₦airaland Forum

bidexiii:
Dude just do a little bit of research okay. Am not a big fan of GEJ but am still not happy from Buhari achievements in the ongoing war against BHT. I was excepting much from him as a retired military man, yet has dealt with BH more than GEJ.

https://www.cfr.org/article/boko-harams-deadly-impact

John Campbell has been keeping track of civilian casualties it's no secret and for ulterior motives mostly to spite the prowess of the Nigerian Army. But ISWAP is not interested in civilian body count as Shekau's faction is and ISWAP is the game in town knocking down military outposts in quick succession leading to high casualty rates of our soldiers which is a strategic attempt by them to occupy the North-East unchallenged. That to me is an even greater danger than Boko haram.

BabaOwen:
Since the war against this insurgency started, I think ihejirika is the best COAS in this fight against boko haram.

Generals Ihejirika, Irabor, Ezugwu. Arguably Minimah who should be credited with stemming the tide in acts of insubordination to advance. The combination of Generals Leo Irabor and Ezugwu as CDS and COAS respectively should change the dynamics of this war quickly. But we can't discountenace the current Air Chief who I think is best suited for CDS. He's a warrior.

BabaOwen:
Lol... Are soldiers still fleeing from boko haram or not? Are there still refugees camp in borno or not? What was buhari promise before he became the president? Boko haram is controlling 8 out of 10 local government in borno north.

A fact everyone knows. We can't win with lies. And all this became prevalent under Buhari.

bidexiii:
Says who...?
Stop displaying your ignorance.

I beg to disagree. The stats don't add up to any objective observer. Any one can put up statistics for propaganda purposes not least this current government adepth at lying with Lai Mohammed and Garba Shehu both masters of disinformation. Pls who is the author of those figures? Is it against civilian targets or military targets? Because the whole world knows the frequency of bold brazen attacks on military outposts started in high intensity under this administration especially since the fall of 2017. Its public info.

BabaOwen:
Ejiofor Alike



The Super Camp strategy adopted by the military in the war against insurgency in the North-east may have given the terrorists opportunity to occupy more territories from where they launch assaults on the troops, THISDAY investigation has revealed.

Under the SuperCamp strategy, the military, in what appeared like a tactical retreat, pulled out its battalions from all the camps occupied by troops and relocated them to heavily fortified cities where their brigade headquarters are located.

In the wake of criticism from Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum and some communities in the state, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, had said the Super Camp was the way to victory, adding that the Nigerian Army was expanding on the idea to defeat the insurgents.

He had disclosed that 20 super camps had been established so far and described the concept as “the concentration of formidable fighting forces in strongholds that have the capacity for swift mobility.

“This requires the forces to be proactive, dogged, and capable of making bold offensives at all times to defeat the adversary by denying freedom of action.

“To support the super camp concept, we have inducted more manpower and equipment in this theatre.”

But THISDAY gathered that as the soldiers concentrated inside these heavily-guarded Super Camps, all the military posts previously occupied by the troops were taken over by the terrorists, thus making it difficult for soldiers to venture outside the super camps without falling victims to landmines and ambush by the terrorists.

Zulum had at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari complained that the super camp strategy was “unwise and not working” and lamented that the withdrawal of troops from many towns to be concentrated on a particular area was the reason for the increasing attacks on Borno communities by insurgents.

The governor’s disapproval was followed by a letter by some communities to Buhari urging a review of the security situation, adding that they have lost confidence in the military following incessant attacks by the insurgents without appropriate response from the troops.

Two soldiers who returned from the war in the North-east at the weekend told THISDAY that Boko Haram fighters are now moving freely in all the areas the troops had withdrawn from, thereby complicating the war.

“Concentration of troops in one location has brought setback to the war. Boko Haram fighters are moving freely in all the areas our troops withdrew from. They lay mines freely and ambush soldiers. Each time troops go for ‘clearance exercise,’ the casualties are very heavy because of landmines and ambush by Boko Haram. Before they came up with this idea of Super Camp, soldiers were everywhere keeping watch over the dangerous routes,” one of the soldiers said.

