As the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari winds down in a few months’ time, the question whether he has justified his position as President in the last 8 years continue to rage among Nigerians as the issue of insecurity persists. Although President Buhari in a recent statement claimed he has fulfilled all his promises to Nigerians. Former Chief of Army Staff, Ambassador Tukur Buratai in this exclusive interview speaks on his role in the fight against insurgency and other sundry national issues.
Excerpts:
President Muhammad Buhari in his 2015 inaugural speech promised to subdue Boko Haram insurgency. Do you think he has kept to that promise?
When he assumed power in May 2015, he was resolute in his determination to extinguish Boko Haram terrorism and restore peace in Nigeria. The president came fully prepared with all the right information about the root causes of the insurgency and terrorism. He rightly said that “an eccentric and unorthodox preacher with a tiny following was given posthumous fame and a following by his extrajudicial murder at the hands of the police. Since then, through official bungling, negligence, complacency, or collusion, Boko Haram became a terrifying force, taking tens of thousands of lives and capturing several towns and villages, covering swathes of Nigerian sovereign territory.”
And this is the true picture or summary of the Boko Haram armed insurrection. The murder of Muhammad Yusuf by the police was clearly extrajudicial. Negligence, complacency, and collusion with the proponents and strategic leaders of the Boko Haram insurgency for selfish reasons caused the insurgency to degenerate into a full blown nightmare. In that statement, the President made it clear that there were lapses in the way our police operate. That notwithstanding, he also made it clear that the methods used by members of the sect qualified them to be labelled as mindless and godless human beings. He also told Nigerians and the international community that the terrorists were not true Muslims.
President Buhari, therefore, came on board with a clear-cut strategy to subdue the Boko Haram insurgency and restore peace to the North-East region and Nigeria in general.
The President said, “The command center will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain until Boko Haram is completely subdued.” The point I am trying to make is that he used the word “subdued,” and I say this with every sense of responsibility that the Buhari administration had subdued the Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism.
As his premier chief of army staff, and as the longest one that served under him for that matter, I think I owe it a duty to Nigerians and the whole world to say it as it is. The president subdued Boko Haram. Greater details will be revealed in my memoire in the future. How did he do it, and what are the parameters or yardsticks to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of this assertion? They are what I intend to address in my memoire.
Now, I do not know who drafted that inaugural speech for the president, but I believe it will go down in history as one of the most inspiring inaugural speeches in the history of Nigeria. It was painstakingly and meticulously written from a well-informed perspective. The choice of the word “subdue” was unique and very apt to my mind.
What made you think that the insurgents and terrorists did not succeed?
This is where most Nigerians get it wrong because they think victory over Boko Haram terrorists means a total cessation of hostilities. Total cessation of hostilities will happen only when the terrorist group agrees to forsake their ideology, embrace democracy, respect our constitution, and cling to peace. To such people, I will say that they need to understand what insurgency is, its rationale and modus operandi, and, of course, its complexities and peculiarities. They will have to counterbalance this with the principles of human rights. According to world-renowned scholar on terrorism, Philip H. Gordon, “Victory in the war on terror will not mean the end of terrorism, the end of tyranny, or the end of evil, utopian goals that have all been articulated at one time or another. Terrorism, after all (to say nothing of tyranny and evil), has been around for a long time and will never go away entirely. From the Zealots in the first century and to the Red Brigades, …the Irish Republican Army, the Tamil Tigers, and others in more recent times, terrorism has been a tactic used by the weak in an effort to produce political change. Like violent crime, deadly disease, and other scourges, it can be reduced and contained. But it cannot be totally eliminated. This is a critical point, because the goal of ending terrorism entirely is not only unrealistic but also counterproductive—just as is the pursuit of other utopian goals.
Gordon went on to further explain in his book that victory in the war against terrorism, means not the complete elimination of any possible terrorist threat—pursuing that goal will almost certainly lead to more terrorism, not less—but rather the reduction of the risk of terrorism to such a level that it does not significantly affect average citizens’ daily lives, preoccupy their thoughts, or provoke overreaction. At that point, even the terrorists will realize their violence is futile. Keeping this vision of victory in mind will not only avert considerable pain, expense, and trouble; it will also guide leaders toward the policies that will bring such a victory about
Many Nigerians believe that the military is not doing enough to secure the country, and the security situation has deteriorated. People are now afraid to travel by car. Is it possible for a ragtag and untrained group to defeat the Nigerian military in battle?
