A modernised, Ukrainian-supplied Mi-35 being put together shortly after delivery to Nigeria, late in 2014
The following news report, corroborated by additional sightings by Beegeagle’s Blog spotters in the port city of Lagos, refers.
http://www.punchng.com/news/military-takes-delivery-of-attack-helicopters/
COMMENTARY
The specific reference to attack helicopters and to Belarus, assures me that deliveries of twelve Mi-35s expected from that country have started to arrive.
The higher level deliveries of components of the brand-new Mi-35M and Mi-171Sh Terminator attack and assault helics, if they have also commenced, almost certainly went straight to KANO (as has been the tradition since MiG 17s) and Kaduna.
It also confirms that the sightings of three BigFoot MRAPs by Beegeagle’s bloggers during the course of these past 48 hrs was indeed, accurate.
The APCs spotted along the Okene could have been BTR APCs or BMP-2 IFVs (given the reference to tanks) acquired from RUSSIA or Belarus.
The NAF are poised to take delivery of
– 12 used Mi-35 attack helicopters from Belarus
* 6 new Mi-35M attack helics from RUSSIA
* 12 new Mi-171Sh Terminator assault helics from RUSSIA
AND they are also receiving another stream of Mi-35s from Ukraine while 3-4 Mi-17s are expected from there.
XNur44 of established credibility has also alerted us to the fact the Mr President has given approval for the immediate replacement of all FOUR MiL attack helicopters lost to accidents since the May 2013 crash at Port Harcourt.
The summation of the foregoing suggests that the NAF shall receive a total of 37-40 units of modernised or factory fresh Mil assault/attack/transport helicopters wef 2015. So much so that TWO squadrons of attack helicopters are about to be formed.
For me, this is a dream haul…appreciable numbers and real potency. When the refurbished and modernised Hinds fully get delivered, we would have
* 20-24 off-the-shelf units of Mi-24V/Mi-35P attack helics
* 6-8 off-the-shelf units of Mi-17s
* 6 brand new
state-of-the-art Mi-35M attack helics
* 12 brand-new and state-of-the-art Mi-171Sh Terminator assault helicopters.
From the pool of modernised Hinds, let us endeavour to have a minimum of six units reconfigured to the potent Super Hind Mk.III variant by ATE of South Africa, preferably done at Port Harcourt.
Beegeagle's Blog 
Let me for the umpteenth time APPEAL that as we prepare to redefine the face of the NAF in such a manner as has not been attempted for over thirty years, let us remember to cover all facets of air power projection by continuing to kill as many birds with one stone.
Consequently, and rather than the planned acquisition of as many as forty units of the multifunctional Sino-Pak JF17 Thunder jet, we can afford to deepen the capabilities of the resurgent NAF as follows
* reach for THIRTY UNITS of JF17 Thunder jets and not forty units of same.
* from the accruing savings of US$250 million, acquire and modernise twelve units of deep strike Su-30 jets from Russian stocks. Their extremely long range will enable the NAF to defend our security interests in our patently hostile and anarchical northern neighbourhood.
The JF17 Thunder is remarkable for its open architecture which allows it to incorporate Chinese and Western-made components and to deploy weaponry from either orbit, simultaneously. However, the JF17 Thunder is for a country the size of Nigeria, essentially a homeland defence asset and cannot project power in the region direct from our airbases. That capability gap is what only the Su-27/30 jets can fill on account of their imperious range.
The JF17 Thunder may be air refueling-compliant but we do not own air tankers so let us immediately acquire that deep strike capability rather than fixate on things hoped for but which might not be handy until 2020.
It is totally unacceptable that since independence, nobody has considered it expedient to take on board the desirable capability requirement that is the acquisition of jets which can handle the SW-NE 2,000 mile return flight between Badagry (LAGOS) and Bisagana (BORNO). Instead, we have been inundated with short-legged jets such as the MiG 21/F7 and Sepecat Jaguar, all of doubtful relevance to our power projection capabilities.
In remediation of that alarming drawback, let us use this acquisition window to silence our doubting, voluble critics and our enemies by
* Using the said savings from JF17 acquisitions to ACQUIRE a start-up haul of TWELVE off-the-shelf units of Su-27/30 jets which can be acquired and modernised for US$15 million apiece,all for a total of US$180 million as follows;
– four trainer variants
– eight air superiority variants
From the the balance of US$70 million,
* use US$20 million to acquire replenishable stock for these superb aircraft
* use US$10 million to equip the maintenance workshop
* use US$40 million to acquire the matching weaponry
Going back to the recommended haul of THIRTY JF17 Thunder jets, we must endeavour to stay contemporary and to maximise the advantage of versatility which the useful airframes bring to the board. This, we can do, by embarking on the phased delivery of the JF17 Thunder jets as follows;
– acquire 18 units of the JF17 Thunder Mk.2 jet in 2015 (12 units) and 2016 (6 units)
– acquire 12 units of the JF17 Thunder Mk.3 jet in 2017 (four units) and 2018 (eight units)
That way, we ensure that the NAF remain contemporary, with or without upgrades, until 2030.
Good morning, gemtlemen.
The first overhaul of Su-30 MKI in India was around $18 mil USD.
HAL is currently supplying the fighter to the IAF at Rs 358 crore; HAL sources say overhauling a Su-30MKI costs Rs 110 crore.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/hal-gives-first-overhauled-sukhoi-30-to-iaf-115011000028_1.html
cool
Always interesting to read your hardware acquisition list. You give the word ‘balanced procurement’ a new sense of meaning. Real beauty.
Well done, Marshal Beegs.
My esteemed comrade and long-term associate, Generalissimo Freegulf. Max respect as always.
Yours Aye,
BEEGEAGLE.
Great!
What of rifles and gears pls ?
Yeah, much needed.
Maybe someone else can articulate the requirements for ground troops engaged in combat operations.
Maybe, Bharat.
However, the Su-30Ks cascaded from India were on offer for US$10 million apiece while the upgrades to contemporary standards were on offer for US$5 million. For reasons of strategic positioning, I believe that the RuAF and ROSOBORONEXPORT can replicate that for Nigeria.
At the same time, given India’s two-pronged need to rise above threats posed by the PLAAF and the PAF, it is almost certain that the upgrades on IAF Sukhois would be transformational in scope ala the MiG 21 Bison.
That said, the US$ 250 million savings from JF17 Thunder transactions will certainly land the NAF twelve modernised units of Su-27/30. The hunt must proceed apace and without dithering. Time is of the essence..
Got a gem of a news report which clears the air about the price India sold back the 18 SU-30K to Russia.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/18-new-sukhoi-fighters-to-replace-old-ones/article1827413.ece
So, it clears half the picture. About upgrades, I will get back to you later.
Definitely the overhaul ( Indian link that I posted earlier was about overhaul+ upgrade to P-iv standard)/ upgrade cost will vary depending upon what tasks needed to be performed. Also, friendly prices can also be negotiated under certain conditions.
“According to Kommersant, IAF’s Su-30K have an average record of about 1,500 flying hours and require an overhaul and upgradation costing $12 million (about Rs 51 crore) per aircraft.”
http://www.rediff.com/news/report/fighter/20070412.htm
So, General, this clears up the air.
The upgrade term here can also be upgrade to MKI standard as nothing is mentioned.
When this matter cropped up for the first time, this was the story..by that same Kommersant
MOSCOW, September 16 (RIA Novosti)
Eighteen Su-30K fighter jets which were delivered by Russia to India in the 1990s could end up in service with the Belarusian air force, respected Russian business daily Kommersant said on Friday.
Russia and India agreed on the sale of advanced Su-30MKI fighters to the Indian air force in mid-1990s, but Moscow had not been able to deliver the aircraft until early 2000.The sides found a compromise – the first 18 fighter jets were delivered in downgraded version, Su-30K, on condition that they would be returned to Russia after being replaced with Su-30MKI.
According to Kommersant, the aircraft were formally returned to Russia’s Irkut aircraft corporation, but never touched the Russian soil and ended up in Belarus. The first 10 jets have been recently
delivered to an aircraft plant in Baranovichi for a deep overhaul to the Su-30KN version, Kommersant cited a source close to Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport. The remaining eight are expected to arrive in November.
The source said Belarus was interested in buying the Su-30K because the country cannot afford new aircraft and the deal could be very cheap.
According to Russian experts,the current price for an outdated Su-30K after depreciation is about $10 million. An overhaul would require an additional $5 mln per plane.”To buy a heavy fighter for $15 mln is a real bargain,” Kommersant quoted Ruslan Pukhov, the head of the Russian Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, as saying.
Despite the certain loss from such a deal, Irkut may be forced to sell the Su-30Ks to Belarus because the Russian Defense Ministry will not spend the money on old aircraft, and other potential buyers – Syria and Sudan – are out of the picture for political reasons.
I think you hurry if you want 6 remaining Su-30 Ks
http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2014/8/27/2567/
http://www.bwgist.com/2015/01/photos-gej-commissions-cenotaph-for.html?
YESTERDAY, we wrote extensively about what is fit and proper IF we hope to influence outcomes.
Last night at 21:30hrs on NTA NEWS, President Jonathan was shown unveiling a MARBLE cenotaph complete with the names of 300 officers and men of the military who paid the supreme price for our fatherland at the Military Cemetary earlier today.
Additionally, the C-in-C also decorated officers and men who have distinguished themselves in the ongoing combat operations in N.E Nigeria.
Again, let me reiterate the need for us to lay off tactless tattle which leads us nowhere. Passionate as we might be, nobody can stampede, ridicule or blackmail the DEFSEC forces into bringing about the changes which we crave. ENGAGE..do not alienate or “show yourself”
Elsewhere BEEGEAGLE WROTE:
QUOTE
(..) ” but I hope we carve up somewhere very soon in Abuja where all the names of officers and men who paid the supreme price in Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Bakassi Peninsula, the Niger Delta and in the Boko Haram Insurgency PLUS the foreign PKOs are inscribed in marble. About time.
We need to get started on that now that the records are intact. This ‘salute-last post-and-goodbye’ business is no longer fitting enough. We could call such a monument ‘Heroes Arcade’ – you know, names inscribed in gold on black marble and maintained by the Presidency since it would have separate towers for SSS and NIA, paramilitary services and the police too.
The military in particular, outside of politics, have served the country very well and that is only fair.”
END
Perhaps we can connect the dots there.
Oga Beeg, those in charge of PR for the military sucks. There is a major disengagement between the military and the Nigerian porpulace. In the U.S millions of dollars are spent promolgating an idea that there is a global battle between the forces of good and bad, Axis of evil vs the Free world. Any major military campaigne comes with an official name : Operation Desert Strom, Enduring Freedom, Valiant Shield. During the gold war there were special centers where Citizens can donate whatever they want to those ”Fighting for the freedom” they cherish. Every week boxes of Ice Creams, drinks fruites, food etc are supplied to the soldiers in the front with personalised notes like ”Thank you, because of you i am free”. Any soldier will be ready to lay down his life for the country becausethe support they receive from the people is overwelming, it makes it worth fighting for.