He added that the movement of soldiers has become endangered because of the landmines and ambush by Boko Haram who have taken over all the military posts previously occupied by the soldiers.


According to him, in one of the most recent attacks, the terrorists ambushed troops going from Damaturu to Biu and snatched four gun trucks and N15 million from the soldiers after killing one soldier and wounding another.

“The soldiers were going to Biu from Damaturu. The N15 million cash was for their feeding and ration allowance,” he said.

Another soldier cited the case of the 155 Battalion, which he said had withdrawn from Banki Junction in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

“All the troops at Banki Junction and along the road withdrew to the Brigade Headquarters at Bama where they formed the Super Camp. Banki Junction is where they built Abu Ali Shooting Range in honour of Lt. Col. Abu Ali who died in the war. There is a filling station and a mosque at the junction. Soldiers of 155 Battalion were worshipping at the mosque and using the filling station as park because it was not destroyed. But as I am talking to you, Boko Haram is using the shooting range and worshipping at the mosque and moving freely in that axis because of the withdrawal of the troops.

Soldiers serving at the Brigade Headquarters at Bama must pass through this junction before they go to Maiduguri. They must pass through this junction before they go to Gwoza, which has link to Adamawa State. They must pass through this junction before they go to the main Banki town, which is the boundary with Cameroon. With Boko Haram moving freely and laying mines in these places, it is now difficult for soldiers to leave their base in Bama,” he stated.

According to him, as part of the war strategy, soldiers who were stationed at Pulka have been moved to their Brigade Headquarters in Gwoza.

He said it is now dangerous for soldiers or civilians within Maiduguri to go beyond Konduga Local Government Area.

“If you go beyond Konduga, you are in an enemy territory because soldiers have withdrawn from those places,” he added.

But when contacted, the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, invited THISDAY to Maiduguri for on-the-spot assessment.

He volunteered to take THISDAY round the affected areas to get the actual first-hand knowledge of the war situation.


https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/09/16/revealed-how-militarys-super-camp-strategy-aids-boko-haram-to-hold-positions/

I cannot blame Major General Olusegun Adeniyi for any recent losses which are still insignificant though painful like any other skirmishes. It is too early in the day since his taking of the North-East theater command (OPLD). His job seem to be consolidation of the Super Camp strategy.

Generally as I've long observed Southern officers have performed better in this war than their Northern counterparts no offense. All of them are well educated and in many cases military and academic scholars in their own right but there's just something of Northern officers performing better in the South and Southern Officers performing better in the North in this country. Evidently our Fulani President struggles to see beyond his nose in giving out command.

One other thing I've observed is that while we are quick to blame Generals Olonishakin, Buratai and the top echelon of the military and rightly so (for the length of time they have have been there and no visible signs of any military victory soon), we foreclose the reality of most of these Senior Officers not given free reign to operate as they would want. Right from the Jonathan years some hawks have always wanted to escalate this war into neighboring countries but politicians and politics hamstring them giving terrorists space for freedom of action which saw them at its height occupying a territory the size of Belgium. The MNJTF came on board but too late to the fight. Right now almost all known COIN/CT tactics have been employed at huge cost.

There is a dearth of new ideas and despite comparing notes this Super Camp strategy appears to be the best option for now except the dynamics of the war changes. The option of spreading thin forces in far-flung remote enclaves has proven costly in men and materials. Indeed at the time I did advocate that option to out-guerilla the guerrillas but ISWAP has proven a capable enemy and good at adapting to whatever we throw at them. We can't continue fighting a war without an objective goal. Is it when soldiers start committing suicide more often than desertion before we start looking at bringing them home.

Which brings me again to the only lasting solution for peace except we want to be in a forever war for which I don't see any end in sight. The end of this dark tunnel is peace in the North-East for our people's and that is to identify moderate elements of this belligerents and start some form of peace talks. We can do away with the toga of "terrorists for them" and use the appellation "insurgents" instead like we used for MEND and if possible find a way they can live with us in peace in sections of the North-East. This is better done under a Muslim president. Even an elder Chief Edwin Clark and other foremost elders have said something like this recently and it is wisdom..

