply when I saw this that you put up here just above this comment. You captured my mind fully that I saw no more reason to write another epistle that might not say the same thing in a better way.
Unfortunately some people here think chest beating and sweet talk in face of obvious errors is patriotism and national support. Well, I’m no Comical Ali nor Nazi’s Goeberg (?). Let’s do a sober reflection as there’s time for everything under the sun. Sorry if I refuse to join in another round of juvenile fantasy of drawing a long wish list of dream equipment for the military. I have only come to realize and accept that somewhere between the military brass and politicians, there’s a group that sits back, probably watch us glee away wide eyed and laugh at our simplicity while discussing how much profits to share from the rot.
I refuse to believe that we are suggesting anything new to them. They were trained in this art and are abreast of everyday info and development in military arts, technology and trades. For some reasons that they are comfortable with, the current situation remains.
In my opinion, if we are going to win thin war decisively, we should be approaching full victory by now. But for us to be where we are, hope has got dimmer. I have lost e confidence in the current military and political ability to win this war. I am hoping that more communities vigilante groups will start arming up to protect their own, everywhere.
Days of glee are over, I’m sad to say.
Oga Nnamdi, thanks my man.
I am not even worried about these folks claiming that I am bashing NA.
The men of the NA are not kids, they are also not Nigerian politicians that require sycophants.
They can tell the spirit in which they are being criticized. They can tell what is meant for the current brass, and what is meant for the corrupt military politicians of yore.
They are grown men, but they also know that some of their own have murdered sleep in the name of NA.
And for the military brass and politicians that so abused and almost destroyed this beloved institution, I will never tire in my criticism .
NA belongs to the Nigerian people, and is not theirs to destroy.
You are now denying asking for PMCs in NA formations, from HQ to company, and joining NA in combat?
I pointedly asked you to clarify your position on PMCs, the link below points to your reply
You say so much stuff, all leading to PMCs in combat, that I am not surprised you forgot.
Oga Asorockweb,
Telling outright lies on someones head to win an argument is not the mark of an honorable man.
Read my explanation again, and don’t be so eager to continue this cat fight.
it is there, advise, mentorship , training to impart knowledge and the benefit of their experience to NA troops.
In military parlance and in the English language, that is not leading NA in combat.
An advisor serves as a private tutor, who is not taking the exam for his pupil, a coach, who is not actively playing the game.
So saying I am advocating that foreigners lead NA in combat is an outright lie.
As you said, I post a lot , which clearly bothers you. But the archives of this blog will attest to the fact that I always make this caveat clear, PMCs FOR TRAINING,ADVISORY AND MENTORSHIP ROLES, NOT COMBAT.
THEY WILL HAVE NO COMMAND AUTHORITY OVER NA TROOPS.
I even gave you 3 examples to illustrate what I mean.
Your eagerness to sling mud, is leading to you telling outright lies.
Be honorable, and win your argument based on the truth.
I would continue to advocate for my beliefs, and you can disagree with each and every one of them. I would actually relish healthy debates with anyone with a contrary opinion.
But lets do it truthfully please. I have always apologized on this blog every time I misquoted anyone, or misrepresented their views.
Besides, you ducked my question, Say UK offers Nigeria air support, in rescuing our school girls, should we accept it ? Why ? or why not ?
PUNDITS GALORE..
Should We Step in to Help Nigeria Find Kidnapped Girls?
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/04/nigeria-lawmakers-international-community-kidnapped-girls
GORDON BROWN CALLS FOR U.K MILITARY AID IN SEARCH FOR KIDNAPPED GIRLS
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/01/gordon-brown-uk-military-abducted-nigerian-girls
(Well, let them search in Cameroon and Chad. IF the U.K set foot in that theatre, that would be the only narrative of this war. It would become the turning point and even if Nigerian troops eventually defeat these terrorists, Britain will be claiming the glory.
Sierra Leone and ECOMOG refers. Nigeria, take note. Let them ONLY search in Chad and Cameroon. It would not take much for them to gain approval for aerial surveiilance and whatever else from the neighbouring countries)
DO NOTE and crucially, that AIR SUPPORT was pointedly mentioned. So I do not know if it is only our own leaders who do not realise the acute paucity of the entire gamut of air assets (attack, recce, transport) in that theatre.
With fully airworthy and factory refurbished Mi-24V attack helics and Mi-17 transport helics available for US$3-4 million, I do not know how many more people need to get killed before somebody musters the will to put meaningful numbers of essential airframes into the theatre.