Enter Nigeria, till date i can tell you i have no idea what the military is actually doing in the North East, ”Operation make we dey see”? Zero strategy, zero long term thinking, zero back up plans, zero objective. In the battle of ideology Boko Haram is winning yet we have a multi million dollar committee tasked with maintaining relations between the Civilian populace and the government.
With these latest delivery not many people will realize that the Nigerian airforce is in effect larger than the South African airforce. SAAF have just 6 operational Gripens in its inventory, they were forced to mothball over half its Gripen force due to budget constraints, they have just 6 Rooviak in its inventory despite the fact they have one of the most advanced defense industry in the world. Companies like Dennel have no equal in Africa. When it comes to airlift capabilities the South Africans are basically rookies with just 2 operational C-130 Hercules in service vs Nigerias compliment of Aeritalia G.222, SA 330H Puma, Lockheed C-130 Hercules. In air and see surveillance capabilities the SAAF is even more behind and the Nigerian Navy is quickly catching up with the SA Navy, if indeed as Oga Beeg postulated Submarines are coming then the Nigerian Navy will be ahead in all aspect except maybe for training. Paradoxically analysts say Nigerias military is no where near its former capability due to corruption and negligence hence we having a hard time with Boko Haram,..yet paradoxically never in the history of the Nigerian armed forces have there such advanced systems from Naval platforms to surveillance systems and Helicopter gunships..Imagine an airforce with 40 Helicopter gunships, Nigeria has the largest and most modern attack helicopter fleet in Africa. The Alpha Jet as far as im concerned is a trainer not a fighter but even 12 F-7’s with its advanced SY-80 pulse doppler radar is more than what the Cameroonian airforce can muster, when you add the incoming squadron size unit of JF-17 it gets even more interesting.
In a nutshell while the Nigerian army have never seen such defeat the Nigerian military has never had such a large compliments of weapons system and this is just the beginning. Why are we still having a hard time containing Boko Haram? our existing weapons system is more than sufficient. I am begining to think maybe perhaps there are political intricasies attached to it cos it logically doesent make sense to have Africa’s largest and most armed armed forces being defeated and chased around by a bunch of thugs with truck mounted anti aircraft guns, even if used in a ground trajectory the entire Boko Haram armour can be wiped out by a single cluster munition or a bunch of M-24/35 HELICOPTERS. Those ATR surveillance aircrafts needs to be retrofitted with guns,..take a look at the USAF Spectre gunship, that’s basically a cargo plane with artillery on it. We need to win this war or reduce Boko Haram back to its pre-2008 capability before they claim more territories. The West will be all too pleased to see Nigeria fall, especially now that they do not rely on our oil imports anymore. Operation Barbarossa.
Dear All,
It was a nice inspirational speech, but if we wait and need to be armed by others and do not manufacture or produce any of our crucial requirement/equipment, we are fooling ourselves once again, South Africa fought for years based on hare-ware manufactured or modified by them “born in Battle”, there is a difference between capability and capacity. capacity without capability is usually short term and an illusion. The new cloths look nice on the customer, but if he does not know how to sew and compares himself to his tailor, they day he needs to repair his garment or buy a new one, he would know the difference between the wearer and the producer. South Africa is modifying our Mi35 to optimum capability for us, while we are waiting for them to deliver. Did anybody hear China, Russia, India or Ukraine say “Long Live Nigeria” , for them it was commercial business as usual or convergence of interests ( for the moment). Did anybody realise that our siding with the West at the security council on the Ukraine issue against Russia ( when wise Nations abstain their vote in matters not directly concerning them), almost cost us their support ( which is more or less given now to spite the West). We need to move forward after all this BH affair. We we start meeting our basic technical military needs and stop importing Caspars Trucks from S.A we should start talking , till then let us not lose focus on bringing the Nigerian Military ahead and beyond it’s earlier finest moments. We should come out of this bloody scenario with more Capability as well as the capacity we are building. You need to see how the Turks are working with their University and technical institutes on reverse engineering of components
Reply
Well said. This is the time for Nigeria to read the direction of the wind, lace her boots and get to work. We have the talent, but lack the environment.
For example, we are an oil producing country, but are not capable of producing plastics which are so important in various fields. Graphene is the miracle material of the future, but even with our access to very cheap petrocarbon’s, there is no Nigerian research into graphene – our universities are all dormant.
I don’t like the picture at the top of this article with foreigners building a helicopter in Nigeria; helicopters were invented several decades ago, we should be building our (even if our first attempts crash all the time).
There are many holes to be plugged, from Information Technology to, ballistics, to materials science etc. The first step should be to tie all expensive purchases to production or servicing partnership’s, that way we can gain a technological jump of sorts.
The countries selling arms and tech to us started somewhere, let us get going, even if it is from Obi at Alaba Market or Mubarak Abdullahi from Kano.
Oga Oje, well done. Algeria and Egypt have more powerful fleets of attack helicopters sha.
@ ALL. Please read this BH-related piece..
http://www.truthasauthority.com/2015/01/15/u-s-france-target-boko-haram-focus-africas-strategic-minerals/
Oga Beeg, first a big welcome back and well done for your really special effort on this blog. We do resect and appreciate this forum and ask that you not give up in frustration. Totally agree with re: tone of commentary, but nonetheless, the value of this space is priceless. Secondly, link above makes frightening reading and underscores the urgent need for major stiffening of the national resolve to keep our great nation together. Thirdly, any new pics? Have a great week
Oga Beeg, Algeria and Egypt are not African countries na, im talking about black Africa.North Africa countries are in actual sense middle eastern countries….
What is this one is seeing on CNN about Boko Haram attacking Western Nigeria?
http://www.nairaland.com/2092844/cnn-false-reporting-nigeria-again
This is what the MOD, MOI, NOA should take up and start denouncing even demand an apology from CNN.
A truly pathetic howler from the CNN. Just goes to show that “breaking the news” and retaining their market share is all that matters to them. Lagos is far enough from Borno, never mind this one running her mouth from a world away in Johannesburg.
OGA BEEGS I just posted a comment please could you look into it it says awaiting moderation.
Its like they think Boko Haram controls 50% of Nigeria be that. I still have a hard time reconciling in my head the fact that America under an African President will choose alienate Nigeria despite the fact they are fighting the same enemy as part of its war on terror,..not satisfied with alienating us and spying on us from Drone bases in Niger thet now make it a policy to cripple our military even futher by making sure we do not get the necessary munitions to take down Boko Haram.
Not too long ago Saudi Arabia blocked a Pakistani weapons laden flight enroute to Nigeria by order from Obama, same Obama blocked Israel from doing likewise. It was Nigeria’s vote that carried the decision to allow NATO forces take down Guadaffi after South Africa protested and did not vote now they deny us the right to defend ourselves because of ”Human right records”..this is the same AMERICA that wants to fund a terrorist group ”FREE SYRIAN REBELS” to topple the legitimate government of Assad.
The same ASSAD regime where Christians and minorities live in peace without prosecution, yet America favours a group with a history of killing Christians and other non believers. Hundreds of thousands of Christians and muslims alike have held rallies and marched on the Streets of Damascus denouncing the terrorists and showing support for Assad yet Western Media conveniently and consistently refuse to show the world these images.
I used to think China or Russia were an evil empire and America the shiny City on the Hill, now i know America is the number one sponsor of terror world wide. Nigeria is in big trouble o, unless we ally ourselves with a counter power like China or Russia the West will continue manipulating events on here and block all meaningful arms sales to Nigeria.
Long live Naija, long live Russia, Long live China and Long live India. As for America unless a right wing Conservative/Republican takes the White House, America’s destabilizing act, together with France will make sure West/Central Africa remain in turmoil, and of course to have Saudi Arabia to use its influence to ensure oil prices remain low yet we have a Nigerian woman as Opec President…God help us o.
Truer words have never been spoken
Dear All,
It was a nice inspirational speech, but if we wait and need to be armed by others and do not manufacture or produce any of our crucial requirement/equipment, we are fooling ourselves once again, South Africa fought for years based on hare-ware manufactured or modified by them “born in Battle”, there is a difference between capability and capacity. capacity without capability is usually short term and an illusion. The new cloths look nice on the customer, but if he does not know how to sew and compares himself to his tailor, they day he needs to repair his garment or buy a new one, he would know the difference between the wearer and the producer. South Africa is modifying our Mi35 to optimum capability for us, while we are waiting for them to deliver. Did anybody hear China, Russia, India or Ukraine say “Long Live Nigeria” , for them it was commercial business as usual or convergence of interests ( for the moment). Did anybody realise that our siding with the West at the security council on the Ukraine issue against Russia ( when wise Nations abstain their vote in matters not directly concerning them), almost cost us their support ( which is more or less given now to spite the West). We need to move forward after all this BH affair. We we start meeting our basic technical military needs and stop importing Caspars Trucks from S.A we should start talking , till then let us not lose focus on bringing the Nigerian Military ahead and beyond it’s earlier finest moments. We should come out of this bloody scenario with more Capability as well as the capacity we are building. You need to see how the Turks are working with their University and technical institutes on reverse engineering of components
Dear All,
It was a nice inspirational speech, but if we wait and need to be armed by others and do not manufacture or produce any of our crucial requirement/equipment, we are fooling ourselves once again, South Africa fought for years based on hare-ware manufactured or modified by them “born in Battle”, there is a difference between capability and capacity. capacity without capability is usually short term and an illusion. The new cloths look nice on the customer, but if he does not know how to sew and compares himself to his tailor, they day he needs to repair his garment or buy a new one, he would know the difference between the wearer and the producer. South Africa is modifying our Mi35 to optimum capability for us, while we are waiting for them to deliver. Did anybody hear China, Russia, India or Ukraine say “Long Live Nigeria” , for them it was commercial business as usual or convergence of interests ( for the moment). Did anybody realise that our siding with the West at the security council on the Ukraine issue against Russia ( when wise Nations abstain their vote in matters not directly concerning them), almost cost us their support ( which is more or less given now to spite the West). We need to move forward after all this BH affair. We we start meeting our basic technical military needs and stop importing Caspars Trucks from S.A we should start talking , till then let us not lose focus on bringing the Nigerian Military ahead and beyond it’s earlier finest moments. We should come out of this bloody scenario with more Capability as well as the capacity we are building. You need to see how the Turks are working with their University and technical institutes on reverse engineering of components
We don’t have 120 T 90 tanks yet do we?
You know the answer to that.
how many of those hardware are made in Africa not alone Nigeria, until we start developing and producing our own hardware no mater how small, all these are just sign of weakness, not power all, what happen if you dont get to buy any of these hardware, what will u do? we are blessed with everything to make it happen, but corruption has enslave us and chain the nation down, until we brake off, from corruption and mental slavery, it gonna be hard, peace Nigeria
Corruption does not hamper development, to a fraction of what disorganisation, chaos and disunity do.
Italy with her mafia is a top developed country. All we need is organisation, which will give the added bonus of limiting corruption. There is nothing stopping Nigeria from manufacturing weapons today, lets just have an organised framework within which to operate.
