Colonel (rtd) Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
23 January, 2015
LAGOS, Nigeria (AFP)
Nigeria’s top security official on Friday ruled out the need for a United Nations or African Union-backed force to fight Boko Haram, saying the country and its partners could handle the threat.
Possible “enhanced international support” against Boko Haram will be discussed on the sidelines of an AU summit later this month, given fears about the group’s threat to regional stability.
But national security adviser Sambo Dasuki, a former army colonel, said wider assistance would not be necessary. “It’s something that we can do. It’s absolutely something we can do,” he told BBC World Service radio in an interview. “I think as it is we are in good shape to address the issue with those partners, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.”
Representatives from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon met this week to thrash out details of a new regional force to counter the rising threat from the Islamist militants. An existing force, made up of troops from Nigeria, Niger and Chad appears to have collapsed in disarray even before the January 3 attack on its headquarters near the northeastern town of Baga. Troops from Niger and Chad were not
present during the raid, which saw Baga razed and hundreds of civilians, if not more, killed in what is feared could be the insurgents’ worst atrocity.
Tuesday’s meeting agreed to transfer the headquarters of the new force from Nigeria to the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, reflecting concern about Boko Haram’s rising transnational threat.
Boko Haram has seized dozens of towns and villages in the northeast in the last six months and now controls the border of Borno State with Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Some analysts have suggested that it is trying to revive a defunct 19th century Islamic caliphate, whose borders corresponded to parts of modern-day
Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau,however, mocked the proposed new force in a video published online on Tuesday, boasting that his fighters would take on all comers and that “Nigeria is dead”. “The kings of Africa… I challenge you to attack me now. I am ready,” he said.
Beegeagle's Blog 
NOW, that is my NSA…THAT is more like it, sir. Good to know that some of our leaders still have spines.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Nigeria need to move away from self-injurious compliance such as this suspicious plan for foreign troops and signing constraining and dubious treaties. Everyone now wants to come and fight for Nigeria. During the Civil War, Egypt, Algeria and Sudan supported Nigeria with gifts of combat aircraft. WHO has offered Nigeria a bullet since the BH WAR commenced? Rubbish…please, stay in your countries. Thank you.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
ELSEWHERE, BEEGEAGLE WROTE…
START
That said, the NA will irretrievably damage her standing before Nigerians if any regional force ever deploys to Nigeria for the purpose of quelling BH. We have the depth in numbers of troops, can recruit many more in a snap and can equip them adequately IF we prioritise. ONLY the nextdoor neighbours whose borders converge on the Lake Chad namely Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria have ANY business being on our territory and even that has to be ONLY where our borders are coterminous. Otherwise, let it be hammer-and-anvil operations whereby the various armies involved clampdown on BH terrorists fleeing a fight in one country and heading to seek refuge in another
END
START
Let me restate the fact, Naijaseal, that the most horrendous mistake our leaders, political and military, can make in 2015 when the CIA says Nigeria shall cease to exist as a nation, would be to allow foreign forces from anywhere to come into our country. ONLY the four neighbours on the Lake Chad have any business getting involved and even those can only be allowed to fight BH from their own territories.
It is clear that there is an attempt by certain powers to have Nigeria isolated and that our so called traditional partners are sitting on the fence. We must now temporarily do what is expedient and needful and sign a 5-year mutual defence treaty with either China or Russia. That way, they bring the leverage that is their weighty veto power and formidable military capabilities to bear on this situation should any foreign clowns decide to attempt to undermine our sovereignty any further
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Supported
Yes, a mutual defense treaty such as a democratic India signed with Communist Soviet Union.Our leadership has to do the needful. Nigeria is in a position to export fresh farm produce to Russia due to sanctions imposed by the E.U. ,we need to become a regional/continental hub for maintenance and provision of spareparts for Chinese and Russian Defence equipment.
supported.
A few years ago ( Before BH happened) a table top exercise was held by core insider- groups of a certain global organization, in regards of Nigeria, a similar one was held on Libya “before the event/fact|” happened and also Syria. This is the wisest decision ever taken since this chaos started, if these foreign troops come in, I assure you there would be no Nigeria as you know it. within a very short time and would remain so for next 20yrs, it would have become an internationally controlled zone like Dafur and the “western ” forces already setting up bases ( Drones and Beechcraft Intel aircrafts which are to be supporting Nigerian) and putting assets in Chad in readiness for stages of the plan, they happily supported the of moving joint base to Chad from Baga are reckoning that control would gradually be established from the recognized HQ , then they would have unfiltered access into the N.E. Nigeria would come out definitely stronger and respected and would leave the West confounded again, just as they did after the earlier Niger Delta problems.
typo, They supported the moving of the Joint Base (Baga) to Chadian territory”
You are so, so on point there, Captain.
All the would-be saviours who claim to want to help out but if they bear the weapons by themselves need to butt out of our business.
Nigeria is a fabulously well endowed country with 37 minerals available in commercial quantities. That includes many strategic minerals which are relevant to the defence industry and power projection…chromium, uranium etc.
