President Muhammadu Buhari’s removal of the Service Chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) on Monday must have come as sweet music in the ears of many Nigerians. Left to the average Nigerian, the military officers ought not to have lasted a day in office beyond May 29 when President Buhari was sworn in. Those sacked are: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Usman Jubrin, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Adesola Amosun and NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki. (rtd).
They were replaced with Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin (CDS), Major-General T.Y. Buratai (COAS), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (CNS), Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar (CAS), Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan, Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) and retired major-General Babagana Monguno (NSA).
It is heart-warming that President Buhari did the needful on the former military chiefs at last. Of course Nigerians who had been clamouring for their removal have genuine cause to so do. Like most of our national institutions, the military had become a shadow of what it was years back. One of the most prominent of its problems was its blatant politicisation by politicians of the erstwhile ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) who used the military’s monopoly of coercive force to unlawfully affect electoral outcomes.
Soldiers were used to protect election-riggers, harass and intimidate political opponents, and empower favoured candidates, especially during the last governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. It is a surprise that Lt.-Gen. Minimah chose not to investigate the outrageous perversion of military values in spite of its very disturbing implications for the polity, until his sack on Monday.
But it is not enough to sack public officials; they must be made to account for their stewardship. The military, especially in the last four years, enjoyed robust budgetary allocations. In fiscal 2012, 2013 and 2014, defence got N921 billion, N1.055 trillion and N968.127 billion, respectively, yet much of the anti-insurgency campaign has been characterised by widespread complaints by soldiers about poor pay and the lack of arms, ammunition and equipment. In encounter after encounter, the military was forced to retreat by apparently better-armed Boko Haram insurgents.
In March this year, some soldiers protested the failure of the Federal Government to pay their wages in full. Instead of the promised N150,000 per month for anti-insurgency troops, they were allegedly paid only N30,000 per month. Soldiers returning from peace-keeping operations abroad have protested the unauthorised reduction or non-payment of their entitlements, only to be arrested and court-martialed for their troubles. Members of the Ex-servicemen Welfare Association regularly protest the non-payment of their pension arrears. Nigerians are interested in how the defence budgets were spent.
Rather than comprehensively investigate the financial anomalies which were causing so many heart-breaking battlefield reversals, the military hierarchy focused solely on court-martialing soldiers. Over 500 military personnel have faced charges of insubordination, cowardice and mutiny, and have been sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment. Some have received the death penalty.
Ironically, the military surge which began in February has shown that a properly-equipped and motivated armed forces is more than a match for Boko Haram. Clearly, issues of pay, equipment and competent leadership are far more important to success as opposed to the isolated emphasis on discipline.
The new military helmsmen must address the deep-rooted problems that have persistently weakened morale, crippled effectiveness and consequently engendered fear in the face of the enemy. They should revisit the recent military trials and punishments. If the army is to come to equity, it must do so with clean hands. It makes no sense to arraign soldiers for acts of indiscipline and cowardice while doing nothing about partisan manipulation of the military and rampant corruption within the military hierarchy.
Above all, the new military chiefs must ensure that Boko Haram is defeated as soon as possible. And that can only be done if the military shreds its political toga for its core professional role. Time is of the essence.
‘It is heart-warming that President Buhari did the needful on the former military chiefs at last. Of course Nigerians who had been clamouring for their removal have genuine cause to so do. Like most of our national institutions, the military had become a shadow of what it was years back’