Dear All,
It was a nice inspirational speech, but if we wait and need to be armed by others and do not manufacture or produce any of our crucial requirement/equipment, we are fooling ourselves once again, South Africa fought for years based on hare-ware manufactured or modified by them “born in Battle”, there is a difference between capability and capacity. capacity without capability is usually short term and an illusion. The new cloths look nice on the customer, but if he does not know how to sew and compares himself to his tailor, they day he needs to repair his garment or buy a new one, he would know the difference between the wearer and the producer. South Africa is modifying our Mi35 to optimum capability for us, while we are waiting for them to deliver. Did anybody hear China, Russia, India or Ukraine say “Long Live Nigeria” , for them it was commercial business as usual or convergence of interests ( for the moment). Did anybody realise that our siding with the West at the security council on the Ukraine issue against Russia ( when wise Nations abstain their vote in matters not directly concerning them), almost cost us their support ( which is more or less given now to spite the West). We need to move forward after all this BH affair. We we start meeting our basic technical military needs and stop importing Caspars Trucks from S.A we should start talking , till then let us not lose focus on bringing the Nigerian Military ahead and beyond it’s earlier finest moments.
I am a long-term lurker on this blog but I feel now it’s time to start to weigh in with a few opinions of mine. I am a civilian and I don’t pretend to know much about military operations and hardware beyond what I have gathered from this blog over the years, so I will leave the debate about strategy and arms to those who know better.
What I will say though, is that some of us who come here to constantly complain about the perceived state of Nigeria need to reexamine their viewpoint. Nigeria is currently fighting against forces you wouldn’t believe – Boko Haram is just a small manifestation of what certain global powers wish this country to be reduced to. Actually, compared to the hundreds of millions which have been poured into the physical and media/PR campaign against Nigeria, Nigeria has held it’s own pretty solidly. I may not be a military expert, but I am a PR expert and so I know a concerted PR campaign when I see one. Certain Western government elements and their allied business interests are currently running a full scale psychological warfare operation against Nigeria. This is why all manner of myths, exaggerations and ridiculous lies about Nigeria and Boko Haram are consistently recycled and repeated despite an abundance of easily available evidence to the contrary.
If you come here and accuse Nigeria and its Armed Forces of “corruption” all the time and tell yourself that this is “constructive criticism”, then you are actually a success story for their psy-op. “Corruption” is NOT Nigeria’s main or only narrative. In that larger scheme of things, there are more serious problems. Corruption is not the formidable behemoth it is resented as. In certain “advanced” forms of communication practice, there is something known as Neuro-Linguistic Programming. This is a process whereby words are repeatedly mentioned and reinforced so as to become “triggers” to act or think in a certain way. NLP is being practised on Africans, but particularly on Nigerians on a very large scale. “Corruption” has become a very powerful trigger word. Just like how someone from the cult of David Koresh or a Jehovah Witness or a Mormon is ‘triggered’ to think or do certain things at the mere mention of the phrase “God’s Kingdom”, likewise at the mention of the word “corruption”, Nigerians are trained to mentally recoil and shut down their rational thought.
Nowadays even Nigerian soldiers have been affected by this NLP and we have seen these situations where some Young Turks on the frontline decide to disobey their CO’s because the association of the word “corruption” with their superiors has convinced them that their superiors are sending them to face nuclear armed opposition with sticks and stones – whereas this manifestly is not the case.
“Corruption” has become Nigeria’s no 1 national trigger word and dissociation complex. I only have to ACCUSE a public official or a military officer of “being corrupt” and immediately his reputation is damamged forever. This is VERY dangerous and you don’t need me to tell you why. A study of South America in the 20th century and the Arab nations more recently should reveal how effective the use of trigger phrases and national psyche-complexes is in foisting Western-sponsored regime change on countries.
Before you drop a comment here or on twitter or on nairaland or on SSC, or even on Cybereagles, make sure that what you post is in our national interest first. Don’t unwittingly let yourself be used as a proxy propagandist on behalf of forces which hate Nigeria. Just like we all understand the importance of not spreading BH propaganda for them, we should be informed that there are other forms of anti-Nigeria propaganda which some of us are actively and unwittingly spreading online and in person. This needs to stop. This is the only country we will ever have.
Happy Armed Forces Remembrance Day to you Oga Beegs.
Sir,
I doff my heart for you! An average internet warrior Nigerian is thoroughly “brainwashed” through this means. I wont say more to avoid derailing….
welldone.
http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-visits-maiduguri/
It takes decisive leadership, it takes courage , and it takes compassion. for you Mr PRESIDENT to visit Maiduguri it also is a visit full of symbolism , please Mr President meet with the GOC of the 7 DIVISION and ask him specifically what his needs are. Also show some compassion because deep down I know you are a decent human being meet with the common soldiers and the SF and ask them what they need. I also have a personal requests for one of the finest units in the Nigerian Army The Nigerian Artillery who have proved themselves to be exceptional in this war, in order to bring this war to an end there are two systems they really urgently need specifically
1)The BM- 30 Smerch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BM-30_Smerch
2)The BM-27 Uragan Multiple rocket system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BM-27_Uragan
No weapon by itself is capable of bringing any war to a close but these two system are game changers and will be key in helping our well trained Nigerian Artillery to ensure No boko haram attacks and then lives to escape from the battle field.
God bless Nigeria.
Amen.
@jimmy
I think maybe the president looks into his big green book, just to check and voilà tens of Nos (1) and (2) are already in country or on the high seas. Significant quantities of their big, bad younger brother which we dont need to mention have also been ordered.
If that happens what would you say?.
I am hoping you are being serious because I have peeps in harms way that is what is needed that is what they are calling a game changer.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/174997-boko-haram-jonathan-military-chiefs-secret-visit-maiduguri.html
Thank you MR PRESIDENT.
OGA BEEGS I believe this is significant to warrant a thread i do not want to derail this thread about MUSINGS.
Oga Beegs, well done.
@Dario, you have said it all. I dont believe all our Generals ar the Army Headquarters are corrupt or people with blockheads who dont know how to contain this war. You guys should expect a full offensive by the military soon. The assets are coming, battle plans are being drawn up and soon the full might of the NA will be on display.
Kudos to General Olukolade. He is doing a good job, though I concede that more needs to be done.
Captain Tobias, we have said previously that we now sign treaties on impulse and have abandoned the “non aligned” status which served us so well until 1990.
These days, it is even taken to be a sign of “good boyism” that Nigeria was the first country to accede to a treaty, including the injurious ones.
Do you still not get that beggarly whiff in the reports everywhere suggesting that Nigeria turned to Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and China because the West refused to sell to us? That is a strategic blunder in itself. Are we suggesting that we are ‘managing’ these infinitely more steadfast partners? One of these days, we are going to talk ourselves into a storm and then, we shall be truly stranded.
Here is the reality – China will sell AR-3 MLRS systems, submarines and even the Type 054A frigate. Russia will sell the BM-30 Smerch MLRS, T90 tanks and Su-30MK2s if we want to buy those. Will the UK and the USA sell Challenger or Abrams M1 tanks to us? Will they sell submarines or fighter jets of comparable potency to us? The clear answer, except we are living in dreamland, appears to be a straightforward ‘NO’.
So why are we bothering ourselves with wishlists and unattainable pursuits? Get the weaponry wherever it is on offer and where the vendor is not interested in interfering with our sovereign choices using long-winded sanctimony and unsolicited lectures.
From the start, I have always warned that we steer clear of these overhyped systems from the West because if you do not end up with degraded systems, they will render them redundant at the earliest whimsical opportunity using their time-honoured weapon that is sanctions.
Personally, I have completely lost the appetite for arms business with the West. It imperils our national security interests.
Sir,
I would like to see at least a made in Nigeria IFV or APC, that would be the main stay of our ground forces to come out of all this sacrifices, just like the Caspers of S.Africa during their war years. We have the capability to improve on that . Let the our Region know Nigeria for their home made IFV/APC .It is a form of psychological projection of our capabilities and potentials to our neighbors.
Let CNN see and be told we no longer import certain things, this being the positive outcome of the Battle (that they say we are losing). When the time comes (shortly) the Nigerian Defense Forces would crush these BH guys like a twig, that much I am sure without doubts.
Let us grow better and meaner after this turmoil, We are able and we can.
The Nigerian defence sector will never suffer neglect again. Too many insults have been hurled, too many recriminations engaged in and wild allegations made. The political parties have made it a campaign issue and I am actually cringing waiting for the first one to say it will actually acquire an atomic bomb for the country. The NAF will not be left out and soon all we will should be talking about is integration at the platform and operational level and training, training and more training.
We have this blog to thank for the advocacy and occasional criticism that always brings progress at the end no matter how painful.
Dear All, I concur 100% with Oga Are James, I sincerely give all kudos to the initiator of this blog , Oga Beegeagle, or else most of the people here filled with flames of patriotism would have exploded. I pinned for it when it was quiet around Xmas, like I never did before. It fields the best of our nation and our pride as well. the little discussions here are transforming slowly to life objects, so some people must be listening.
OGA ARE JAMES
You are not the first person to say this, there are a lot of people thinking that already, I honestly am debating whether to reply to the Kenyan’s comments or not. Rest assured there are a LOT of Nigerians looking beyond the BH and the election as in the LONG TERM VIEW..
Long term view is going to entail a lot, the first thing Gentlemen is the Country has arrived at the $Billion dollar club in terms of procurement, One of the things more likely to happen is Nigeria less likely to engage in peacekeeping more in Multi Nation Exercises and become slightly isolationist ( not good for Africa but meek them go hug transformer)
Based on what is going on right now Nigeria will acquire most likely :
A squadron of JF-17S +
A squadron of SU30M
For the Navy it is inevitable they get a frigate , Z9 HARBIN helos
followed by at least two submarines
For the Army
It is only a matter of time
The NA Electrical and Mechanical engineers will be tasked with building the third prototype of IGRIGI followed by an MBT. It also stands to reason that the NAF will eventually want to get the Modern BUK anti aircraft system
They have finished Nigeria on CNN.Can you imagine a soldier claiming they buy uniforms..And everyone keeps saying boko haram is out gunning them.I have a question?Can we manufacture bullets in Nigeria?
Besides Dicon {to me DICON is a joke]
Respectfully.
You have to believe what you wantto believe as this war reaches it’s critical stages you will hear all sorts of Crazy stories from people sitting a continent away. Good luck.Dead men don’t tell tales, visit the pictures on BIU .
I had to reply one dolt on Twitter about this rubbish. Someone in camo backing a camera is automatically a Nigerian soldier? I weep for Nigerians… Are there challenges yes? Are they being solved (albeit slowly) yes. Nigerians are Nigeria’s greatest enemy…
Ogabeegs,
God bless you for the work you are doing here. If not for this blog, we would all believe what CNN and BBC say.
@jimmy it was Nick Robertson of CNN reporting inside maidiguri. The soldiers backed the cameras with their stories.Definitely there will be propaganda but am sure there will still be an element of truth in the news circling around.