Who knows who wants to come here with designs on all or some of those, including oil reserves in our Lake Chad districts? Did one of the proxy forces active in eastern DRC not siphon $280 million worth of coltan from that blessed country, the only one which is as well endowed as our Nigeria?
There is no altruism in diplomacy. These guys who are now all hovering like Samaritans are possibly dogs-in-a-manger who shall bare their canines when the opportunity presents itself.
We must lay off the beaten path to folly. The experience of the DR Congo presents us with a solid template.
Dear Sir,
that is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom you just passed, with people like you there to be heard , we cannot fail. Apart from Nigeria, who else would lead the Africans of the all nationalities forward? Not even South Africa, only us Nigerians and we are on our own, as we have seen now when the gloves were taken off, even fellow anglophone Ghana are just running around in circles and cannot offer anything directly to us, except through western bodies. I salute you once again for setting up this site. It takes dedication,courage and foresight (how many of us here said we would do things for our country and actually got round to doing it, just words, but walked it like you talk it? So respects all the time).
Most other African military men do not have the confidence and courage to speak to or at times at the world. We would come out victorious. BH must be prevented from melting back into the populace by using the CJTF to man the cities and towns with the police ( they know a lot of this guys), so that they do not start another campaign of urban IEDs, after battlefield defeat.
In asymmetric warfare, joint synergy with the civil populace is the key hence they are definitely going to lose. I trust the Nigerian military all the way. These were the guys on record for their feats in Liberia and legends of Mama Yoko Hotel in Freetown. God bless you all and may the souls of our brothers old and young who paid the ultimate sacrifice in this conflict go well at God’s speed
Dear Sir, who else is the hope of all African people in the world except Nigeria , just look around, We have only are selves when the gloves are down, I take exception pride in you for setting up this blog and the other bloggers. You would not believe a lot of other African military guys would be so afraid that the discussions may not be liked by the West. It is ONLY NIgerians who have this confidence. we are destined to lead.
Let us hold fast to this. No foreign troops on Nigeian soil. Nigeria’s north east should not become a minor item on some UN or AU secretariat annual administrative plan. No peace talks and no concessions. Nigeria is not DRC.
So let it be written..so let it be done.
The NSA responses were interesting in some ares. I was impressed by the fact that only 2 companies(approx 500 men) british trained troops led the counter-offensive in adamawa /mubi axis.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid3151670047001?bckey=AQ~~,AAACl1L7zRk~,zRhSVuSHlZTvh7PyKt6DIyiNfWmnPoVl&bctid=4004562597001
Why the emphasis on British trained. Some folks make it seem the personnel had zero training before the few weeks or month training which for all u know, the training was just to fullfil diplomatic righteousness
Diplomacy…hehe. The most tenacious defence has been exhibited in four battles at Konduga. It was supposedly the troops of 1 Div and SF commandoes who fought there. MUBI was swift and precise with the battle inoculation of the T72 and a T55 tank killed along the way.
The US-trained 143 Bn supposedly featured at Damboa alongside SF commandos and crack gunners from 1 Div.
Let us wait for the returning contingents from Russia.Then, everyone can compare ‘ruggedity and combatancy’
Clearing doubts, used to be the standard….and should alwayys be the standard…….let people under estimate you, and keep saying you can’t, while u keep on accomplishing every task……. The army can do it, they should be doing it…… It lays with the unit heads,not even HQ or the generals…….as long as they have the equipmets
He was on British soil.
He was acknowledging the support of Britain.
That is how you make people feel good, especially if it’s true.
Oga rugged7, thanks for this video, it proves what I feared, is actually true.
It is a big mistake for Nigeria’s National Security Advise Dasuki Sambo to stand in London before world news media and CALL HIS COUNTRY’S ARMY COWARDS, LOTS OF COWARDS, he has openly embarrassed Nigeria and Nigerian army in front of the whole world !
White people don’t make those kind of public mistakes, British National Security Adviser won’t come to Lagos and stand before the whole world of press/media men and publicly call British army a force that has lots of cowards for failing to defeat Taliban after 11 years war in Afghanistan.
Later we will come here and say BBC and CNN is embarrassing us….we are the ones embarrassing ourselves the most now !
What exactly is the problem of a black man? Nigeria’s problem is we Nigerians, change government ten times, it is still another Nigerian man with Nigerian mentality ruling us.
This is the first time I know of, and hear a country’s national security adviser stand face to face with world press and call his own country’s army cowards, lots of cowards.
Dasuki said nothing about the 300 Nigerian soldiers who died in battle with their names on Cenotaph memorial in Abuja, instead he decided to rubbish a whole 120,000 man Nigerian army in front of British and world journalists who made it big headline news all over the world.
Nigerians, you ruin yourselves, the white man is not ruining you now !
