Without a doubt, the war against insecurity is still being fiercely fought on different frontiers. But there is a blowing wind of hope which attests to the fact that the Ministry of Defence and all the allied agencies under it are not sleeping on duty. Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has been silently working the mills to surmount the general challenge of insecurity, though he blows no trumpet about this.
Since August 16, 2023 when he and some other ministers were assigned portfolio, Badaru who was governor of Jigawa State for eight years (2015 to 2023) has never hidden his zeal to win the war. The man who strategically kept Jigawa peaceful for the eight years he was in office in the face of grotesque insecurity in the north at that time, has deployed the same strategy to rally the military to a new level of effectiveness. The process has been gradual but steady.
From meetings with international strategic defence partners and experts to rousing the various layers of the nation’s defence apparatchik, the minister has raised a banner of hope which profoundly points to a cup half full; not one, half empty.
While the minister, not one known for garrulity, would rather maintain silence on his strategy, the result of his behind-the-scene actions are writ large and they testify of increased morale within the ranks of the defence sector actors. This is congruous with recent statistics released by the military in the area of counter-terrorism.
Major-General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, recently reeled out figures and facts behind the renewed onslaught on terror and banditry across the nation.
In the first quarter of 2024 he said: “We have employed significant firepower to neutralise several terrorists and disrupt their activities. Indeed, significant number of terrorist commanders killed include but not limited to the following: Abu Bilal Minuki (aka Abubakar Mainok) – Head of Is-Al Furqan Province (ISGS and ISWAP) and Haruna Isiya Boderi,”described as “a notorious terrorist who operated along Birnin Gwari forest in Kaduna State as well as the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.”
He sketched how the operational command and influence of the insurgents notably Kachallah Damina, Kachallah Alhaji Dayi, Kachallah Idi (Namaidaro), Kachallah Ubangida, Alhaji Balsu, and 50 others who terrorised the north-western part of the country were dimmed by sustained widespread military operations. Both aerial and land military operations have resulted in greater harvest with the likes of Damana Hanun Giwa, Ali Kawaje, Yallo Nagashi, Maikusa Katsina, Sai Dangote and other notorious terror merchants eliminated by the troops.
Going by Buba’s account, between January and March this year, a total of 2,351 terrorists were killed, 2,308 suspects were arrested and 1,241 kidnap victims were rescued from different locations and dens of the insurgents, some of whom have turned their heinous vocation into a kidnapping venture which brings them much money. It stands to reason that the resurgence in anti-terror success is largely bolstered by the active engagement of the minister with various stakeholders in the defence value chain. This success under Badaru, though largely nuanced and barely reported for security reasons, has been linked to robust inter-agency relationship engendered by the minister.
The onslaught has also resulted in more seizure of arms and ammunitions from the insurgents. Within the period, a haul of 2,847 weapons and 58,492 ammunitions were harvested from the insurgents. Not many Nigerians are aware that as the military is fighting both internal and external aggression by insurgents, they are also battling with economic saboteurs in the land borders and waterways especially in the creeks of the Niger Delta where millions of litres of stolen crude, diesel, kerosene and petrol have been seized from bunkerers and smugglers.
The terror blight has become an international contagion and only a sub-regional, regional and global synergy will help mitigate or even eradicate the plague. On the international front, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), under the command of Nigeria’s Major General Ibrahim Sallau Ali, has recorded tangible successes within the sub-region. MNJTF comprises essentially military units from Benin Republic, Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger Republic and Chad which houses its headquarters in the capital city of N’Djamena. One of its flagship counter-terrorism offensives is the Operation Nashrul Salam. Nigeria is a major contributor in terms of personnel and funding of the operation of the joint task force.
Aside the deployment of kinetic force by the military to combat insurgency and banditry, Badaru is also deploying diplomatic manoeuvres to rally more support for those on the frontline. Recently, he pleaded with the European Union (EU) to look in the direction of Nigeria, indeed Africa, in terms of funding in the same manner the West is funding Ukraine and other nations under siege. Badaru’s logic is that Africa should not be treated in isolation in the onslaught against terrorism. He noted that the world is now a global village and what affects America or Europe will ultimately impact on Africa and vice versa.
Effective modern defence is tech-driven. Badaru understands this very well. At a recent two-day symposium on Defence Space Administration held in Abuja, the minister emphasized the need for the nation’s security apparatchik to leverage emerging technologies to surmount new challenges, ranging from cyber-attacks to space-based espionage and allied security demands.
“In today’s rapidly evolving world where technological advancements are reshaping the landscape of national security, we must adapt and innovate to protect our defence infrastructure effectively. It is crucial to stay ahead of the curve and harness the power of emerging technologies to fortify our defence and ensure the security of our nation,” the Minister charged the audience made up of the Chief of Defence Space Administration, Air Vice Marshal AA Shinkafi and other top military officers.
Badaru’s charge to the Defence Space Administration after inspecting some light-years-ahead defence infrastructure produced by the Administration was seen as a tonic to boost Nigeria’s military reliance and deployment of indigenous technology. President Tinubu’s quest for a Renewed Hope for all Nigerians through local production of goods and services, and guaranteed safety and security for Nigerians and foreigners living in the country finds a fitting prop in the Badaru charge.
As Tinubu marks his first one year in office amid challenging socio-economic headwinds which he inherited, it has to be said, he should take consolation in the fact that some ministers, the likes of Badaru, Nyesom Wike, Dele Alake, Dave Umahi, among others, have shown enough devotion to duty and commitment to the cause of herding Nigeria out of the woods.
When Badaru was assigned the defence portfolio, many had wondered what an accountant, activist and sports enthusiast and administrator would bring to the office at such a critical time. But today, even the fiercest critics of the Tinubu government will admit that there is a general air of improvement in security, though there is still a vast room for improvement. One of Tinubu’s desires in his Renewed Hope agenda is to defend the territorial integrity of the nation and to secure lives and property within. He has certainly found a worthy partner in Badaru, himself an exemplar of peace even as governor of Jigawa State.
•Adelaja, security analyst, writes from Lagos.