The PRESIDENT of Nigeria is in Maiduguri, a ton of shipments came in from Eastern block countries, I have peeps in Maiduguri and UNIFORMS that is not their beef right now. Draw your conclusions why didn’t he go to BIU.Embarrasing this administration is one thing LORD KNOWS THEY DO THIS ALL BY THEMSELVES but reporting bh is in the west and this thing about uniforms, Look OGA JULIUS this war is coming to an end whether some people like it or now tell NICK TO GO TO BIU.
there is no element of truth in what cnn and most us media/ western media says about Nigeria. Do not listen, do not watch and do not read them.
RE the CNN report, we are the architects of our own fate because our people try too hard to be compliant. Demoralising our troops from the same Maiduguri made accessible on account of the security provided by Nigerian troops? Is it not time the FG declared Borno and Yobe off limits to foreigners, given the real possibility that they could get kidnapped?
Imagine if it were Egypt or Algeria conducting military ops in a conflict zone, would they allow any busybody foreign journalists in there? How many reports from the Sinai Peninsula have you seen on TV? Honestly, we are a tad too weak-willed to do the expedient. What is that reporter doing lousying about in MDGR? Was that not the same way purported soldiers with backs turned to the camera told Al Jazeera two years ago that they saw 3,000 persons killed by Nigerian troops in one Borno town and it reverberated worldwide?
Today, it has become fashionable to say that the latest Baga massacre which purportedly claimed 2,000 lives is the worst outrage of the entire war? What happened to the old record of 3,000 persons killed by Nigerian soldiers in a Borno town as claimed by Al Jazeera in 2013?
Ok I have not agreed with this before but it is time to send CNN out. This is an act of WAR.
It is a lie from the pit of hell itself but even if were true no foreign news organization should have the impudence to have broadcasted this to at least 1 billion people.
Oga Are James i concur with you.When this news outfits have this kind of information,i feel it is reasonable to address it to proper authorities and not transmit this to the whole world.
When the Mexican drug cartels started feeling the heat from ex president Felipe Calderon,they started sourcing for local manufacturers of bullets and local arms dealers.
My question is what is useful for the army in the front line that is being manufactured in Nigeria.
This CNN bashing is very unfair.
The Army needs to work pretty big on their PR.
When the Army Chief commissioned a military uniform manufacturing plant last year some of us were critical of it thinking the money should have gone into weapons. This blog carried the news item or related discussion as part of a long thread that I can’t remember the title. However I assure you that there is a uniform and kit manufacturing plant working full blast. Some classes of bullet proof vests and the war food MREs are also made in Nigeria.
I am sure the ‘soldier’ interviewed is currently not in service. He was either sacked for desertion, cowardice or insubordination and if you listen careful to the interview you may make that deduction.
Nigeria politicians sha, guys do you know that some negative element are saying Mr President went to maiduguri to risk his life just to organize his campaign programme.
As for me it is better late than never, meanwhile events that have been happening lately suggest that the much anticipated offensive is here. Mr President’s visit adds more bite to my theory.
# No election violent
Nigeria politicians sha, guys do you know that some negative element are saying Mr President went to maiduguri to risk his life just to organize his campaign programme.
As for me it is better late than never, meanwhile events that have been happening lately suggest that the much anticipated offensive is here. Mr President’s visit adds more bite to my theory.
# No election violence
the problem still remains that the cnn story is not actual not informatation, it is rather a fabricated story. The last true western journalist was Gary Web, the way the entire US media ganged up on him and destroyed his life should serve as an indicator to who we are dealing with. This is what they do. They make up stoies and repeat them over and over. They have graduated from ganging up against individuals to ganging up against Nations. It is funny that some of us might think these guys are credible while their own people have totally lost faith in them. Relying on foreigners to tell your own stories is not done anywhere else on the planet, guess why ? And Dicon is working verry fine.
Nigerian PR policy is laughable sometimes.
In the 1st place, these western media do not see anything positive to report about any black country, talk less of Nigeria.
THEY WILL NEVER REPORT ANYTHING GOOD ABOUT NIGERIA, EVEN IF THE TRUTH BIT THEM IN THE ASS.
Nigeria immigrations should liase with the military and not allow these racist retards into the country.
And the worst idiocy is the fact that ordinary nigerians will believe any rubbish lies/propaganda just because its fom bbc, al jazeera and cnn.
The black man is really in mental slavery.
#KICKTHEMOUT
Many mistakes and miscalculations have plagued this war effort. Same as the Liberia and Sierra Leone wars. Our biggest challenge is not learning from our mistakes.
Believe it or not, the US military we know and adore today is a product of the learnings from the laughable misadventures in vietnam.
However, the difference is that while the World chuckled at them, they went home, shuttered their windows and went to work.
WE MUST do the same. This laughing stock type experience must never come our way again!!!
Thank you sir !!
Couldn’t have said it any better.
http://www.naij.com/363146-jonathans-visit-to-borno-in-pictures.html
I really believe that these pictures should be given to all News outlets. I have been a vocal critic of GEJ however this is an example of leadership.
Leadership or electioneering?
Either way, it’s a Good development – good for morale and also shows the world that Maiduguri is alive and kicking.
For the people of Maiduguri, it’s a real boost.
If the NA had established stable frontlines, the C-in-C should have visited a frontline and placed himself behind a machine gun; great photo-op.
MORE ON ACQUISITIONS…
https://beegeagle.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/an-unknown-number-of-beechcraft-t6c-trainer-aircraft-were-delivered-to-nigeria-in-2014/
Dear Oga Generals Dem:
The Presidential Committee on the review of the National Defence Policy is seeking the cooperation and input of Nigerians in the process of reviewing the nation’s National Defence Policy.
According to the Committee, the review has become imperative especially in the face of current changes in the countries security landscape and the world at large which have direct impact on the nation’s defence.
Chairman of the Committee, Air Vice Marshal Umar Mohammed (Rtd), Issues to be considered include national interest ,management of national security resources, education and training to meet contemporary security challenges, evolving civil –military relations.
Others are citizen participation in national defence and total defence concepts and practice.
The National Defence Policy was promulgated in 2006 ,long before the current security challenges confronting Nigeria
The new 28-member presidential committee, headed by retired Air Vice Marshal Mohammed, also called for inputs from experts on national security, defense, civil society, industry and technology.
The committee is to submit 12 copies of its draft report not later than three months from date of its inauguration.
Mohammed said it was proper to carry out periodic review of the defense policy to reflect current strategic environment and security realities, given the internal and global security challenges Nigeria faces as a nation.
Nigeria is battling a five-year insurgency by the Boko Haram, which first emerged in the early 2000s preaching against alleged government misrule, corruption and adoption of western education in the Nation’s educational curriculum.
In recent months, the group has captured numerous towns and villages in Nigeria’s northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
My Question is how do we get involved so they don’t make mistakes as before?
How do we give our input? T-Mobile. America’s First Nationwide 4G Network
My Oga’s, sorry for the distraction, but what does Chads sending a large troop contingent to help Cameroon fight boko haram mean for our strategies? It seems very suspicious, especially when it seems Nigeria is about to launch a big offensive. Could this be an attempt at a counterpoise?
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/16/nigeria-violence-cameroon-idUKL6N0UV02720150116
Save that question till after the election. This question is very valid but needs to rephrased either:
(a) After the Election
(b) When the long awaited offense starts
By the way when BIYA asked for help he was asking specifically for western help i.e. French and American help he was not actually asking for help from the Chads who everyone knows carry fools gold and ride in Trojan horses. He has been in power for thirty years he is not about to allow any African to come willy nilly into his country.
CHAD+CAMEROON ALLIANCE
1. It reinforces the reality that we were and still are on our own.
2. France gave the word of command for Chad to harmonise their efforts with those of Cameroon. France are probably going to leave the Africans to fight on the ground while handling intel and recce, providing CAS and directing the spec ops. This is Mali all over again. But Chad are emboldened this time only because France are probably going to be more deeply involved (remember that the Chadians pulled back from KIDAL after their troops got killed by suicide bombers citing unpreparedness for that kind of warfare).
3. Chad and Boko Haram are now inevitably on collision course. The “understanding” is over
4. France can probably see that Nigeria are arming up and will certainly go on a majot offensive which could send BH into exile in Cameroon. This is an effort to strengthen Cameroon’s hands ahead of any eventualities. If they cross over to that country, BH shall either get attacked or be aided to fight back (you heard me…I do not trust any of those shifty neighbours. They really want Nigeria to stew in her own juice)
5. We are on our OWN. Whether we have to go into a lend-lease arrangement with Russia for weaponry (they are training SF commandos for us at this time) or get China to emplace a solar-powered electric fence in the far northeast, we MUST very seriously focus on the task at hand. This war is now ours to win, prolong or lose. We must pretend that we have no neighbours to support our efforts and directly counter any manifestation of that isolation. We are indeed on our own.
IF the French involvement amplifies problems for us, SINGLE MINDEDLY turn to China and Russia to counter the nuisance they pose and restore our leading edge. Both nations are militarily more powerful than France in every way. We can only suffer if we dither as always or act timidly. The advancement of our enlightened self-interest should now be of the utmost importance.
China are the reason why small North Korea HAVE TO be reckoned with..Russia are the reason why tiny Syria have to be reckoned with. We spend every minute mooning over our perennially treacherous relations with supposed partner nations in the West.
For the duration of this war, let us graft our skins to those of one REAL partner, be that China or Russia and see if we do not force a favourable outcome on account of that weighty alliance which would even yield First World-grade military hardware such as would make everyone sit up and take notice. Militarily, they will take us much further than any of the control freaks in the West who we imagine to be DEFSEC partners.
For the LAST TIME, Nigeria must never again maneouvre herself into a position of military weakness. The FRANCE we worry about so much, Algeria armed themselves so well and purposefully that they are sure to exact a very heavy toll on them, if they attempt to impose their will on Algeria militarily. How did we fall so low? For all our endowments, how come we have not made ourselves look that formidable?
Wow, we have really been asleep and we have a nauseating habit of running after those who demean us and our sovereignty while leaving those who can best serve our interests, out cold and in the lurch. It has to be a very bad case of an inferiority complex or lack of vision or both. Certainly, 170 million or more of our 180 million citizens are absolutely undiscerning simpletons. Maybe that is why we put every foot wrong.
We spent decades pretending to be a pacifist nation so that we earn cheap plaudits and validation from Western nations. That lack of national resolve has left us without something as simple as a comprehensive national air defence coverage. Tanzania nearly have that – on a US$41bn GDP. North Korea, also in that income bracket, CLEARLY have total coverage and will exact a steep price from any aggressors in the air. Algeria have it. So do Syria, Burma and Iran.
All those self-respecting nations realised that the West never help to make any nation strong so that any nation can be invaded whenever they cannot bend your will and those capabilities were put in place for these developing countries by Russia and/or China. We threw ourselves cheaply at the West and are still trying to force ourselves on them. What do we now have to show for it at H-HOUR? We should be ashamed of ourselves for real.
IF we had long since acquired our submarines, frigates, Su-30s/JF17s, Oplot MBTs, T90 tranks, BM-30 Smerch etc from elsewhere, this same prevaricating West would JUMP at any opportunity to regain relevance in our DEFSEC affairs, including selling offensive hardware to us. They can afford to take us for granted ONLY because we made ourselves available too cheaply.
Na so e be. If una like, mek Naija nuh wake up.
