Many countries across the world today are battling with asymmetrical warfare inform of brutal terrorist attacks threatening their peace and national security. These terrorist campaigns are often waged by bands of doctrinal ideologues or apocalyptic religious extremists driven by untenable agenda. Their primary aim is to force their warped ideology and extremism on uninterested people, and they are quite determined to exterminate those who oppose them or call their bluff. Our dear country, unfortunately, is having a full dose of this global malaise, and worse, it seems that our own variant of these fiends is more lethal, merciless and blood thirsty.
Never in our annals has a group or sect sprout up with no coherent or practicable agenda but with much venom against the society like the Boko Haram terrorists. Who ever imagined that Nigerians (who are acclaimed for an almost insatiable appetite for life) could contemplate wearing the suicide vest to blow up themselves and others or even plant bombs in the bus stations, churches and mosques, with intent to kill as many Nigerians? Who ever imagined or bargained for this sort of extremism, bestiality, savagery? We only read or heard about such happenings in distant lands, far away from our clime! But the reality has dawn on us that we have caught the bug and in fact, capable of outdoing those people from the distant lands that we only imagined!
The trajectory of this evil group is not the crux of this piece; it is rather focused on how the Nigerian security forces –led by the military-have been able to contend with this relentless hydra-headed monster that is so determined to destroy our country and the role of the civil populace in assisting the security forces to stop them. Recognizing its constitutional duties of defending the country from external aggression and internal insurrection, the Nigerian military, working in partnership with other security agencies, have never shirked from this onerous responsibility right from the commencement of offensive against the Nigerian state by the Boko Haram terrorists.
This is in spite of the peculiar challenges associated with counter-terrorist operation of this nature which is characterized by infiltrations, sabotage and politicization. It should also be recalled that the Office of the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has initiated a programme under Soft-Approach where the citizens become partners in the campaigns by moving away from a whole of government to a whole of society approach in counter terrorism thinking in the belief that we can win the war against terror by mobilising our family, cultural, religious and national value. Aside from that, what we have on our hands is an asymmetrical war waged by terrorists among us. It is a war bordering on subversion in which there is no clear distinction between combatants and borders. Nigerians perfectly understand the nature of this crisis and appreciate the peculiar challenges assailing our security forces and are happy that our troops are still standing tall.
The gallantry of our troops, sadly, has not been without a huge cost: a number of soldiers have paid the supreme price, many others have lost their limbs or have been maimed for life, young families of military personnel have been thrown into mourning and sorrow; many more soldiers are still in harm’s way, doing all they could to defend and protect us from those who seek to destroy us. To this, Nigerian people owe them a world of debt, debt of gratitude. We say, thank you so much to our troops. We will never forget those gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces who laid down their lives in order to defend us. We are proud of them and will continue to pray for the repose of their valiant souls.
Andrea J Dew, an American assistant professor for strategy and policy, opined in the book, Pirates, Terrorist and Warlords that “The problem for states and their militaries in dealing with the threat from armed groups is NOT that these groups have overwhelming firepower or even overwhelming numbers. Rather, the problem is one of how states can maintain public support – domestic or international –for continuing the conflicts when the targets and tactics selected by armed groups become increasingly bloody and horrific and when constraints and limitations on warfare by armed groups have been swept away”. This position aptly illustrates the counter-productivity of the sustained and unrestrained media vilification of our security forces orchestrated by unpatriotic politicians and mischievous interest groups. The National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, has gone a step further by initiating the Soft-Approach to Counter Terrorism where he emphasised the roles of the citizens in complementing the military offensives against unrepentant terrorists. The soft-approach provides a framework that identify the roles and responsibilities and every segments of the society including the elected, appointed public officers as well as community leaders, academics, youths, NGOs and the media to confront violent extremism.
It does appear that the surest way to grab public attention in Nigeria is to attack the military in the media. That is counter-productive!
What our military and all other agencies that are engaged in the counter-terrorist operation need at this moment are unconditional public solidarity and unflinching support. As citizens, we must ensure that their morale is boosted and their fighting spirit up. It is this imperative that compelled the May 26 2014 solidarity rally organized by the Citizens Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA) for the Nigerian military. The solidarity rally, which the Chief of Defence Staff graciously addressed, was intended to reassure the members of the Nigerian Armed Forces that in spite of the sustained media attacks on them by a section of the press, the Nigerian people are solidly behind them.
We are determined that our support must not be a one-off thing. We will sustain it and will continue to hail our gallant troops who are taking the bullets for us. In fact, we have commenced plans to organize a mega rally in Abuja for our Armed Forces. We believe that in spite of the mischief and distractions of rabid opposition elements and bigoted groups who are orchestrating media attacks on our military, every right thinking Nigerian MUST acknowledge the indefatigable role and untiring commitment of our gallant security forces in defending our territorial integrity from external aggression and internal insurrection.
It is our conviction that this public solidarity and support to our military will go a long way in countering the negative perceptions in the media and boosting the morale and fighting spirit of the troops. The rally, without doubt, will further re-assure our gallant troops of the public support and appreciation of their sacrifices.
*Chidi Omeje is the Executive Director of Citizens Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA)
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