- By Osita Okechukwu
A few days ago, the Nigerian media were agog with a syndicated report that pressure was being mounted on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack the Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. The said sponsored report was allegedly credited to a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi and one inconsequential youth group, which if thoroughly investigated may not be members of the revered Afenifere Youths.
Apparently it seemed that the spurious report, serially spewed has not attracted the expected attention of the Commander-in-Chief, and in their scarcity mindset, all that was needed to add life to it was the emergence of Gagdi who is the lawmaker representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke Constituency of Plateau State.
Also ethnic card was considered relevant hence the Afenifere Youths addition to raise the ante of the choreographed propaganda that Badaru was unfit to manage the country’s worsening security.
The group supported the lawmaker, who behaved as if he is unaware of the humungous investment Mr President has committed to upgrade our security infrastructure, the gallant efforts and sacrifice of our officers and men, all of which for security reasons one cannot disclose publicly.
Hon. Gagdi, who as a federal lawmaker has all the access to obtain relevant information from either Defence Headquarters or Ministry of Defence in less than constructive criticism; personalised his criticism of the Defence Minister on the floor of the House. He cited recent terrorist attacks, particularly in Borno State, where insurgents reportedly overran military base, carting away 40 tanks and military platforms. This, in Gagdi’s opinion, nullifies all the giant strides and gains made in the gruesome and intractable asymmetrical warfare.
As someone who knows the antecedents of Badaru in managerial affairs before and after his appointment as the Defence Minister, I shuddered at the crass exhibition of ignorance or mischief by those campaigning for his removal. President Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is aggrieved as Gagdi and co, aware of the weaponry and strategies being deployed on the frontline to turn the table. He knows the managerial capacity of Badaru and made a deliberate choice in his appointment as the Defence Minister, not based on political loyalty as his detractors want the public to believe.
Let us recall that prior to Badaru appointment as a Minister, he served for eight unbroken years as the Governor of Jigawa State in the North West geo-political zone of Nigeria, from May 29, 2015 to May 29, 2023. Notwithstanding that fate made Jigawa one of the poorly secured border states of Nigeria to other countries, throughout the period that Badaru was in office as the Governor, it was the safest state among the 19 states of Northern Nigeria.
While bandits ran riot in other North West states of Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina, they found Jigawa a hard nut to crack during Badaru’s tenure. As the Chief Security Officer, he deployed an internally driven approach to guarantee safety and peace in the 27 Local Government Areas of Jigawa State. The facts speak for themselves.
Since President Tinubu appointed Badaru, an accountant by profession, as the Defence Minister in August 2023, efforts have been intensified to end terrorism, banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other forms of violent criminal activities in the country. Undoubtedly, the military offensive ordered by the President has been yielding fruits.
For instance, the Lakaruwa bandits have been feeling the heat of the military offensive in Kebbi, Sokoto and other North West states. Many bandit leaders have been neutralised. Those who are alive, such as the notorious Bello Turji, terrorizing Zamfara and neighbouring states, have been on the run. Early this year, Turji’s son and scores of his foot soldiers were neutralized by the military Special Forces.
Similarly, peace has considerably returned to the southern part of Kaduna State, which used to be one of the epicentres of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria before the Tinubu government came into office. Today, a military operational formation exists in the much neglected Southern Zaria axis, which has boosted military operations beyond the area. It never existed until the current administration came into office.
In Plateau State, the home state of Hon. Gagdi, where ethnic violence has claimed countless lives, the Tinubu administration has also extended military frontiers to contain the epicentres of the violence in the state. This happened under the watch of the same Badaru who Gagdi and his co-travelers asked the President to sack.
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Also, the capacity of the secessionist groups in the South East of Nigeria has been largely degraded, with kinetic and non-kinetic strategies like the hope raised by the establishment of South East Development Commission (SEDC). In the fullness of time SEDC with huge budget will assure the people their days of marginalization is over. Succour some said is coming from unexpected quarters.
Simultaneously oil theft in the Niger Delta region has been reduced substantially, more via non-kinetic approach, thus safeguarding the economy of the country from the ruinous activities of economic saboteurs stealing crude, either for illegal exportation or refining. These grounds were gained under President Tinubu, the Commander-Chief of the Armed Forces and Badaru, his Defence Minister.