Oga Beeg meen, your intellectual capacity dey bust my head, you should be a chief Scholar on Nigeria’s military/geo-political issues because as far as i am concerned you are the only credible authoritative source for the Nigerian military. CNN correspondents should strike a partnership with you on Nigerias war effort rather than go about looking for isolated discontented soldier so they can get him to ”obviously” say shit about Nigeria while making no effort whatsoever to interview more soldiers to get a broad based and comprehensive story. CNN has set the standard for a new low when it comes to journalism.
On Cameroon.
I remember sounding the alarm last year on the need for either a decisive and short military offensive against targets in Cameroon under the guise of taking out fleeing terrorist from their base in Cameroon. This will impress upon Yaounde that because Abuja is fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North Nigeria still has the capability and political will to take action or respond to external threats. We could also hold large scale exercises near the border with at least 30,000 men. Warfare is not all about bullets sometimes, who says attrition or psychological warfare is reserved only for terrorists. Objectives cant be attained without a shot being fired. The China/Taiwan imbroglio is a perfect case study with China lobbying hundreds of missiles deep inside the Taiwanese waters, in response to this the U.S 7th fleet sent its aircraft carriers to the Pacific, China could not hope ti match that,the message from America to China was clear-if you attack Taiwan we are coming, China withdrew its forces.An exercise involving 30,000 soldiers and War Ships near Cameroonian territory down South will send panic into the spine of Biya.
Be not deceived by BIR myths, Half the Cameroonian forces are already up North, they cannot hope to even put up resistance if Nigeria decides on a military offensive. Each time Boko Haram begin to lose momentum Chad ”mysteriously” come into the frey. Chad is supposed to be part of a regional force made up of Niger,Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, that was the agreement signed in Paris. Now you have Chad not participating but instead sending troops to Cameroon, thats the most irrational decision i have ever seem. Nigeria’s heavy defense spending is making some people uncomfortable. Sending troops to Cameroon suggest Nigeria is the enemy and Cameroon and Chad will fight as one. This is an all too familiar Francophone vs Anglophone debacle. Where are the countries we spent $10 billion and hundreds of Nigerian soldiers flushing out revels and returning democracy? Where is Ghana? ECOWAS is HQ in Abuja, Nigeria provides %60 funding for ECOWAS yet they fold their arms and watch the machinations of these powers on Nigeria and turn the other face pretending its not happening.
My take:
Africans are a bunch of unappreciative people who forget easily As it stands Nigeria has. virtually no ally.Nigeria should cancel its membership of the sub regional body, it never was a fair balance anyway… we open our markets and automatically West Africans have access to a $500 billion economy and investment while Nigeria have access to tiny minute countries whose combined GDP is barely that of Lagos yet we keep pumping money funding, they have nothing to offer Nigeria.
Nigeria should recall its troops deployed in Mali, Sudan and where ever our forces are deployed. Forge a partnership/treaty with China using oil as incentives.
Lastly, Nigeria should build up forces near the Cameroonian border, ready to respond to any act of aggression by any foreign power. If Chad deploys Soldiers near the Cameroonian border the Nigerian military should do the same, deploy 5 times their numbers.
But it wasn’t only CNN that carried such news: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/227-soldiers-protest-dismissal-by-3-armoured-division/199353/
http://www.naij.com/360751-army-to-dismiss-soldiers-awaiting-court-martial.html
OGA UGOBASSEY
They were tasked to fight, they refused to fight, evem before engagement, that is a dismissal offense some of these soldiers need to decide whether they want to be in the army or go to law school, you are given a taskdo the task complain kill the boko haram soldiers go on deadly night raids are we this soft ? my god where is my uncle’s army!
If you are a Nigerian soldier you are required to fight , this bellyaching needs to stop,Soldiers who do not want to fight should leave there is a bigfight coming up and we are still dealing with this s—t
I c—t Fcking believe it!
PISSED OFF
JIMMY
oga ugo this is no longer about CNN These soldiers had not even gotten to the scene of battle let alone expend their usual 60 rounds of AMMO, I wonder how many rounds were issued to the soldiers in biu maybe when the finished 60 rounds they started crapping more rounds.SMDH 😦
The GOCS OF ALL SIX DIVISIONS NEED TO READ THE RIOT ACT to their divisions this has a danger to get out of control i have seen picture upon picture of Sometimes two or more rifles with more than two mags some with gmpg with” wrap around” ammo what the heck is going on?
One of the things that should come out of the defence review is that soldiers should not be allowed to physically beat civilians because it appears some of now has to face an enemy that fights back and the excuses keep pouring in and we see what happens when the NA really fights guess what? they wipe the floor with bh .
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISIM :
ALL GOCS need to inform their divisions if you are tasked to go on a military operation and you refuse you are dismissed from the NA . this is what you signed up for this is not a union if you do not like it put in your papers.
WEST AFRICAN LEADERS MULL NEW FORCE TO FIGHT BOKO HARAM INSURGENTS
REUTERS
17 January 2015
ACCRA
West African leaders will seek authority next week from the African Union to create a multi-national force to fight Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist insurgents , Ghanaian President John Mahama told Reuters on Friday.
Any such force would represent the most robust international response yet to the militants who have killed thousands over the last year in their campaign for an Islamic caliphate and have also launched cross border attacks into Niger and Cameroon.
Boko Haram is seen as the most serious security threat to Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and its biggest energy producer, but Mahama said the group and militants in Somalia, Kenya, Mali and elsewhere posed a wider risk.
“Terrorism is like a cancer and if we don’t deal with it will keep going. It threatens everybody in the sub region. When it comes to terrorism nobody is too far or too near,” he said.
It will take months before an African Union force could be set up and key issues such as who would command it, the location of its headquarters and its financing remain undecided, he said. Once set up, however, the African Union could ultimately seek a United Nations Security Council mandate to take over the force as happened in Sudan’s Darfur region, he said.
Mahama was speaking as current chair of West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which has been accused of not doing enough to combat Boko Haram. “Nigeria is taking military action and Cameroon is fighting Boko Haram, but I think we are increasingly getting to the point where probably a regional or a multinational force is coming into consideration,” he said earlier.
In a further blow,Boko Haram militants seized the military base and town of Baga, in Nigeria on the shores of Lake Chad, on 3 January. Baga was the headquarters of a planned force to fight the insurgents with troops from Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon, although that initiative stalled.
The insurgency stirred international outrage when militants seized more than 200 school girls in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria,the epicentre of the violence, last April.
France must do more to help countries fight Boko Haram, President Francois Hollande told an annual conference of French and foreign ambassadors in Paris. “Today, Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin are threatened and this situation means the international community must take appropriate action and can’t let this be,” he said.
France said last month it would help coordinate a regional task force against Boko Haram given signs of mistrust among West African neighbours.
Cameroon President Paul Biya this month appealed for military help against Boko Haram. On Friday, US Ambassador Michael Stephen Hoza said Washington would help train Cameroon’s soldiers and offered equipment for the fight.
Russian Ambassador Nikolay Ratsiborinski said Moscow would supply equipment, training and arms to Cameroon and provide humanitarian assistance.
* AMERICA to train Cameroonian soldiers and offered equipment for the fight
* Russia to do same
Whatever offensive actions the Nigerian Army is planning,whatever money this Administration is refusing to spend they have less than three months before The very possibilty of Foreign as well as African troops will be on there doorsteps.
Now is the time to retake Baga and Gwoza .Any administration that requests foreign troops will almost certaingly lose the next election.
We don’t, need photo ops we need the Jf17s and the Su 30s now.
Oga JImmy, I respect your hustle sir.
Why is it so unimaginable to have a multi-national force working with its Nigerian counterpart to rid the continent of such menace, what is so unprecedented about such actions, or, are so arrogant as to think that we can solve all problems on our own without any help. Nigeria wants this so called mutinational force, Nigeria has been clamoring for this force since the beginning of this tragedy, Nigeria has one of the worlds best diplomatic channels, and it has used it to call for this assistance, Nigeria has never hidden the fact that it needs assistance, tell me a country that thinks they can swoop in and control the situation a 100% and i’ll show you a naive entity.
I am sorry oga mcshegz, but could you tell me when exactly Nigeria called for foreign troops to bail Nigeria out ? Nigeria needing assistance ? IActually what Nigeria called for a long time ago was the right to hot poursuit and also that the neighbours should mobilize and deny their territory to boko haram. But I don’t recall Nigeria calling for foreign troops to bail Nigeria out. And once again, there would be no foreign troops on Nigerian soil.
CHADIAN ARMOURED COLUMN HEAD TO CAMEROON TO FIGHT BOKO HARAM
http://news.yahoo.com/chad-votes-send-troops-cameroon-nigeria-fight-boko-111630189.html?_intl=US&_lang=en-US&_orig=news.yahoo.com&_esi=0&_lf=highestRated
To find lasting peace, seek war. ChadIan armoured collusion are linking up with the BIR not for BOKOSTAN but for the Nigerian army. This guys were caught trying to smuggle up to 19 SA-7 SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES to BOKO STAN, nothing was heard about the matter as it was swept conveniently swept under the carpet, now are we supposed to trust Chad sending troops and armour to her sister Franco-phone State near our border? Hmmmm only time will tell.
Oga Oje. I respect your hustle sir.
We have to trust, at least until we are proven otherwise. Nigeria needs ally’s, Nigeria needs assistance, Nigeria cannot afford a war with any of its neighbors, Nigeria doesn’t need that, although some forces are trying to ensure that happens. Nigeria doesn’t want a war, puppet masters want to ensure she gets one. So, Oga, we need all the friends we can get, doesn’t matter how unpalatable it seems, we are stuck with our Francophone neighbors weather we like it or not. Nigeria is a rising economic power, some forces want to see that rise become as turbulent as possible. What i would suggest is to ensure we have limited covert operations in these territories, special forces and SSS should ramp op targeted individual strikes, ones that ensure no collateral damage, eliminate pieces that do not conform, deniability is ensured. Anything other than that is playing into the hands of the puppet master, better believe that this puppet master has the determination to cripple Nigeria in anyway possible, Dangote’s already chasing some of them out of business, Nigeria’s economic profile has been growing at a pace that if left unchallenged, well, you catch the drift.
*typos are inevitable with touch screen devices, apologies.*
You perfectly echo my thoughts, Egbon Jimmy.
With the Big Powers outside of the Sino-Russian orbit rearing to cut Nigeria down to size, any foreign military intervention will be held up in perpetuity as a sign that Nigeria cannot manage her affairs. It is now the Chadians who bore the brunt of the fury of Nigeria’s 3 Armoured Division and Tactical Air Command during the April 1983 Border War who are now being described with the epiphet “powerful military?”. Now they buy MiG 29s and a self-disrespecting Nigeria are left to play catch up?
This is the make or mar moment for the Nigerian military. If they allow CHAD to steal their thunder in our own war, the hard-won reputation of the Nigerian Armed Forces would have been conclusively defaced. Our unimpressed and impressionable civil populace are waiting to make jest aplenty.
NO ECOWAS force here please. They only seek to come and try to make names for themselves. Where have they fought and what skills are they bringing to the board? Senegal have good COIN experience and the Guineans fought well alongside our heroes of yore under ECOMOG but none have ever encountered a suicide bomber.