Forget what the NSA said, what really matters is what the CO’ says to him men, what the RSM says, what the XO says…… Truthfully the NSA’s words are just the motivation the troops need….. A person in charge will spell it out to the troops that they are well trained, rugged enough, ruthless enough to go out and unleash terror on BH,and shame the NSA and make him choke on his word………and they with whoever is in charge at the front leading, would go into battle with BH and trash BH……..”that is if they have theequipment to do the deed”……. This is one of the reasons I canvass, for training with officers and men of a unit regularly…….
AO** in terms of the army
Where in the video does the NSA call the soldiers cowards ? I just watched the video and I saw no such thing. I think you are still thinking about that sensational article, but for your information the video is here and proves the article wrong. The NSA can call deserters and mutineers cowards, but certainly not soldiers cowards.
by soldiers I mean those who did not commit mutiny nor desert.
He said, the two company HALTED the BH offensive.
The counter attack was larger than 2 companies.
Well, the West need to hear it from the homers…straight up and upfront. They like free speech and open societies, don’t they? So here it is.
Yeah, you may be right. SURELY, I know some African brothers who, even on their forum use “Sammy” in reference to Yankees while “Ivan” refers to Russians, “Woo” refers to the Chinese and “Johnnie” refers to Britons. Nobody would dare to say what they really mean. That is their own way….conditioning and programming perhaps. To each, his own.
Nigerians choose to spell it out unambiguously. That is who we are – feisty, aware, confident, not suffering fools gladly and perhaps, a tad too outspoken.
Oga beegs you have said it all. My take is….only Nigerians can defend Nigeria. We have all it takes!
The yankees and their bare-faced lies and deceit…
Kings of doublespeak.
Mr entwistle is swearing on channels TV that Nigeria and U.S have the best relations and are cooperating in intelligence fusion, supply of materials etc.
Meanwhile in the U.S, state department officials are busy abusing and running down Nigeria in the media.
“Friends” with the forked tongues of snakes….
That is the kind of “friend” u wouldn’t wish even on your enemy…
I can’t exactly see the point of that blabbermouth-Kerry coming to Nigeria.
To come and do what exactly?
Oil, dem no buy.
helicopter, dem no donate.
Soldiers, dem no train.
Weapons, dem no sell.
Intelligence, dem no share.
Trade, dem don face asia.
The yankees might as well steer well clear of Nigeria.
The time the hand -wringing in the CIA will start is when one of the boko haram fools decides to travel to america to wreck mayhem.
Na that time dem go learn…
I agree with you, but I would rather say “helicopter, dem no sell”
My fellow Oga’s, there is an element of truth in this article. here is a quote from the article by a senior Africom official,
“It’s not like they don’t have the money,” the senior Africom official said. “There are some things that we require to be good partners. The first of which is a commitment on the part of the Nigerian government to support its own army. They have a responsibility to provide adequate pay, to take care of their people, and to equip them.”
Nigerian military needs to be adequately equipped. this is were the gov’t is lacking. How much does it cost to do this, Boko Haram or not.
http://www.punchng.com/news/poll-shift-may-return-military-rule-ex-generals/
Oga Augustine, years of deliberate under-funding the military )for fear of coups) have more than guaranteed there will never be a coup de dat. The Nigerian military as of now is nto large enough or powerful enough to wrestle control off the government like before.
Oga Beegeagle, I salute oh. With respect to a post made, I never knew that 1st Div were equally involved in the fight in the North East as it’s not part of their AOR. And I can’t wait to see our Russian – trained troops in action 😀 . Interesting times ahead.
That said, the recent battle for Maiduguri filled me with so much pride and hope for our men in the armed forces, particularly the way the held off the enemy. In a way, the whole situation reminds me of the famed Ukrainian “cyborg” units stationed at Doneskt Airport. Yes we may have lost ground a bit on one front, but reports, even those biased against the Army, clearly showed that the soldiers over there gave a good account of themselves.
There’s still need for the military to work on its supply line though, that’s why it’s imperative that we purchase as many medium to heavy lift transport helicopters, and attack helos for escort, ASAP. If need be, NAF should utilize our C-130s and G-333 for Combat resupply sorties in support of beleaguered units trapped in remote locations.
They were drafted from 1 Div..same way the chaps from the infantry battalion at Ikorodu (81 Div) and troops from 103 Bn at Enugu (which is under 82 Div) have fought in Adamawa and Borno respectively.
Be it known though that as of the time when 7 Div was formed in August 2013, 241 Recce Bn at Nguru was under 1 Div. Nguru is a desert-fringe border town in northeastern Yobe State
defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37734:africans-may-mandate-regional-force-against-boko-haram-this-week&catid=56:diplomacy-a-peace&Itemid=111
This is what they are saying @ the AU.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502020135.html
Despite Nigeria’s Differences with Uncle BOB , it is important that Nigeria reach out to ZIMBABWE for Implicit and explicit reasons. As the Chairman of the AU it at this point holds a very important platform for African Nations and to one’s surprise He has come out with Guns blazing One day after he became the Chairman.