SALUTE TO PATRIOTIC GALLANTS IN SERVICE OF MOTHERLAND - Ismaila O Rabiu

World history is replete with accounts on men and women who brought in their exceptional bravery and guts in the defence of their society and community at critical times of danger and despair. In Nigeria, our primitive history has many hunters, as individuals or in groups, who waved off marauding wild and dangerous animals attempting to invade villages. We do not lack as well those brave warriors and rulers who fought to protect their communities from external aggression and invasion, or imposition of external influence or will by warlords from other distant or nearby community. 

The early time narrations of acts of gallantry extensively centred on wars and community defence mostly dominated by the male species of the homo sapiens. In this fold, stories around great men like Napoleon Bonaparte of France were so rampant.  Shaka Senzangakona de Zulu of South Africa and other successful warriors in human history like Ozolua of Benin Empire, and Mirambo and Zaude featured frequently in war narratives. However, the battlefield exploits and unique leadership of the likes of Queen Amina of Zaria, Moremi Ajasoro of Ile-Ife and Madam Nwanyeruwa that led the 1929 Aba women riot show that warfare and gallantry as references to patriotic duty have never been an exclusive reserve of the menfolk.

In modern times, patriotic duty to one’s motherland has expanded beyond participating in war and war-like engagements to defend the society and safe its people. Selfless contribution to nation building and upholding the highest values when called upon to render service to attaining the collective aspiration of the people form a core consideration today in patriotism besides gallantry on the battlefield. In this class of patriotic citizenry belonged our amiable late Dr Dora Akunyili and Margaret Ekpo who showed unparalleled love for motherland and service to humanity at one time in our recent history. 

Currently writing their names in gold through patriotic representation of motherland on the international arena after unblemished service within the interior are Dr Oby Ezekwesili and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealla. These great citizens of Nigeria, and others like them, with strong will, impeccable character, very brave and unalloyed integrity, stand uniquely neat and tall among peers. They will always be in the roll call of patriotic service to motherland in the face of threats and dangers to selves and personal interests. Through their unwavering services, they variously represent an epitome of patriotism and deserve a mention as this piece sets the tune of tribute and salute to our gallant soldiers, men and women in military uniform toiling in the field to ensure Nigeria’s safety, unity and peace.

The soldier, as a collective reference to the great officers and men and women in the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) has always answered the patriotic call and rendered selfless service in defence of motherland. Through his military service, the soldier is a utility asset vital to national cohesion and maintenance of internal safety and security. He is a key instrument of government in the pursuit of foreign policy objectives and securing a place of recognition by the country on the global stage. The strength of the military, symbolized by the quality and prowess of its soldiers, and derived from ratings of accomplishments in battle against the enemy, is a vital consideration for national respects in the comity of nations. 

Hence, besides keeping the country safe for government to function effectively, the Nigerian soldier has been instrumental to global peace through call of duty in many nations of the world. His exploit in the Congo Republic, Liberia and Sierra Leone among others, would remain a pointer in war history as great sacrifices and patriotism,

In peacetime and war, the soldier must train adequately to prepare for duty and answer the clarion call in the defence of motherland at home and its interests abroad. As an extension of the rigorous, energy sapping, energy exhausting, physically challenging and mentally demanding training the soldier must pass through in the Nigerian Defence Academy as cadet, or the Nigerian Army Depot and equivalent in other Services as other rank, the frontier of war preparation is always expanding across units and formations. To be fit for deployment in battle and protect his nation’s boundaries from any form of external attack, or quickly quell insurrection, internal crisis, inter-communal conflicts, or be in war mode for expansionism and other duties his nation might require of him, the soldier has not much time for his person. 

The situation in the frontline whenever and wherever the soldier is deployed in battle is difficult to visualize or graphically represented for citizens and political masters to capture. It is more challenging than during peacetime, fraught with dangers of injuries and death likely to arise from enemy action and the unbearably extremely inclement weathers and abundant presence of all classes of unfriendly animals. To the soldier, each passing day during combat is full of uncertainties and unpredictability. His surviving to see the next hour is never sure, and each passing moment is in the hands of his creator, almighty God, for operations successes as planned and victory over the adversaries. The sacrifice by the soldier towards protecting motherland and the citizenry is thus enormous and cannot be quantified or adequately compensated.    