IF we do not step things up a notch, foreign troops and airstrikes can be expected to commence even before May 29th. The core of the soul of our military is what is at stake here. It is time to crack on. The gravity of the situation appears not to have hit home yet. Rightly or wrongly, global opinion is being shaped to cohere with the perception that the Nigerian military are not doing enough.
The reputation and pride of the Nigerian army has been wounded and dragged on the mud, that doesn’t mean our Navy and even airforce share the same fate. You cannot isolate Naval and air power in any conflict. A German magazine Die Spielberg noted recently that the Nigerian Navy SBS unit is the most capable and best trained in Africa, they should be sent up North too. It’s very easy intervening from the outside against an insurgency group already wounded and weakened by 5 years of war with the Nigerian army, it’s a different thing entirely facing the full brunt of the insurgency repeatedly. ChadIan soldiers are better trained and arguably have the same combat experience the Nigerian army has but in overall military capability they pale in comparism. The moment we allow others do our fighting for us is the day our territorial integrity becomes forever dented. If we do not mobilise fully for war and make progress we will not be able to stop foreign intervention, especially if more lives are lost, they will come in peacefully if we invite them or will come in forcefully if we don’t.
Chad is the new regional power.The new bully on the street. I dont buy the explanation of the French pushing them. They have a leader who dreams and dares and he has oil and gas cash to actualise them. I have deliberately refrained from making any contribution to the National Defence Policy
Roger that.Nothing will happen till after the election after that .The defense will either have to face boko haram in every major city or face the real prospect of planes they refused to buy conducting airstrikes.Security is going to be the No.1 issue in this election. T-Mobile. America’s First Nationwide 4G Network
My major issue is there was a lot of astute political skill on display as well. The Chadian president actually got a vote in parliament to do this. Now he has young Chadian demonstrating and volunteering to go to Cameroon to fight. How’s that for leadership?..and do they buy it in the market? You either have it or not.
Oga Oje. i respect your hustle sir.
All these insinuations to Nigeria’s superiority been eroded just baffles one. Is there a way to remain a military power without having the economical power to back it up? I will repeat again for the up-tenth time, the main reason we’re having difficulties with arerams is because there are many forces at play, and the end justifies the means, the end been that Nigeria lash out at neighbours, guns blazing, giving them a legitimate reason to officially castigate Nigeria. In my own view, Nigeria has been nothing but completely level headed, because once you know your enemies game plan, you do not play into that plan. First it was, invade Cameroon, now its invade and destroy Chad? really? I would rather prefer that so much anticipated invasion by these neighbors, then, Nigeria’s won the chess game, this really is one complicated multi-faceted attack, the puppet master are trying as much as possible to remain hidden, Nigeria’s too sophisticated for such blackmail.
Well spoken sir.
Who in his right mind would say that chadian soldiers are better trained than Nigerian soldiers ? Inferiority complex is killing us ! Do I need to remind people that a lot of chadian personnel are child soldiers ? It seems to me that to some, any foreign soldier is better trained than a Nigerian soldier. If common sense is dead then at least use your memmory and remember we defeated these chadians.
Who can even associate the words “chad” and “well trained” ? Verry soon you will be hearing that farmers are better trained than Nigerian soldiers. The outbursts are getting out of order ! I went to cnn facebook page and I saw a lot of people claiming to be Nigerian while helping cnn run down the country. There is no other country I know of whose citizens are so eager to burn the country down. I feel so ashamed, perhaps too much of hollywood movies has destroyed our brains. When I was still in Nigeria, I don’t recall so much lack of wisdom. Now everybody thinks it is his right, role and duty to second guess the authority in every institution. I can only imagine how hard it must be to be a teacher in Nigeria today. If the students believe they should teach the teacher then the generation might be a lost one.
Benefits of a fully civilized democracy, the individual freedoms of all Nigerians is unmatched on the continent and around the world.
Oga Igbi. I respect your hustle sir.
Oga Igbi, i wish i could echo your sentiments but it is high time we do not allow patriotic sentiments cloud our sense of judgement. The Chadians are better trained, this is not new though as small armies around the world are usually highly trained. The Chadians proved themselves in Mali. Nigeria may have an overall military superiority but in terms of fighting men on the ground Chadian soldiers are better motivated and better trained, understandably so. Libyan former leader Gaddafi twice made attempts to invade the country, heard of the Toyota war? since then having a strong military have been the best deterrent t the Chadians. Boko Haram dont dare attack Chadian Cities because they know their soldiers are as fanatical and brutal as they are themselves. For Nigeria to regain her former military prowess we need a strong and ”resolute” leader, if not we can pour $20 billion into the military and nothing will ever change if our Commander in Chief is not interested or passive when it comes to our military industrial complex.
I still believe there is a possibility Nigeria might eventually have to confront Cameroonian BIR and Chadian soldiers over incursions into Nigerian territory, it is very aggravating and annoying to see this administration put the Boko Haram issue on the back sit, instead they prioritize election campaigns and fundraising. This administration is the weakest and clueless government in Nigerian history. Never before in our history has the Nigerian people been ridiculed and mocked around the world, to the point our tiny neighbors who ones looked upon its giant neighbor with trepidation and fear now meddle into our affairs with careless abandon. Imagine Chad playing maskirova on Nigeria, setting up a ruse of a peace talk between both parties just to halt Nigeria’s final blow, weeks later imagine Chad trying to smuggle 10 SA-7 missiles to Boko Haram, Imagine Cameroon paying out ransom without even bothering to consult with Nigeria, imagine Cameroon launching air strikes ” on Nigerian territory”, imagine the images of Nigerian soldiers in the hundreds running for their lives to Cameroon, TWICE !!!. If we had done the necessary things and cut Boko Haram to half this will never happen, 10 years ago it was unthinkable that tiny countaries with toy with Nigeria the way they did.
Please i dont wanna hear the ” dont criticize our war efforts, we are doing a good job” banter. Our government is not corrupt but MEGA Corrupt, this administration is a disgrace to Nigeria, its so bad that even Nigeria’s heroic success against Ebola has been diluted by the constant and senseless loss of life and lack of inaction. You can hardly find any news on Nigeria anywhere on the internet or media that is not garnished with news and happenings that makes you question your patriotism. Nigeria is becoming a target of opportunity and if things do not get better there is a possibility of further disgrace.
There should be no censorship in this blog Oga Beeg, everybody should be allowed to air their views, including condemning this government on security issues. This is the darkest our in Nigerias history, it gets worse that we have external powers hovering in the air over Nigeria like vultures, watching events unfold and deciding when to go down and consume the carcass. This govt has an F9 from me, i will be crazy to cast my vote in favour if PDP.
How can you claim that chadian soldiers are better trained than Nigerian soldiers ? Most chadian generals are less than 30 years old, and with virtually no education ! Nigerian generals have masters degree. What is your criteria to claim chadian soldiers are better trained then Nigerian soldiers. Nowadays the way you guys think is really incredible. Look I am a patriot and my best weapon is logical thinking. And do you know what cameroonians and chadians are also patriots, south africans are patriots, americans are patriots, french are patriots, british are patriots, everybody is a patriot except those who call themselves Nigerians. In other countries they encourage their soldiers instead of raigning rumours and amplifying foreign propaganda against their country, but I guess we have our own stile in Nigeria. Some seem to be praising the chadian dictator and the cameroonian dictator and cameroonian soldiers. In that perspective perhaps they should consider replacing democracy with dictatorship and replace their well trained soldiers with drugged child soldiers, then we would be a perfect copy of chad.
Oga Oge, you just hit the nail on the head. The realty is that this administration has no clue of what is happening. Its too weak and has no direction. i am moved to the point of tears. Those who do not value life cannot enhance life, this administration do not value life.
We have 150,000 soldiers and another 30,000 in reserve yet we choose to prosecute this war with less than 20,000 men even after daily embarrassing defeats, Its been 5 years of attrition yet no troop surge, WHICH KIND COUNTRY BE THIS SEF?
you keep throwing these figures around. the NA shouldn’t be more than 110,000 115,000 max. i dont know where you got your numbers from. the army havent had that numbers for decades now.
What if Chad heads straight to Baga and flush out BH within the next week ? What do we make of ourselves as a country ?
Next week? how na? they have not finished deploying to Cameroon much less invade Baga, and that will be a premature declaration of war. Things needs to get very very very bad to the point the world will not condemn but commend a Chadian/Cameroon invasion of Nigerian territory, not to occupy (that will be suicide) but to dispel the myth of Nigerian invincibility and slap us on the face.
They want to prove a point that they were responsible for keeping BH at bay from Baga, when they left we could not defend the place ? The truth is that they pulled out moved a few kilometre’s into their territory changed their uniforms for BH uniform’s if they have, using their knowledge of the place dislodged our soldiers.
Can you prove this?
HAHAHAAHAHAHA. Vehicles and materials stolen by arerams have been traced to markets in Chad, i don’t think there’s any delusions in DHQ that arerams are linked to caucuses in some neighboring states, but the question is, because an individual supports arerams ideology and is know to be a financial supporter, do we then shell the whole village/town? which is what the puppet master wants, continue to prod to the extent that Nigeria loses its cool. So far, we have kept a balanced world view, that’s what distinguishes an elaborate army with a rag-tag one that acts on impulses, Nigeria is not going to act on impulses. If Chad, Cameroon, and the whole world now deems it fit to come to Nigeria aid, then so be it, let them come, lets see how long they can survive a war of attrition on their soil. we must not forget that, these forces, puppets and puppet master included will come in what ever the outcome, whether we eliminate thousand of bokos or not, they are bent on showing up, because how else do you stifle the greatest economy Africa has ever seen, if not by occupation? but its the reason behind the occupation that counts most, do you think it’ll be better if Nigeria is invaded and alienated from the world by puppet master because of “human rights violations” which is what we will be accuse of if we go in guns blazing, or if the troops are sent in to assist the Nigerian government entrap the arerams. Nigeria has decided to sacrifice its Military reputation to secure its more viable and progressive economic assets. I hope we can all see the variables at stake here, this is not just about the military, this is about Nigeria’s economic growth, we all have to safe guard this above any other reputation,
Oga makanaky. I respect your hustle sir.
In our environment, we can’t safeguard economic growth without military might. No foreign army will ever march Nigerian soil. That is final. boko homos are about to meet their homo virgins in hell. You have to understand that you can’t sacrifice military for economy (especially in Africa), otherwise you will be plundered (by the whole world)
Believe me if foreign armies were to be allowed in, all their planning is going to be: “how much can we rub from them ?”, “How do we rub them ?”. There is no love. Nigeria is a rich country and they all know it. Don’t mistake their noise for affection.
oga makanaky you took the words out of my mouth
http://www.naij.com/364827-chad-to-send-troops-tanks-to-nigeria-to-fight-boko-haram.html
In less than a week there will be heavy, heavy fighting in BAGA . The Nigerian military can decide to join not join do whatever they want to do , this is not constructive criticisim
While MOTHERFUCKERS ARE ARGUING about Fighting we have the very likely scenario as earlier aS monday week of IFVS from CHAD patrolling in BAGA with TV crews from France in tow. Nigeria you can decide to stick this one out if you want do not be surprised when they tell you PART OFBaga is being controlled by the Chadians
OGA OJE please stop I AM REALLY BEGGING NOT SHOUTING AT YOU..
