THE ongoing war against Boko Haram insurgency recorded another
mutinous oddity recently when wives and children of army troops
barricaded Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, thus preventing them from
being moved to the war front.
They claimed that the soldiers were poorly equipped and were only
being sent to die at the hands on the insurgents. It would be recalled
that some months ago, a senior commander was shot at by unruly
soldiers, who felt he gave orders capable of exposing soldiers to
unnecessary harm.
Although the military authorities were able to manage these
unfortunate and unusual events quite unbecoming of a disciplined
army, it is yet another indication of the strange terrain that the
insurgency has plunged the nation into. We are seriously worried that
these troubling signs within our armed forces – the defenders of the
citizenry and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria –
indicate that all may not be well within.
Much as the protests were understandable, they tended to portray our
fighting troops in a poor light while lionising the insurgents and their
backers. High morale is the fuel that drives soldiers to exploits in the
battlefield. Certainly, the action taken by the family members of the
troops just before they were taken to the theatre of action caused
more harm than good not only to the troops as individuals but also
to the nation at large. It was also capable of demoralising the
citizenry and further hampering the war on terror.
It is important to give families of members of the armed forces and
police the necessary orientation suitable for the line of profession
chosen by their loved ones. These are heroes who have volunteered to
lay down their lives in the defence of the fatherland, if need be. It is a
noble calling unlike any other, and it has existed since the beginning
of organised human societies.
However, we call on the federal government to look into the fears the
protesters brought to the fore. They were not against the soldiers
going to the war front. Rather, they were afraid that their safety
looked compromised by perceived lack of appropriate tools to get the
job done with minimum casualty. It was a legitimate concern, even
though wrongly applied.
The war on terror has become a worldwide assignment. Over the past
twenty years, certain elements of best practice have become obvious
for countries saddled with terrorism. We should reorient our armed
forces to the demands of the new warfare, backing them with modern
equipment. We should also tap into expert technical advice from more
experienced nations. It is fairly within reach.
Let us fight this war without fear or doubt. We shall win it.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/protest-soldiersfamilies/

op i agree wt u dat dis soldiers shld b properly equipped n dats y oga gej dey ask 4 N2 bn

bt lets not 4get dat dis women did more harm by giving BH prior info on d deployment

abi u think say BH no dey online?