Please this point has to be made clear, no ‘perfidious Albion’ sets foot on Nigerian soil.
Gordon Brown and GEJ are rather alike in manner and approach to life so let them jaw jaw all they like. The only things we may require from the British are satellite photos, GCHQ intercept and analyses of communications of big men sponsors and a few MRAPs that’s it. No British troops on Nigerian soil.
Hmmm,
Oga beegeagle and Oga Are james, what a quandary we find ourselves in.
The UK is offering us much needed air support.
The kind of crucial air support that our leaders have refused to invest in, in a timely manner.
But the rescue of our young school girls requires that airmobile capability today, Not in 3 to 6 to 9 months.
We all know that true to form, once our british friends help, no matter how marginal, they and the bbc would claim credit for everything else NA achieves in the north east.
Furthermore, I know that our nationalists instincts as Nigerians, wants all credit to be Nigeria’s.
The problem is we did not make hay while the sun was out. We do not currently have air mobile formations.
Which is the modern day chariot of special forces.
This blog is replete with my efforts to drive home this point.
So as I see it we have 3 choices.
(1) Hastily procure transport helicopters, add them to our 7 remaining attack helicopters
and conduct a very delicate operation in sambisa to rescue our girls.
Air mobile ops is not for the faint of heart, even the very experienced operators run into complications.
(2) Accept UK’s offer or better yet ask for UK’s help. As their much vaunted op barras in sierra leone shows, they are more than able to pull this stuff off. ( Ask @peccavi)
They UK has also helped us with the joint small boat assault school for the NN SBS.
Of course with the UK help comes the usurping of anything NA troops had to do with any rescue.
But at this stage, we may have to live with that indignity.
(3) Is basically option #1 plus Colonel Eeben’s outfit.
This is truly their bread and butter. Airmobile ops, was the back bone of what they accomplished in angola and in sierra leone.
Some pre 1996 NA troops in sierra leone witnessed and participated with the then Executive outcomes.
They situation in angola and SLR was actually eerily similar to the Impasse Nigeria is facing today.
The Inability to find and fix the enemy in SLR, is exactly what we have in Sambisa.
The SOF magazine detailed the EO operations, So did colonel Eeben in his books.
One should have the humility to listen to those who have accomplished this seemingly impossible feat.
The Tactics EO brought to SLR contained the situation fairly quickly.
Because NA is a fairly sophisticated organization itself, this partnership could be limited a training and advisory role.
The advise and mentorship should focus on the helicopter pilots, and the company commanders.
It is no secret here that option 3 is my favorite. But there is also option 1 and option 2.
Time is of the essence, hate it or love it , we have to pick one option and go with it.
A dispassionate discussion sans the name callings would be appreciated.
Remember, there are 200 to 300 lives on the line.
oga doziex, slow down ejoor. there are lots of intelligent peeps on this blog. your suggestions are not some napoleonic revolution to warfare. its the same message we have all been preaching ( other than your PMC solution of course) for years. nothing can be achieved in modern warfare without the conspicuous presence of the air branch. every single blogger have been screaming about this for years.
as for the UK and their help, thank you but no thank you. they should stay in their little island and keep their help to themselves. when the Lord Resistance Army was carrying out this same dastardly act, why didn’t they send their air power to help save the victims in uganda?
please, sink or swim this is our headache, and GEJ be damned if he allows foreign troops to operate in our soil.
boko yeye will keep scoring diabolical points using this same tried and tested tactics. they re losing the ground war, but of course they are trying to crawl underneath our skin at the same time.
fortunately, the bolder they become the more serious and less compromising the FG will become too. so they should continue their terror. the govt would have no option than to annihilate them. we don’t need dialogues with these terrorists. they are vermin and they will be exterminated.
I rarely vent political frustration, but sincerely I do miss Gen Sani Abacha. these irritants would have been a long forgotten misconstruction
So, Oga Freeegulf, option #1 is your favorite.
Na we we. Nigeria onle me one. That’s a tough call bro.
Oga freeegulf ride or die with onle you and NAIJA.
Who’s next ? Let’s all stand up and be counted of this issue.
On point, brother. We cannot stress that enough. Satellite imagery and recce of the other side of the border is as far as it should go.
These are adept glory hunters and would deface history if need be, just to become the story…at our expense, should we choose to be that naive.