Baga was destroyed the first week of the new year, Nigerian troops were scattered to the wind some of them most likely fled in to CHAD, some probably into Niger,It took the Foreign media to actually highlight the battle, it took us on BEEGEAGLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF BAGA apparently the bh clique understand it better than the current administration because they attacked again on JAN3RD it finally took the same satellite images that we cannot seem to get from the west to convince some of us of the unfolding tragedy.
Please stop with this non realistic view it is patronizing when Chad is feeding tens of thousands of idps from Nigeria to keep being angry at Chad or Cameroon.
Our President is carrying on with 200 heavily armed soldiers in two airplanes one of them should of been dispatched to the nearest airfield carrying those same soldiers to retake baga
Chad has a president who is not stupid he knows he has a small window if GEJ LOSES and BUHARI WINS , BuharI knows how to get get to Chad, he will not travel with TWO AIRPLANES TO BORNO HE WILL DRIVE TO CHAD INSTEAD.
We on this blog should face what is really going on without regard to who is in power or who is not we are most def interested in the current administration, let me repeat this the current administration whatever they are doing they better do it because soon those decisions will be taken out of their hands one decision might be taken out of their hands as early as Monday.
Oga jimmy. I respect your hustle sir.
Helooooo, Mr campaigner, please sir, there is no need for that bluster on this page, please keep political views to yourself, no one is here to debate politics but dwell on actual substance, and please seize with the Xrated language Oga, which levels?, you don’t have to use those words to get across sir, there really isn’t any need. Your insinuations just baffle the mind, i dont understand the rational, but you are free to speak your mind, as long as you don’t offend the sensibilities of the Owner, i assume Oga Beegeagle has already cautioned against these same behaviors, Oga’s please correct me if i’m wrong, i am always ready to apologize if misunderstood. I find it surprising that we still dont see arerams as a common threat, DHQ definitely knows this and has been urging corporation between sister states. Corporation is needed, corporation is what we want, not some irrational behavior tha’ll lead Nigeria down some very nasty surprises. Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria will bear the brunt of arerams if they are not collectively tackled, so will the displaced people, they’ll be forced into these countries sticking there head in the sand, and that’s what we’ve been saying all along, these countries cannot cope under the strain of such magnitude of people, so puppets, be weary of thine puppet masters, do not think that their entire plane will ever be divulged to the lowly, such as the puppets, you are been used to an end, after which you will always be stuck with the consequences.
Nigerians fought for close to a whole day the more the days pass it begins to seem that most of the intial waves of dead bodies were the terrorists they were contained initially by the impartial reports of the idps, they waited for reinforcements for airforce drops for more than enough time to be resupplied they were not supplied What should of happened?
The President went to Maiduguri with three airplanes one of those airplanes carried at least 100 soldiers solely to protect the President, the world is watching this and shaking their collective head in shame.
Pakistan and CHINA have repeatedly offered us an aircraft that could of taken of from Lagos and made repeated bombing runs over BAGA APPARENTLY THE JF17 IS COMING JUST NOT RIGHT NOW.
Are we literally going to see ANGOLASU27/30S IN OUR AIRSPACE YOU TELL ME?
What do you want me to stop Oga Jimmy? my critism of the governments handling of the war? Alright ill stop but remember as of this writing an area the size of Belguim is no more Nigerian territory, a million displaced and another million people living under Boko Haram and now we have our two major geopolitical foes or rivals if you will joining forces and massing near the border. If you do not see the urgency and frustration at our lukewarm response then i dont know hat to say. It should not tale a year to launch an all our offensive, even if we do not succeed at least action was taken. Weve been repelling, repelling and repelling since November.
This is exactly what. I want to stop doing specifically 1) Please stop criticizing. Chad this maybe very painful but here is the reality.The chadian govt is providing three square meals and security to thousands of your fellow Sisters and. Brothers who have been displaced. 2) If you want to be angry, be angry at your Govt who will not see theurgency of the situation to buy enough jet aircraft,ifvs,tanks,anti tank missile, smerches that the army has repeatedly asked for. 3) Whatever you may intensley dislike about Chad they are doing what is in their countries best interest be upset at your govt who is not doing the same. T-Mobile. America’s First Nationwide 4G Network
Oga Oje , I respect your hustle sir.
And how does one come to the conclusions about ones geopolitical foes? the most irrational behavior by and country is to have ones very own neighbor as a geopolitical foe, completely flies in the face of logic. One aims for a geopolitical foe very far away from ones borders, that’s the most reasonable. Nigeria is not a pariah state, even though from comments above one can readily see the palpable itch to war and fight like a rabid dog. Nigeria is carefully meandering many international laws that can be decisively used to rope and hang her. Emotions completely deleted, looks like inaction by the layman but to the trained eye, one sees the strategic thinking been applied to issues at hand, we have to hold back as best as we can. Nigeria is not yet as big as Russia, but we can see the pressures on Russia, Nuclear weapons included, America’s 51st state Israel isn’t speared from the ICC, so please, level heads, we have to avoid an economic recession at all cost, bear that in mind, then tell me again about the towns one has to bomb, common. The only urgency i see, is to continue to up arm and train, other than that, there is absolutely no logic to the urgency of carpet bombing villages and towns.
Add to that South Africans are gradually talking about military intervention, it has gone this bad; Vultures aplenty.
http://www.naij.com/361875-south-african-politician-malema-attacks-jonathan-over-baga-killings.html
Election or no election any more BH actions the world shall occupy our territory and we cannot do anything about it, What are we going to do if Chad occupies Baga today ? Gworza, Bama, Baga etc are in the hands of BH and we are unable to retake it from them then how do we fight a standing and formidable army.
Lets put emotions and patriotism aside and be realistic going by events in the past 12months ?
Oga makanaky. I respect your hustle sir.
hahahahahaha, funny tins. what happens in the likelihood of an invasion in any country on the globe, you fight for your right. IT is absolutely unthinkable to expect Chad to occupy any foreign territory, let alone Nigeria, same thing always happens, you have international law behind you, once you have that, your fight is much easier, if you don’t have that, then, you are only asking for trouble, whoever you think you are. A standing and formidable army is exactly what War is, and please don’t test Nigeria’s resolve in that aspect, all these arerams skirmish is just that, skirmish. When real war is declared, then you are allowed to continue to drop wave after wave of bombs, guided or otherwise to achieve your aim. But, Nigeria will never do that, been the champion of international law on the African continent, Nigeria will not be dragged or cajoled into war with any of its neighbors, its irrational, Russia knows this, so does India, Pakistan, America, Mexico, even with all the gangs and drugs. Better go ask somebody. You can disagree with your neighbor, but never war.
An existential threat to Nigeria.
The vultures are circling over Nigeria.
They smell blood and a weakened Nigeria.
This is a pre-arranged script written in paris.
Chad and cameroon will use this opportunity to annex Nigerian territory.
While the “giant” of Africa with it’s “great” army looks on.
NA better wake the bleep up.
A word is enough for the wise.
Oga Rugged7. I respect your hustle sir.
Nigeria has the largest GDP on the continent, how’s that weak?
Nigeria’s fate can never be decided, yes there is a script, but Nigeria refuses to play its pre accorded part.
Chad and Cameroon cannot annex Nigeria, because International law prevents that from happening. Chad? Cameroon? annex Nigeria? How? Why?
Please expatiate Oga
They can not annex us because if they try then we will annex them.
Wikileaks releases have reported plans between france and cameroon for invasion of some parts of north/eastern Nigeria, specifically obudu area.
Oil exists in sufficient commercial quantities in the north east/lake chad area.
Do the math…
Oga rugged7, i respect your hustle sir.
Yes, there are plans, anyone who’s ever had one of those knows how skewed reality can be, invade and annex a part of Nigeria, i mean, common, when does that not begin to stink to the highest heavenly bodies. Its not possible oga, wikileaks or not. You mean, Nigeria’s going to let an oil producing part of its nation go, again ?, just like that, not again.
People, could you agree on a way of proceeding ?
Say things when you have proof and only then.
Stop believing all you read in the papers, I remember when the papers used to come here and learn because of the level of thinking. Those who are saying the unimaginable (chadian soldiers being better trained than Nigerian soldiers), what do you know about the chadian army ? What is your criteria ? I guess while the rest of the world is patriotic, we are self hating and have a complex of inferiority. A Nigerian captain is practically equivalent to a chadian general. But don’t listen to me, just keep disgracing the country, I think that is our trade mark.
Oga Igbi. I respect your hustle sir.
Let them talk, Oga, na dem get their mouth. Feel free people, feel free to say as much you think you know, even when it flies in the face of logic, feel free to express your utmost discontent by regurgitating what has been fed you by your ideological masters, its not your fault, its not your fault that you do no seem to appreciate the sacrifice that has been made and is been made on your behalf, feel free to spout the gibberish to your minds content, that’s your right, nobody can take that away from you. Chad army, better than Nigeria? ohh lawwddd, save us from thine enemies.
Sorry
Igbi. I respect your hustle sir
I was under the impression that what you guys were trying to do was to do a professional job, but your nonstop outbursts and illogical statements keep getting on the way. You are supposed to tell the media what the situation is, not the reverse !
I derive my thinking from my field of mathematics and I think it would do a lot of good to everyone here to learn the art of demonstration in mathematics. Learn as much as you can on mathematical logics, keep exercizing your brain, do ten difficult maths exercizes everyday. I think that would help us a lot.
By the way I don’t need any ego boost, so nobody should call me oga. igbi is enough for me.
Ah ! Nigeria ! Read all the comments on this thread and weep for your country, we had 5 years to prepare for this war with new, modern, relevant military equipment and new training for COIN as well as a new military doctrine to match the new threat of Boko Haram.
Nigeria wasted the first 3 years of this war, we woke up late, now Chad, Cameroon, ECOWAS, AU, South Africa, France, etc are now planning to deploy soldiers and heavy equipment in an ‘intervention’ force to ‘save’ Nigeria along with neighbours like Cameroon, etc.
FG and DHQ, you should not have allowed this level of international embarrassment, you started late to act, just late….however, better late than never. Try redeem Nigeria’s image.
Surely, the great final offensive is delayed, I pray not for political reasons, I hope it is only because of awaited new equipment, sure NAF is finding it hard to quickly train new pilots in a short time, combat pilots are not built overnight or else they crash and die, you lose aircraft, lose pilot when training is inadequate. You master your aircraft in peacetime and use it in wartime.
Your combat aircraft should be like a part of you….Late Air Marshal Ibrahim Alfa.
See, those who say Nigeria should not buy one guided missile frigate and one submarine now, better pray we never have conventional emergency war at sea, it takes years to master a guided missile frigate for combat use, it takes years to train submarine crew on the specific submarine they will use in war, not the random any type any model submarine classes NN is doing in Pakistan.