That Nigeria needs to sit down and talk. This talk of restructuring makes sense. We cannot continue over-stretching the Armed Forces to be in a constant state of war fighting home and abroad every decade. The day the Army falls apart Nigeria as we know it will cease to exist.

Right now with the tensions in the land many ethnic-nationalists are rooting for secession if some form of justice is not seen to be done in the 2023 national elections. When we decide how we want to live including elements of Boko Haram that are Nigerians we can then send the bigger Whale of them after the small fishes and export this war to the deserts of the Sahara up north.

These are pertinent issues for consideration.

SamuelAnyawu:
I am trying my best not to comment on the Northern Borno issue. If these guys successfully cut off Gajiram in Nganzai LGA and also Gajiganna in Magumeri LGA like how they have done in Marte, Gudzamala,Kukawa i make bold to say that Monguno and Damasak might fall this year.

God should answer my prayers let me get a job back to the Capital

Maiduguri is still their goal. And it's not beyond commanders to think ISWAP/BHT might already be smuggling in arms and men dressed as civilians and women for a major offensive in the Borno capital. These guys clearly have studied the military's modus operandi. Remember the RUF carried out such deadly infiltration in Freetown which though put down by the Nigerian Army came at a huge cost of blood. Such a mistake must never be allowed to happen. A lot of their movements now owes to the new Super Camp strategy but it is still a stretch to think Monguno or Damasak may fall anytime soon. For that to happen ISWAP will need to pull up a grand offensive the likes we've not seen because those are garrison towns and heavily defended. But it will be correct to assume they are currently probing those defenses for any chance at success. The ambushes and harrassment of Army combat troops recently are too often to dismiss with a wave of the hand. The military will need to come up with something urgently to preempt any embarrassing surprise. One mistake we have often made in this war is underestimating ISWAP.

BabaOwen:
GEJ performed more better than buhari in this fight against boko haram and iswap. Even though GEJ was a failure, buhari is turning out to be a failure disaster.

Something many of us have acknowledged for at least a year now. Even the heavy equipments they are currently using to prosecute the war was bought by the Jonathan administration. I have challenged anyone to show me the weapons bought by this administration. I didn't say paid for because what they claimed they bought was already ordered by the military which plans for the future. And let's talk about the officers. Everyone criticized Badeh & Minimah but they had a good strategy of winning the war. They came up with the MNJTF and hot pursuit tactical measures. Dasuki for all his sins was a brilliant NSA. We didn't have this level of insecurity in the land. Their only Achilles hill was corruption but at least they showed something for it whilst the current ones no different from being corrupt have eroded whatever little gains they had since appointment by lack of new ideas and foresight worsened by the grave incompetence of the current C-in-C.

AskiaHarem:
You expected no friendlies to die or get injured in this war?

Says the armchair general. You think anyone actually takes pleasure when a brother falls at the front. You clearly have no idea what that does to the psych of even the most battle hardened soldier. COIN warfare has always been known to eventually drain soldiers the longer it goes on. We are not there yet but the signs of the strains are slowly showing and ISWAP/BHT is merely doing what they know has paid off in history: hunker down in guerilla warfare for as long as it takes because one loss of the enemy is one too much but for them they are willing to pay the price in men not counting the cost. See the difference. So for that reason one form of ineptitude from the top down through the chain of command just cannot be and should no longer be tolerated in the Army, something I've been advocating long before you joined this forum and besides you are not more patriotic or Nigerian than any of us here.

Food for thought. It's about time to end the war.
https://punchng.com/spiritual-efforts-needed-to-defeat-boko-haram-buratai/

shey we talk am...e don dey happen. As for me I'd say again I think it's about time to start looking for ways not limited to direct combat to bring this Nigerian Military North-East Campaign to an honourable end. It is called winning the peace of cos whichever way we want to define that peace.
https://punchng.com/spiritual-efforts-needed-to-defeat-boko-haram-buratai/

jln115:
Ok Agaugust time for bed!

