Denrele Animashaun: Old soldiers never die

by Denrele Animashaun

Last administration, in light of this, tried but failed to make a deal with the Americans to equip its military with Cobra attack helicopters, the Americans weren’t having it.

 Let me have men about me that are fat, Sleek-headed men and such as sleep a-nights. Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look, He thinks too much; such men are dangerous.-Julius Caesar, – Shakespeare

Several female suicide bombers in northeast Nigeria blew themselves up amid panicked villagers fleeing a Boko Haram attack, killing scores, the army and witnesses said on July 4. The latest carnage in series of attacks that have claimed more than 200 lives in just three days happened on Friday night in Zabarmari village, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the city of Maiduguri, the birthplace of the jihadist group. AFP

Soldiers speak to people standing away from houses burnt by Boko Haram Islamists at Zabarmari. File Photo

It is often said that old soldiers never die, but they just fade away. You would then expect a soldier worth his salt to stand his ground to protect his people and country and will do so with pride and purpose. That should primarily be the purpose of being a soldier. You would also expect that they will be a disciplined lot, a source of pride to the nation and envy of other nations. You would think so, won’t you?

The heads of the Nigerian armed forces instead, looked too well-fed, rotund, thick-girth and not fit for that purpose. So it is an act of mercy that they were relieved of their duties and put of their misery to the relief of the nation. Apparently, the cull came a week before Buhari was due to meet Obama to discuss a strategy against Boko Haram with the American defence forces, a move that was not possible under the Goodluck administration.

In fact, the relationship between the Nigerian armed forces and its American counterpart under that last administration stalled because the Americans were denied access to fully assess the military situation and so that they can assist in a coordinated military action to eliminate the activities of Boko Haram. The American left in dismay and shocked at the wanton disarray of the actions by the Nigerian heads of the armed forces’ lack of focus as well as documented evidence of alleged human rights violations.

Last administration, in light of this, tried but failed to make a deal with the Americans to equip its military with Cobra attack helicopters, the Americans weren’t having it. The finger of blame was then pointed at the Americans, that if they had been sold the attack helicopter then, they would have been able to bring down the insurgency in no time. Of course, this was a case of a poor work man blaming his tools. It would have made no difference; in fact, it would have ignited the war against terror. The American State department spokesperson said at the time of the cancellation, that the sale was cancelled because of the concerns about Nigeria’s inability to use and maintain this type of helicopter and the on-going concerns about the Nigerian Military’s protection of its civilians when conducting military operations. It speaks volumes, does it?

It was the very same reasons given by the Americans, for not sharing intelligence with the Nigerian security officials as they were concerns about Boko Haram infiltration.

During that time they were a number of desertions and 54 soldiers from the 111th Special Forces Battalion were sentenced to death for mutiny after they refused to join an operation against the insurgents. Many times it seemed that the insurgents were better armed than the army. And many of the protests and objections were exactly that from the army on the ground; that they lack equipment to fight the insurgents, they requested that they have better amunitions to fight the rebels, who were better armed with anti-aircraft guns and armoured personnel carriers. This was what was cited in the defence of the mutinous officers that there was poor equipment, in effective leadership and poor tactics that impeded the forces to adequately fight Boko Haram.

The Nigerian army was once prided amongst Africa’s largest and best militaries and they played a pivotal role in peacekeeping missions during civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Once, not any more as the once great army can no longer fight the likes of Boko Haram, and it allowed the terror grow and to take control of some parts of the north-eastern states of Adamawa and Borno. This is in spite of the fact that Nigeria’s defence budget is more than $6­ billion and among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

There has been grand scale corruption and the low ranking soldiers were denied regular payment and sometime they do not receive the paltry monthly sum of $100-per-month salary for weeks on end. They say, an army marches on its stomach, these army were poorly paid, over-worked, ill-equipped and hungry; not a winning combination for an effective army.

So these head of armed forces, it is apparent that these former mighty men of action could not fight their way of a paper even, if their fattened lives depended on it. Their uniform groaning after a life of inaction and being treated and feted like emperors so, no wonder, the nation’s walls were unguarded and the insurgency left to kill, maim and pillage at will.

So you see, why the past administration, filled their mouths and stomach so that they can render them unless, unfit for office and poor leaders of men and women tasked to guard the people and the nation. The rot was very high up, it left well intentioned soldiers ill- equipped, demotivated, undisciplined and demoralised. Revenue meant for training, equipment and defence was misappropriated and diverted on their watch and the past administration stuffed these men of valour and so as to render them useless so they are not good to man or beast.

Only those who are heavily biased and equally stuffed would disagree that the Nigerian military’s handling of Boko Haram in the last six years has been a success. It has been a mitigating disaster and has cost thousands of lives, many more maimed and injured, thousands abducted 1.6 million displaced, billions in lost earnings and business and a country at the mercy of the murderous marauders.

They failed at their duty to serve and protect. In fact, there have been alleged serious cases of human rights violations and two of the officials who were dismissed Alex Badeh, the Chief of Defence staff, and Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, the head of the army have been cited in a recent Amnesty International report that accuses them of being responsible for war crimes committed under their command. I hope that at some point they will be brought to justice if they are found wanting. This dismissal should not be a golden handshake instead, it should be what it is; a dishonourable discharge.

No leader of men should look the way our head armed forces looked; their stomach so heavy, it groans to be free, they needed extra material for a uniform that should be worthy of pride, their cheeks so rosy after years of over indulgence and their fitness, no longer pass muster. Our borders and open door for insurgents to come and go at will and neighbouring countries often coming to the aid of the sleeping giant of Africa.

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 Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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