I also warned us about ATGM, SAM, ASM, LGB, keep postponing the day we will buy and practice the battlefield operation of these guided weapons, Chad is coming close to Nigeria’s doorstep with modern and powerful anti-tank guided missiles and anti-aircraft missile MANPADS, a multinational AU force that includes South Africa or France will be launching guided bombs and air to surface missiles at Nigeria’s doorstep if the AU and EU war intervention agenda comes to life.
Don’t buy those PGM things Nigeria, be waiting to use sniper rifle to take out Boko Haram Toyota technicals vehicle engine block, will your sniper rifle also take out a Boko T-55 main battle tank with solid steel armour? Continue your 1940s vintage army and air force display, when missile equipped multinational intervention forces appear on Nigeria’s doorstep as being canvassed by many global voices and presidents, we will be a laughing stock when they show their 21st century military weapons in real action and win battlefield engagements while we have our bases over-run and our cities falling, waiting 6 months to retake them like Gwoza.
War from Egypt to Babylon to Persia to Greece to Rome to Prussia to Normandy to Korea to Vietnam to Golan to Falkland to Gulf to Bosnia is 50% firepower and 50% manpower.
Nigerian military must be balanced in both components of war fifty-fifty to defeat Boko Haram .
I don’t see us making any major offensive if we buying equipment in bits. Can we ask ourselves, are the military in high spirit to advance against Boko haram. I dont blame the vultures lodging, I blame this government.
Evening Sirs. For over 3 years, I have been opportune to visit this blog everyday and glean from all my Ogas knowledge. @beeg,@igbi,@Augustine,@Are, @Jimmy, etc. I was always comforted with the knowledge I got from the blog and swore by it, I have never for once attempted to type a comment cos I am always awed by you all . However I have to voice out as These days, there seems to be a dark cloud even on the blog and am saddened to gleams of despair. I wish to point out that from the very beginning, you all have rallied and cried and laughed and cheered, but right now it seems everything is at a low ebb. I hope and wish that that hope however little it is that I get from you all never dies, no matter what. Regards to you all.
http://www.punchng.com/news/army-transfers-senior-officers-to-dismiss-more-soldiers/
My Ogas, what do we all think of this, being also from SR:
http://saharareporters.com/2015/01/18/how-general-muhammadu-buhari-will-defeat-boko-haram-biodun-ladepo
One of the presidential contestants is certainly better for Nigeria’s geo political power projection, national defense and the entire martial posture and attitude of a government that sends a ‘don’t mess with me’ message. That guy has done it before twice before and he was not even head of state then.
Our problems are many and it is very sad that we have played ourselves into some other countries’ geo political agenda in the region. The Baga thing was a setup, the inflated figures of the dead, Cameroons rallying cry and Chad’s latest offensive mobilization are all following the same agenda. The same buffer zones we were suggesting that Nigeria creates in our neighbouring countries to expand our influence and check BH is now going to be created on Nigerian territory.
So here comes the question, if the idea is mooted to have a UN administered zone comprising many LGAs in Nigeria, parts of Cameroon and Chad, which presidential candidate more likely to say YES to this proposal out of the two?.
Your sincere answer to this will show where exactly we stand with the two candidates as regards vision, capacity and decision making. One reason I have not contributed to discussions on national defence policy is that it is partly unnecessary and a meaningless academic exercise when you have a presidential system of government and the President is the CIC. Looking at the first three lines of the oath of office, there is always a written mandate vested in a person to discharge all duties that constitute the thrust of a NDP so it is purely a human problem what an incumbent wants to achieve and what he wants leave as legacy after his term.
That guy has malaria. He should wake up from his hallucinations.
And he writes all the way from the comfort of his house in LA. I can bet he wont even be in Nigeria to vote.
Greetings,
Please this is no time for blaming anybody, this is time to rouse our forces and the government and show firm support to Nigeria. It does seem that for obvious or unknown reasons Nigeria is an isolated country at the moment. But like I always say, in international diplomacy, any sign of national weakness is always a costly mistake. Cameroun and Chad with cover from the US and France are moving on to outsmart Nigeria. It will be terrible for us to allow Cameroun under the wings of France to outsmart us the second time after Bakassi peninsula conflict.
This is a time to unit and support Nigeria’s fight over Boko Haram and the international dimension of the conflict that has always been there in the shadows but now spilling into the open by some neighbouring countries opportunism and our own government’s inexplicable lack of decisive action.
Oga RKA, what makes the writer think Biodun Ladepo think that Goodluck Jonathan has not tried those same ideas? I don’t believe one man in particular is the saviour of Nigeria, Buhari or Jonathan.
Nigerians as a whole, are the saviours of Nigeria if we learn to be united, a three-fold rope is not easily broken.
Every Nigerian leader has been hated since 1960, none is ever good in the eyes of everybody, our desire for a perfect human being president is just an illusion. Every Nigerian president is just another Nigerian with a Nigerian genetic mentality inside of him from birth and growth.
We need a change of government attitude NOT a change of government.
Oga Augustine, that’s why I posted it here for comments. I find it strange that it will be the same commanders etc that he will use to defeat BH. The same group of soldiers that are being lambasted from certain quarters when what is needed is a unified response to terrorism.
It is at best dishonest to attempt to give the impression that one man can somehow wave the magic wand and viola! BH will turn on their tails and run, or has he got a bit more influence than we think? Not for me to judge, I don’t really like to delve into politics, just what is best for the military that interests me.
Yes sir.
One man can indeed wave a magic wand and Boko Haram will turn tails and run.
You are displaying very good empathy for our leaders in the defence and security sectors who have never reciprocated and will not reciprocate the kind gesture.
Facts are facts and sentiments are sentiments.
1. No of troops deployed.- the current figure is ~20000men. Every one knows that the figure is just not enough for COIN in the AOR which is as large as maintained European countries. For an armed forces that has 150000men in uniform, this figure is disgraceful. In Afganistan and Iraq the US had a number of troop surges to cope with aspects of the constantly changing battlefield, at a time a figure of 300k men were deployed in Iraq alkaline. Ours is just 20k and that is not enough.
Only one man can increase that number and it is not @Are James.
2. Air power and CAS- a minimum number of sorties are required for surveillance of virtual grids within the battle space in order to map enemy locations and for quick response air strikes on moving BH convoys. The aircraft ought to have been there, the trained pilots ought to have been there and the technology and weaponry.
So whose responsibility was that to provide the platforms and weaponry going over four years now?. Maybe it was @rka’s responsibility.
3. Morale boosting leadership for the armed forces- “gingering of all available swaggers”.
Irrespective of the level and quality of Orbat, this one set of actions always works miracles. There is a quality of national leadership that unifies a country against a recalcitrant enemy minority within that country, changes the narrative in a way that turns the internal war on too a warning unity and therefore you know it , HEROIC actions become commonplace in a nation’s ARMY. A company of the NA will routinely defeat thousands of the enemy through skill and motivation if this level of motivation had been nurtured. Do we have evidence that this is being done, do the soldiers in the frontline feel they are cared for?, how many honours rolls have we had for gallant soldiers?, how many newspaper articles have been sponsored eulogising units in the army and outstanding commanders?. NONE….Why ?…because it is not what we do as a country. We know how many private jets some.people have and how many Nigerians are on Forbes list but I have not since a list published of civilian victims of Boko Haram attacks in th northeast.
So is it who will ginger the swagger?. Is it @Are James or @rka?.
It makes good reading when we show all this admirable empathy for leaders and even send condolences to them in their air conditioned offices for civilians killed far away in Baga but our smaller neighbours are beginning to show us how things are done and we better swallow all pride and learn.
Oga Are James, using Oga meshegz’s catch phrase, ” I respect your hustle”.
Being a military dictator and then being subject to checks and balances in a democracy are two different things especially if you want to co-exist with neighbours and the international community regardless of what their schemes are.
Nobody can annexe any part of Nigeria’s territory apart from what has been agreed regarding Bakassi and other ceded and indeed gained territories.
As has already been asked, what makes you think some of the things mentioned in the article have not been tried or do you think the commanders don’t know what is required?
It is one thing asking for rapid response forces which can be scrambled, and they do exist, but not when the logistics, i.e. the transport helos needed, are not yet in place. The rot didn’t start with this administration and is only now being rectified, albeit at a slower pace (the complete ignorance of political representatives about the military is a serious handicap), made worse when the President has to go pleading for funds to be released in order to get additional equipment needed.
The NA was caught flat footed regarding COIN warfare but the political establishment has to take a share of the blame as well as the military, taking into consideration the training the officer corp has received at home and abroad, for not insisting on modernising the armed forces years ago.
Having tantrums isn’t going to resolve the matter and we can see there is an ongoing purge of soldiers and officers who have abandoned their training. I didn’t see the British Army running away in Iraq when they were complaining of being ill equipped. They used their training to counter the negatives.
Nobody is saying everything is going swimmingly, but it is a long learning process and we can see that things are gradually happening. The assets one needs for continued surveillance of the AOR are enormous. Special forces troops are gradually joining the fray and you can see in Oga Henry’s Nairaland thread a Special Forces soldier with decent equipment and a cap with the logo of Special Forces Group.
I have always said on this blog that we are not privy to what is going on and our focus should be getting DHQ to up their ante in regard to PR and release of daily updates in what is going on.
To just break down and rant is a victory for the enemy.
Guys, the bottom line about this issue is not weather there is “swag” in the C-in-C. The bottom line boils down to two basic things:
1. Wrong threat analysis and response in the early days of BH, starting from OBJ’s regime, through to GEJ’s administration
2. BH has covert support from a section of the political class in Nigeria with the end point of using this as a political pressure point as we see now. Read previous comments and body language of such politicians and you will understand, we need not mention names here. Such politicians always play down any success of the military and magnify any losses. We know them by name
One thing i can really blame GEJ in this whole mess is for trying to appease a section and group of folks that have decides to hold the nation captive for political reasons. GEJ should have done the needful early on, arm up, crush BH and damn the expected outcry from such politicians…
Finally one man can not wave a wand and fix this issue, any such thinking is a flight of fancy, like that funny article in SR.
It is well with Nigeria and God bless Nigeria!
Can we increase the number of troops deployed, get many decent planes in the air, get more tanks on the ground, bomb BH hiding places sustainably and ARREST ALL LOCAL SPONSORS now before the UN carves out our territory as a special security zone?.
I am saying this now because so many things are now being thrown around about the many things that are IMPOSSIBLE for a Head of State and Commander In Chief to do that the very necessity for that office may soon be called into question along the lines of the agenda that some globalist organizations are planning tor the country.
http://odili.net/news/source/2015/jan/18/862.html
I know oga augustine posted this thread , I just wanted to know whether anyone has any information of whom the new GOC of the 7 division is.
http://www.punchng.com/news/army-redeploys-officers/
Sorry I just answered my own question He is Maj Gen Adeosun I do not know ANYTHING about this 2- star Gen .I just pray that he will be AGGRESSIVE AND OFFENSIVE MINDED.
Used to be deputy head Nigerian Defence College and was also Head of logistics. Those skills are relevant. The important thing is not to sit put and strategise too much while the enemy regroups.