NIGERIA NEEDS TO PULL TOGETHER IF BOKO HARAM IS TO BE SUBDUED
http://www.m.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/nigeria-needs-to-pull-together-if-boko-haram-is-to-be-subdued
Has boko-haram posted a video about the kidnapped girls? If not,why?(you would think its a huge coup). Have we been able to successfully cut off their communication links? Could this actually be desperation? Could we be seeing an end game against the core-group in the sambisa? Could it be boko-haram have not reached a secure area to post propaganda?
Unfortunately,precise tactical and strategic info from the military is scarce.
Note, i don’t consider much the words of some senators who suggest they are in another country,for all we know they may have been misled.I prefer to weigh what our intelligence community suggest, and their actions suggest they believe they are still in the sambisa forest.
Whatever the situation,we wish them the very best.
Good-luck and Godspeed.
Agreed. I don’t trust that Senator.
I believe he just wanted to create drama in the senate, and maybe, video tape the weeping legislators and send the video back to BH.
The senators remarks could be a distraction, hoping to send our limited resources in all directions – we only have a handful of ISR assets.
Boko Haram Sponsors Emerges:
Zamfara Apc chieftain seen clinging Rifle in a public meeting with terrorists.
State Govt. donates Hilux vans and Motorbikes to Terrorists.
So all this things are happening and Nigeria security is doing nothing about it, they are all waiting for GEJ to carry AK47 and do the battle for them.
Source:http://247ureports.com/?p=52013
Full Story
A chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC) Zamfara chapter Alhaji Sani Gwamna Mayanchi was allegedly invited and quizzed by the State Security Service SSS Headquarters Abuja, allegedly in connection with insurgent’s killings in the state.
247ureports.com gathered that Sani Gwamna Mayanchi, who is the current state Publicity Secretary of the party is facing public displeasure over his alleged role in, and being a principal accessory to giving government donations of large number of motorcycles and Hiluz vans to the insurgents as an ‘’appeasement’’ to settle for peace in the volatile areas of the state.
A photograph of Sani Gwamna Mayanchi depicting a rifle slinging across his chest, allegedly snapped during the said ‘’peace mission’’ visit to the insurgents’ enclaves is highly being propagated in hand phones, a situation which in aggravating apprehension and doubt in the sincerity of the government to stop the insurgence.
In a recent interview with the village head of Unguwar Galadima where more than 200 innocent people were killed by the insurgents, Alhaji Amadu disclosed that right from the beginning before the situation worsened, the community leaders including the council chairman have consistently informed the governor about the looming security threat facing the area, but no action was taken, but the government has rather decided to donate motor cycles and Toyota Hilux Vans to the insurgents, as an appeasement gesture ‘in the name of making peace’.
As a result of this, he said the killers used the vehicles to attack and kill hundreds of people and burn down many houses burnt, while thousands of animals were carted away and most of the farmlands could no longer be cultivated due to the rightening situation.
The councillor representing Kuyan Bana ward where the incidence occurred, Hon Yusuf Ahmad, also confirms to 247ureports.com that last month, he heard that the state government has donated several number of motorcycles and number of Hilux Vans and financial support to the insurgents as an appeasement to persuade them to stop the killings of innocent people,’’ but this action has generated more heat than light as the vehicles were being used to attack the communities’’.
Al efforts to get across to the Deputy Director Public Affairs of the SSS Mrs Marylyn Ogar for confirmation over the invitation of the party chieftain was fruitless, but reliable source close to the SSS who prefers unanimity, confided in newsmen that the publicity secretary was actually invited and quizzed by the SSS Headquarters in Abuja.
These are very serious allegations, if this is true y are the political structure of these states still intact
http://nigeriaworld.com/columnist/ajayi/052512.html
“Anything short of a northern president is tantamount to stealing our presidency. Jonathan has to go and he will go. Even if he uses incumbency power to get his nomination on the platform of the PDP, he will be frustrated out. The North should not be blamed for the calamity that would befall Nigeria if Jonathan emerged as the president”.
Oga Martin Luther,
The north or any born to rule bigots must be disabused of the notion that they can drum out anybody from power.
This is what the national confab should be about, to see if we can all agree on the basis to exist as one nation.
These are very serious allegations, but allegations are not court admissible facts.
It’s time for the SSS to earn it’s keep.
If any politician of any stripe is paying protection money to BH or aiding and abetting the organization, they must be publicly outed and disavowed by their party, then prosecuted for treason. Period.
If the political authorities of the NE states are conniving with BH, THEY ARE MAKING THIS CONFLICT A BIAFRA SITUATION.