First of all, let me correct you by saying you got it wrong when you said many Nigerians are complaining that the military is not doing enough; you got it wrong! On the contrary, many Nigerians appreciate the military. It is only those who don’t see anything good in the country that don’t appreciate the effort of the government in terms of dealing with insecurity across the country. What the Nigerian military confronted and subdued is an insurgency with an international collaboration and support. It’s what Mali is facing that despite the presence of Operation BARKHANE and the United Nations peacekeeping, Mali couldn’t cope. At the moment, the Russians have been summoned to come and assist Mali to tackle the jihadists. But the Nigerian military has subdued the insurgents, terrorists and jihadists; the northeast region is now calm and very stable. All the local government area councils that were hitherto under the control of Boko Haram have been reclaimed and people displaced from these areas have since gone back to their localities. You say rag tag group; for your information, Boko Haram which started as a rag tag group had been armed with sophisticated weapons and financed from their international collaborators. They have evolved into a sophisticated terrorists group that knows how to make use of modern techniques of warfare to cause mayhem. And don’t forget that it is always easy to destroy. One criminal person with a Kalashnikov in his hand can cause great destruction in a community that can attract headlines. Anyone who knows the history of guerilla warfare will tell you that fighting that kind of warfare is complicated because there are no clear defined rules of engagement, territory and identification of the enemy. Nevertheless, whatever it is, Nigerian the military dealt with them to the extent that the 2022 World Terrorism Index recorded that the major improvement achieved in countering terrorism in Sub Saharan Africa and the entire world was because of the efforts of Nigeria and then Mozambique.
What are some of the reasons that make you say the Nigerian government has defeated Boko Haram?
It is expedient to mention here that internally displaced persons taking refuge in various camps in the city of Maiduguri have now been moved back to their hometowns: Konduga, Bama, Gwoza, Monguno,Kukawa and Dikwa, just to name a few. Over 20,000 hostages were rescued through various commando style raids and rescue missions by the Army. The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Airforce under Operation LAFIY DOLE now Operation HADIN KAI were also able to identify, monitor, and eliminate top Boko Haram commanders with the support of President Buhari. Furthermore, I need not to say it hear that over 100,000 insurgents have surrendered to the government, and many more are coming out.
Your assumption as COAS in 2015 reinvigorated counterinsurgency operations in Nigeria. What was the secret?
The people of the North-East realized that the president was passionate about restoring peace and stability to Borno State and the entire North-East region of the country. Winning the hearts and minds of the local population was a major event that turned the tables against the insurgents because it saw the emergence of a re-invigorated joint civil-military operations task force, which is a joint task force composed of military operations formations from more than one service. A central coordination unit was created civil and humanitarian activities. It assists the joint force commander in humanitarian or nation-assistance operations, theater campaigns, or civil-military operations occurring concurrently.
How would you characterize the country’s fight against terrorism since you left office as COAS?
Thumbs up to the military especially Operation HADIN KAI. They are doing a great job. This is why the terrorists have been surrendering to the government. Over 100,000 have surrendered and many more are coming out.
What words of comfort do you have for the Nigerian people in the face of the country’s insecurity?
I don’t think I have a word of comfort of determination and sacrifice. Let them be resilient and never succumb to the threats of the insurgents and terrorists. What the terrorists want is to instill fear in the minds of people so much so that the people will be afraid to go to their farms, to businesses and send their children to school. We must all take a stand and show that we are not with the insurgents and the terrorists. What the military is doing is fighting for the safety of the people; the military is there to protect and defend the people. The military is not just fighting the terrorists on their own; they are there because of the people. This war is a people’s war, and not just a military thing. Therefore, we must all get involved. Be resilient, provide timely and credible intelligence, and avoid any action or group that will disrupt the peace. We have a duty to ensure that we entrench peace right from our homes. We must also know what every member of our community is engaged in.
The war against terrorism has been on for over a decade, your state Borno has been ravaged and some are calling for a change of tactics. What’s your take on this as a military veteran?
Who are those calling for a change of tactics? It is easy for people to sit down and criticize but I can assure you that the military is always evaluating and changing their tactics to adopt to new challenges posed by the insurgents and terrorist. This is why the insurgents and the terrorists got defeated. Instead of meaningless and incessant criticism that is capable of killing morale of the troops and their commanders, I will encourage locals to support the military with credible and timely information, and prayers.