In the last one and a half decades, the soldier has been busy in combat engagement to safe Nigeria from the clutches of a combination of insecurity, insurgency and terrorism that started through the emergence of Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) group in 2010 around the Northeast of Nigeria. Today, the country has, in addition to BHTs, the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) and Lakurawa ravaging and wrecking various forms of havoc on communities and villages mostly along the Northwest. In other zones of the country, there are other groups and classes of arm-bearing agitators, deadly in nature, that confront our AFN in war-like encounters as non-state actors. The last 15 years has thus brought the soldier into extreme conditions of dangers and death besides long separation from family in order to restore the country to peace and safety through our counterterrorism counterinsurgency (CTCOIN) operations across the land.

Our CTCOIN has been unexpectedly intractable. In this period, despite the greatly high commitment by the soldier and the resources involved, the state of insecurity remains extremely volatile and poses a seemingly unsurmountable phony outlook. It is a test of the soldier’s will and endurance, which the Nigerian soldier can never capitulate. The ding-dong in the operations and occasional high propensity comeback staged by the adversaries might not be completely unexpected. A combination of factors could be responsible for this. It is the characteristics of the non-conventional warfare, which CTCOIN belongs, and peculiarities of the theatre environment that is mostly urbanized in nature and boundless in many areas.

Besides, the piecemeal placement of order for vital military needs and the interval of time taken to arrive on the field for the soldier’s use greatly disrupt operations flow and sustenance of onslaught on the enemy with planned firepower intensity. Such delays in equipment supply to the soldier alongside the ever-present other likely forms of sabotage; spy and espionage against the AFN, within and from outside, inadvertently aid the terrorists in unimaginable dimensions. 

The overall effect of the intracted CTCOIN is vividly visible in the unacceptably high casualty figures recorded so far not only on the soldier but also among the civilian populace irrespective of the distance from the epicentre of operations. It has placed the country in dire situation and exerting tolls on the government and people. The ongoing terrorism and insurgency are a great distraction to government preventing the needed attention and concentration of scarce resources on the vital areas of development. They are like war; and war is not good for any nation that allows it fought or staged for too long on its soil.

It creates orphans and widows and millions of internally displaced persons whose existence and dignity as humans have been tampered. The outcome of war is unpredictable, and it could cause the collapse of the nation if not quickly ended. Towards this, all hands must be on deck to bring the CTCOIN to an immediate successful ending through our collective support and motivation for the soldier in particular, the AFN in general, and the country through the government. 

The citizens of Nigeria are becoming impatient with endless expectations of total return to peace. The AFN is over staying too on CTCOIN. It needs to go back to barracks on time to avoid being caught in an unprepared mode for actual war, which is its primary role, in case any agressive nation decides to test Nigeria this moment from any flank. The possibility of any eventuality should not be totally ruled out. The high unpredictability of the turn of events across the world and within Africa does not seem to guarantee permanent positions on geopolitical issues. The President and Commander-in-Chief is urged to please resolve, as we commemorate the Armed Forces Remembrance and Celebration Day on 15  January today, to end the CTCOIN this 2025. Yes, this year!  

To end our CTCOIN this year is not impossible. It could be hard and demanding though, but not unachievable for our  military. The calibre of our battle winning AFN and the dedication of the soldier when adequately provided with necessary equipment to fight have global recognition. Most of what is required for our victory depends on government to meet. Abubakar Adamu Ibrahin asked a relevant question in the Daily Trust newspaper of 9 January 2025: “do we truly know how to end Boko Haram crisis?’ (Back cover, Line of Sight). And I ask here too: “why is our insecurity protracted and resurfacing in other areas hitherto peaceful’? Why has death become so cheap in Nigeria as if no one cares despite the huge sacrifice of the soldier in the frontline? Who benefits from the current insecurity in Nigeria?

To  continue in Part 2

Rabiu is a retired Major General of the Nigerian Army and contributes this piece from Abuja

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