And as such must be treated as ruthlessly as Biafra was.
Supported.
Bros doziex,
I hope we do not get to the Biafra situation, I have hope for the National Confab, if it fails; I am gone for good out of here and far away
http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/ubochi/110110.html
Somebody please tell me this webpage is a lie by liars
http://www.channelstv.com/2012/04/27/azazi-blames-boko-haram-attacks-on-pdp/
What did Azazi mean?
TBH…this whole situation is now becoming a mess. 4 divisions alright, but are they even making efforts to gather any sort of intelligence? 200+ girls are not something you can easily hide under a rock. Jonathan handled this situation far too leniently until it’s morphed into an uncontrollable monster. Now its not the time for glory hunting, but rather needs an aggregation of all hands and help on deck to get the girls released.
All these talks of ‘born to rule’ Northerners behind this is BS. A lackadaisical approach to the situation is the reason why it’s degenerated to where we are now. Half hearted military campaigns waged by the government with piecemeal weaponry. I recently saw photos of soldiers in the theatre and it’s enough to discourage any man’s morale. All we have heard from the government varies according to who’s talking. Jonathan once said BH is in his government, well then ‘do the needful’. Tomorrow it’s changed to the work of the opposition. Well…’sigh’. It looks like we don’t even have a single clue of who or what is behind this. The last few years has been conveniently spent tagging sheeps as pigs whilst the country burns.
If any man knows he hasn’t got a clue,(Armed forces chiefs to politicians alike) then please step down for people who know what it entails.
@Kay,
Sorry O! I am not sure if Kay is masculine or feminine.
I would usually say Oga kay.
It is a tactic I copied from the US house and senate. See, there, you must address an individual as the honorable gentleman or honorable Lady before you address them.
This psychologically cuts down on insults, as it is hard to formulate an insult in one’s head, after calling the person the honorable gentleman or addressing them as Oga.
Anywho, that aside, I addressed the northern born to rule phenomenom, as the roots of our BH problem comes from their ilk.
But as predicted, BH has become its own Frankenstein monster. Answering to no political interests.
It actually now threatens to swallow them all up.
2 and 1/2 years ago on this blog, we were begging northern politicians and the northern elite to condemn BH and all it stood for, then some of them taught it was a weapon to use against GEJ’s administration.
But you are right, the issue is more complicated than that. The failure of GEJ’s security policy must also be raised and scrutinized.
Yes we have saboteurs, but that is the more reason why NA should be armed and equipped to the teeth.
It’s a hydra headed monster.
Well…yes. I do remember their recalcitrance to condemn BH back then. Only that now, shit has hit the fan. Their own dogs have now turned around to bite their asses and to an extent, ours too. From the very beginning however, the government failed to follow ‘ due intelligence’ on who or what exactly was causing it. All they did however was keep pointing at any and everything. The time to nip it in the bud passed without much reaction from the FG. There’s no harm IMO seeking outside help now. It’s gone past the era of pride. As Nigerians, we know the limits of our capabilities…be it sufficient airforce assets or intelligence gathering. The offer of outside help should be taken, least even if for the safety of the girls alone and then back to our in house solutions with new lessons learnt.
I also hope now, the government would learn not to handle security matters with kids gloves; finance wise and so.
I’m a ‘he’ btw…
Oga Kay, I beg no vex. Of course you are a mr.
Yeah men, a stitch in time saves nine.
I am glad you can see past our pride to ask for foreign help now.
Even Our Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka was on record on BBC yesterday saying Nigeria should forget any foolish pride, and ask for help in some areas.
I wouldn’t trust the UK, but our CIC’s slow response to military acquisition has backed us into a corner.
Aptly put my friend…a very unique Hydra headed monster. It’s far deeper than what many of us or the masses make of it. This is not something that can be fixed by employing. The best military strategies, kits, platforms, etc. A bulk of the answer lies in the political elite, remember they are the policy makers and they give orders to the military.
Nigeria should pay Israel for covert full military, COIN, and MOSSAD intelligence help. Britain, NATO, USA are wolves in sheep clothing, they don’t want a powerful Nigeria that can easily say no to them anytime we like. Britain plotted Nigeria’s failure by handing over power to the north and ‘telling’ them they have right to rule Nigeria for ever. Have you seen Nigerian army ensign? It has Arabic language written on it, same with Nigerian currency/money notes….Arabic inscriptions are there.