What are your thoughts on the current military’s tactics for combating terrorism and banditry in the country?
The military is basically charged with the use of kinetic approaches in dealing with terrorists and bandits. And so far so good they are doing well although I will say more effort need to put be in the fight against the bandits. But counterinsurgency operations also involve non-kinetic components which the military has been using to prosecute this counterinsurgency operation.
What is your take on the current military’s tactics in decimating banditry and terrorism in the country?
I’ll say, let them maintain it and keep up the aggressive assaults. Additionally, collaboration and synergy with other sister agencies is crucial. They must avoid being distracted and keep their attention on their task.
How would you describe the fight against terrorism in the country since you left office as the COAS?
Well, you must understand that the military is not a one man show; even when I was in service, I worked with a team, and I am happy to say that many of them are still in service. The current CDS and the COAS served under me as Theater Commander of OP LAFIYA DOLE now OP HADIN KAI. By and large, I will say that they are doing well. Whatever little success we were able to achieve during my tenure, we did it together; it was a collective effort.
The 2023 general election is just by the corner; what advice do you have for the military to ensure a hit-free poll as far as security is concerned?
They must stick to their constitutional role and remain apolitical. I understand that the military may be called in to assist the civil police at some point, but only when things are about to get out of hand. I think the electorate must not succumb to fear or intimidation; they should come out and exercise their civic duty. At the same time, all of us must be vigilant; if you see something suspicious, try to say something to the right authorities.
There is the story of your long connection to President Buhari, beginning with his deployment as Military Governor of North East State. Can you help us recall this and its culmination during your time as Force Commander of MNJTF and COAS?
Yes, President Buhari and I have come a long way because destiny connected us in 1975, when he was the military governor of Borno State and I was a Form One student at Borno Teacher’s College Maiduguri. He used to come to the school in the evenings to watch us play football. When I was running off the pitch to get the ball after hitting the ball so hard that it knocked down one of my classmates, the then-Colonel Buhari said to me, “You this boy! The army is what suits you best.
One thing led to another, and I was transferred to Teacher’s College Potiskum, while then–Col Buhari left Borno to serve as Petroleum Minister in the government of General Olusegun Obasanjo. I finished Teacher’s College, taught in a primary school at Buratai, studied at Borno College of Basic Studies, Maiduguri, and then enlisted into the NDA in 1981. I got commissioned in December 1983 and heard that Major General Buhari the new Head of State. I proceeded to 26 Battalion in Elele, Rivers State, I also met with him in 1996 in his when he served this meritoriously served this country as Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). I accompanied my boss then Brigadier General Gabriel Kpamber who was the PSO to the Head of State. I was his staff officer. The office of the PSO to the Head of State coordinated the approval of the establishment of PTF for the Armed Forces. The first chairman for the Armed Forces was Major General Unimna. Then we had a great historic reunion in 2015 when he visited Ndjamena as the newly democratically elected President of Nigeria. At that time, I was the Force Commander, MNJTF. When he returned to Nigeria and wanted to appoint his service chiefs, he appointed me as the 20th COAS. So he has been my leader and mentor in the past, now, and always.
What advice is best for the young officers and soldiers on the frontlines of service to the nation?
I have written and published a book known as Thoughts and Principles on Leadership. I am recommending it to all military officers to read. But that notwithstanding, my candid advice to young officers and soldiers is to remember the seven core Army values: their unit, the Army, God, and country. They must remain patriotic and keep on developing their skills and improving their competence.
What is your take about dialogue, negotiations and mediation?
You must understand that I am now a civilian who has ventured into diplomacy and politics. Some of my perspectives have changed. For example, when I was in service as COAS, my constitutional mandate was to use kinetic power to deal with the insurgents so as to protect the lives, properties and safeguard the territorial integrity of Nigerians. It was not my duty or responsibility to suggest, initiate or partake in dialogue or negotiations with terrorists and bandits. But the military can force the terrorists, bandits, insurgents to surrender and accept negotiated terms favorable to the legitimate authority which is the government. I tell you towards the last half of 2020 the bandits were calling for negotiations through some prominent individuals. This was a result of the pressure mounted on the bandits. Many of their fighters, collaborators, logistic suppliers and informants were either neutralized, captured or had escaped out of the country for safety. Much more details will be coming out in my memoire in the future by the grace of God.