Hence, it baffled me to hear a ranking federal lawmaker calling to question the nation’s defence capacity over recent terrorist attacks in the country. I thought that somebody who is a ranking federal lawmaker ought to understand the complexities of Nigeria’s security challenges, which could be likened to guerrilla warfare.
Guerilla or asymmetrical warfare is different from conventional warfare. The terrorist, bandits, insurgents and kidnappers live amongst us. At times, it is even difficult to identify the enemy. This is why a guerilla warfare in any part of the world often lasts longer than the conventional war.
The insecurity in Nigeria today, started almost a decade and half before President Tinubu came to power. Successive governments no doubt did their best and all that is needed today is for all hands to be on deck, as hauling blame games gladden the bandits, insurgents and terrorists. And President Tinubu, being someone not given to offering excuses, has shown enormous political will to bring it to an end, going by the huge defence spending of his government, which is not something to be discussed in the media.
Therefore, all that Badaru, the military and by extension Mr President needs is prayers for the good work they are doing in defense of our dear fatherland. Ordinarily any public officer expects hauling of stones from some quarters, both constructive and less than constructive from one or two mischievous lawmakers out of 360 members of the House of Representatives. This is the juice of democracy with its attendant freedom of speech and association.
So far, the Defence Ministry under Badaru has lived up to expectation. Contrary to the claim of Gagdi and his co-travelers, the Defence Minister has significantly demonstrated the competence and commitment required to secure the country. Indeed, I find it quite incomprehensible that somebody with a thinking faculty could open his mouth wide and say that “since the minister’s appointment, he has focused more on consolidating personal business interests than addressing security threats.” This disinformation orchestrated by the said youth organisation. I will, if am Badaru, challenge this in court of law, but knowing him as a devout muslim, he will most likely throw it into the dustbin of history.
The world knows that Badaru has been working relentlessly to realise the mandate given to him by the Commander-in-Chief to wipe out all undesirable elements, threatening the stability, security and peace of the country. It is an overstatement to say that the security architecture under him has collapsed.
The President understands that security is the backbone of Nigeria’s safety and economic development, that is why he works day and night to reduce insecurity in the country to the barest minimum. Badaru is equally doing a yeoman’s job as the Minister in charge of Defence. Nigerians should see those calling him “a contractor in a camouflage ministry,” for what they are-hired goons want to undermine the efforts of the government, using a destructive campaign of calumny against the Defence Minister.
Every informed Nigerian knows the transparent mindset of Badaru, especially in a scenario where contracts award have many layers and not one man show. All contracts, including defence contracts are taken to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), where they are carefully considered before approval is granted. Accusing Badaru of being a contractor shows the magnitude of the ignorance and distorted mentality of his detractors. Thank God they did not say that Badaru used money meant for equipping the military to buy SUV car for his daughter who finished secondary school.
Even more preposterous is the claim by the youth group that Badaru contributed to equipment shortages and intelligence failures in military operations. The claim is not only baseless, but also unfounded. It shows that they know nothing about the security architecture of the country. The Defence Ministry is a collegiate system and the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence is to supervise the Defence Headquarters, namely Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as the Services institutions and parastatals.
At 63 years, Badaru is not too old or out-of-touch to head the Defence Ministry, as alleged by his detractors. He should be ranked among the youngest Defence Ministers of our time. He is concentrating fully on his job.
He has not shown any ethnic bias in recruitment, procurement, and strategic decisions or whatsoever as they claimed. It is on record that the armed forces have the enviable tradition of meritocracy both in recruitment and promotion. To claim that he heavily favours individuals aligned with his 2027 presidential ambition is a figment of the imagination of his critics. As an administrator, Badaru takes every information given to him seriously and never responds with propaganda.
In conclusion, the call for Badaru’s removal is misguided. Nigerians have confidence in the President’s ability to secure lives and property. The President knows why he chose Badaru to serve as his Defence Minister and he has so far not been found wanting in his duties.
- Mr Osita Okechukwu is a foundation member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and a former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON). He wrote from Abuja.