Nigeria’s northerners should stop playing Ostrich, send Sambo to go find the 200 girls and persuade Boko Haram to end the whole war finally, same way Yar Adua sent Jonathan to enter canoe like a fisherman and meet Niger Delta militants inside the creeks, militant’s hidden base, and he negotiated the final surrender of the militants.
In the 1980s Awolowo asked Shagari to fence Nigeria’s northen borders all round, the NPN refused because they bring in Chadians, Malians, Nigeriens, Cameroonians to vote for NPN masquerading as Hausa/Fulani and win elections. The north always wanted the porous northern borders for bringing in foreigners to help their agenda. During Obasanjo’s era, the sharia riot in Kaduna became hot battle when the northern sharia proponents brought in heavily armed Chadian rebels from across the border to fight the middle belt tribes with awesome Chadian firepower which led to massive deaths in Kaduna, so much that Obasanjo saw a sea of dead people and he cried tears in public, first time I saw OBJ crying like a woman.
The north should solve the problem it created. Other Nigerians are ready to help the north if they are willing to be good brothers. Many of my own blood relations are a mixture of northerners and southerners and I am blood-bonded to both sides of the river Niger, so where do I run to if things get spoiled? Cotonou?
One nation ! One Nigeria !
I have always believed we have not understood the nature of this insurgency. D US had this same lack of understanding in Iraq, they did not understand d culture and circle of violence on time and lots of people died.
We need to ask ourselves the following questions:
1. Is d insurgency a Northern agenda? Taking into consideration statements from history gone past and as lately as Yanko a sitting Gov and even his esteemed highness d Adamawa traditional ruler currently sitted at d confab. We understand Northern leaders do not talk anyhow so for a political bigwig and a trad leader of quality to make some kind of statements that mimics 2010 or 11 and worst preindepence fantacys, is it worth considering
2. Is d insurgency an international conspiracy? Are some elements trying to make their prediction hold? It is said Lord Lugard stated that d union of north and south wud last for a hundred years. Well that hundred years is here now. But what is to b profited from a divided Nigeria? Is d Nigerian potential economy a threat that could hold down for it self all of the African market south of the sahara? Is that big a deal for a threat.
3. Is this all a stay onto power strategy? If so Y
We need to keep asking and thinking through,
REF the NIGERIAN ARMY AVIATION CORPS…the new AH-6i LITTLE BIRD IS READY FOR THE EXPORT MARKET
http://www.janes.com/article/37325/production-standard-ah-6i-little-bird-makes-maiden-flight
$2million dollars apiece for the barebones version and it has night fighting abilities.
They are going to take the market away from the Russians.
If it’s just taking it’s maiden flight, it might not be ready for another year.
There is a whole lot of belligerence palpable on this thread. Soon enough, we shall be taking nominations for potential evictees. So everyone shall get a chance to be rid of their enemies shortly. There was a certain standard which drew everyone to this blog. It is a blog…not a forum. We all know where the lines are drawn. We are here to help water find its level.
Your subtle warning is hereby taken !!!
Ethnic or partisan emotions are taking hold which should stop and we also should stop bashing our political leaders directly.
For me however, I humbly request to continue my campaign against corruption in the defence sector. I think it is costing the lives of our soldiers and innocent civilians.
This will be done with more subtlety and i will desist from mentioning names or official designations.
Really, my Oga, I have been mulling over this fact. It has never been “my way or the highway” here.
But it is decipherable that there is cut-throat contention between very antagonistic interests here – patriotic, pecuniary, political and professional..as the case may be. None has paid me for that privilege and none shall be allowerd to ‘privatise’ the blog for the advancement of his particular interest. It is as straightforward as that.
It is very clear that right up to the apex of our DEFSEC architecture, this blog is firmly on the radar screens and that has only served to exacerbate the contention.
Regardless,we can NEITHER have implacable malcontents masquerading as critics pooh-poohing everything that happens NOR shall we have super-patriots with pretentious god complexes trying to play ‘provost’ here. In effect, it is sensible for us to rid ourselves of any haughty predispositions and any inclination towards condescension. The growing use of polemics is unwelcome as well.
So I believe that one good way of maintaining standards even as one prepares to step into the shadows, is to ensure that neither implacable malcontents nor self-righteous patriots shoot down this flying eagle, whether or not one is here.
By the time that we rid ourselves of the Top 5 “problematic commenters” as voted out by us, peace shall reign again. At least, we all get to learn that the other person counts and that we should mutually reinforce one another. Those who are believed by the majority to be ‘surplus to requirement’ 🙂 shall be swiftly evicted by yours truly as advised.
