SIR: “All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed: and third, it is accepted as self-evident”, so said Arthur Schopenhauer. In other words, truth can be ridiculed, violently opposed for a while but in the end it has the capacity to manifest and be accepted as self-evident. The statement of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh is the point in mind here.
While delivering his valedictory address at his pulling-out from the Nigerian Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Badeh said inter alia that; “For the first time, I was head of a military that lacked the relevant equipment and motivation to fight an enemy that was invisible and embedded with the local populace”.
It will be recalled that sometime last year, some soldiers who legitimately demanded for relevant equipment to fight the insurgents were surprisingly charged with conspiracy to mutiny (insubordination or insurrection of the armed forces against the authority of their commanders), tried and convicted and sentenced to death by the general court-martial.
The same concern raised by the affected soldiers is what has now been confirmed by Badeh. For daring to expose the true state of affairs in the military (i.e. lack of relevant weapons) despite the mind-boggling sums voted for security, they were considered APC soldiers who needed to be confined or silenced immediately. Remember, this happened at a time when any action or information that was of adverse effect to Jonathan’s presidential ambition was linked to the APC by the PDP and those who were sympathetic to Jonathan.
This evidence is credible enough to set the convicted soldiers free. It’s a clarion call for President Muhammadu Buhari to order an immediate review of the solders conviction and death sentence. They should be released forthwith to re-unite with their families, with apology and adequate compensation for defamation of character, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment etc.
On the other hand, the activities of the fifth columnists in the military and other security agencies who leaked (and still leak) operational plans and other sensitive military information to the terrorists must be investigated and those found culpable sanctioned as may be in tandem with extant laws.
Again, it is contended that while it is the responsibility of the military to maintain the territorial integrity of the nation and secure its borders from violation on land, sea or air, it is equally the responsibility of the Federal Government to equip and maintain the military as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose. President Muhammadu Buhari should rise to this challenge of adequately equipping and maintaining the military as it is the only sure way of building a reliable military and defeating the war against Boko Haram. The president’s initiative in tackling this challenge so far is highly commended. His recent official visit to the US is expected to sooner than later make this challenge a thing of the past.
As for Badeh, his statement would have been appreciated if he had the courage to voice this out in the days of the Jonathan administration. Even if he would have been fired as was typical of the administration, it would have catapulted him into the league of true professionals.
- Hundu Saaku Anthony Makurdi.