We must all learn to respect each other, even if we choose to play the alpha male. In the face of relentless attempts at hijacking the blog for the advancement of our personal agenda, we must draw the line between an unfettered exchange of ideas and outrightly reprehensible conduct in our interface with respectable people.
That is the heart of the matter.
Dear Mr. Bee,
Please a thousand apologies if in anyways I have crossed the bar. This blog is a lifeline for many and may just be the only of its kind in Nigeria, by Nigerians and for Nigeria. My support in anyways is available for its success.
But please set ground rules before voting starts and give every gentleman on the Beegeagle tread time for redemption before voting starts.
@Are James.
We need it like yesterday, my brother. The NAF had already trained as many as FORTY PILOTS, not to mention flight engineers and technicians, for the nascent NA Aviation Corps as of 2012.
Come on, these guys must be near-dead sitting on their behinds while there are raving terrorists waiting to be had in the Far Northeast.
As for FLIR pods, those are so widely available that I would not know why we cannot get them off-the-shelf. They are on the Puma SOCAT, W3 SOKOL, DA-422MPP and Z-9WA airframes. So I sometimes wonder why we cannot get them onto our A109s at least.
Oyaa mi l’enu
READ
http://www.beegeagle.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/boko-haram-usa-pledge-to-expand-training-opportunities-for-nigerian-military-security-operatives/
note: August 24, 2013 at 7:04 pm
CAMEROUN PLACE AN ORDER FOR TWO “LARGE” NAVAL VESSELS BUILT IN QINGDAO, CHINA.
Details required, gentlemen.
http://www.janes.com/article/37273/new-cameroonian-naval-vessels-under-construction-in-china
Okay, so is French money pushing them into trying to go into some naval arms race against us? In the naval arena we can outspend them into economic ruin.
Maybe its just paranoia and national prestige issues with Equatorial Guinea also quadrupling its navy and Nigeria acquiring naval platforms like tomorrow no dey.
Do you think Nigeria alone can protect the Gulf of Guinea? Don’t you think having armed Navies around would improve security from piracy? At list the NN would not be thinly spread, it seems the NN is tasked with policing the gulf alone. I do not know how well this has changed anyway.
Cameroon do have a love-hate relationship with Equato-Guinea who are also our maritime nextdoor neighbours(we share direct maritime frontiers with Sao Tome, Cameroon and Equato-Guinea in Central Africa).
Piracy could be one reason but the issue of responding to geopolitical dynamics in the Gulf of Guinea where Nigeria and Equato-Guinea are building up their navies cannot be discountenanced.
True we need a moderator now, Boko issues is a mix of technicality and emotions because it touches all Nigerians directly or indirectly, only pain level differs. The topic has capacity to lead to unpalatable comments being posted here.
I suggest the moderator delete any old or new post/comment that does not meet the expected standard of this blog, in national interest and in interest of the blog also.
I also suggest we talk less about Boko haram, it is naturally an explosive issue because we are at war on our own soil and everyone looks for who to blame when they see the lapses and errors.
Moderator needed and a NEW SET OF RULES for all of us here to maintain standard.
On Cameroon going to China to also build two latest generation OPVs like Nigeria, I have raised alarm on the very weak state of Nigerian navy which I am afraid is now reduced to coast guard level. Do we have a navy or a mere coast guard?
Nigerian navy Exocet missiles have technical defect, all removed from ships, and the ships are mostly out of service.
Otomat missile of 1982, is the shelf life not over? NNS Aradu and the other 3 Otomat carrying ships are out of service.
Seacat and Aspide SAMs, the ships that carry them are all grounded or reduced to gunboat level and the missiles, have they not expired since 1980 ?.
Nigerian navy with it’s present level of firepower is equal to a coast guard based on the realities on ground.
One submarine from South African navy will stop all the oil and gas trade of Nigeria completely, absolutely, and indefinitely.
Nigeria can save itself from unexpected and embarrassing ocean threats by arming the two new Chinese OPVs with Chinese C-803 anti-ship missiles and Z-9 Harbin anti-submarine warfare helicopters.
Keep sounding the alarm brother, make I rest small.
Equato guinea first surpassed us in missile capable ships, now Cameroon a perennial aggressor is trying to get parity.
But de Gbedu continues in Abuja.
NN has to do 2 things.
(1) Dwarf the capabilities and the sophistication of our neighbors.
(2) Be strong enough to DETER france, and like nations.