Good my boy, the concoction is working, you may sleep now. We will continue to monitor reactions. Hopefully your next post we don't see the strain of Agaugust Augustinian flu bedeviling you else I might be considering recommending a combination of Boar isolationism and Xhosa exorcism therapy. C'mon now bed time jnr115.

Uncouth:
Ain't you a peach, take a sip from your cool aid to wash down your fufu. I don't know in which world your country can be described as developed.

Whose this non-entity -- just as his name a perfect specimen of xenophobia. You have the temerity to ask me about development cos we Nigerians permitted you to be let loose to dine with us your masters without giving you the proper etiquettes for which reason your untamed manners are on the loose everywhere biting the fingers that fed you. Y'all deserve to be put back on the leash to save the black man and Africa further embarrassment. Uncouth t.oad. Alarm! Another xenophobe on the thread and they are arming for direct assault of civilized people's as we know it.

jln115:
Ok Agaugust what's your obsession with xenophobia??

Asks the chief xenophobe southie himself jnr115 zulu meds working as expected

jln115:
Ok What do you want me to say Augustine??

Oh another positive analysis of the Zulu xenophobic med you received because you almost understood what's required of you only slightly short of expected prognosis cos of traits of derangement. So a full dosage which would see you stop hallucinating because of the Agaugust Augustinian flu is highly recommended I'll be recommending next a full dosage of the zulu xenophobic med that would see you treated with extreme caution xenophobic Jnr115

jln115:
you still at it Agaugust

Ok give me the last word chief xenophobe Jnr115 with Agaugust Augustinian flu before anaesthesia

jln115:
Now now Agaugust time to take a break

Like really says the patient Jnr115 with the Agaugust Augustine flu ok then the prognosis appears to look good but more observation is required as this strain is highly contagious

jln115:
come now Agaugust we all know your real name is Augustine........ Don't you remember your AugustineAgain moniker??

Says the chief xenophobe Jnr115 of South Africa. At least the zulu meds subdued u a few moments but you need a heavier dose and close monitoring over the next few days before Boer meds of isolation are prescribed. Boy hang in there your Augustine Agaugust nightmares will be cured but of course no promises of certainty on this strain.

A certain Jnr115 has more pressing problems
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/09/thieves-steal-from-south-africa-police-chief/

jln115:
Augustine why aren't you using your other monikers any more?

Oh Agaugust has metamorphosed into Augustine, Chai! This one now na your village people do u Your Augustine nightmares has developed new xenophobic strains zulu primitive meds can't cure Boer meds of segregation for a season might be prudent in this exceptional crises Jnr

jln115:
Carry on Agaugust

Still haunted by Agaugust sleep my boy, sleep Junior, the zulu meds need time to take effect

jln115:
Cool story Agaugust.........

Still hypnotized with Agaugust not so surprised orthodox medicine apparently is failing to work on a xenophobe. I strongly concur primitive Zulu medicine might be the only cure for your Agaugust conquered brain cells

Junior where u at, stop hiding under the shades, its that time of the night for your zulu xenophobic meds

kikuyu1:
Dude,your word-salads typically contain multiple assertions like reading a second hand car yard brochure. The bolded is an example after which you contradict yourself,qualify yourself and then repeat your assertion without backup stats,facts or figures! Take several seats already!

Admittedly in your primitive Kenya. At least I get to see wild life for free while you are brought up to speed on why you should be quiet in the presence of Nigerians that currently shapes your social and entertainment life so you feel human at the least.

jln115:
now this is the Agaugust I remember

So you are still hallucinating about Agaugust , dude has since taken a long walk but evidently he did things to your brain Junior which symptoms resemble something of mental derangement which the recommended brand of weed you smoke regularly has worsened and not helped.

You need to see a doctor before you are permanently stationed in a psychiatric ward.

Go, hurry Junior, don't say I didn't tell you

Jkay187:
Facts matter not here say. Now back to military posting.

Whose this, stinks of xenophobia! A southie who can't fathom that others can do better than them.

As much as I hate to say it something which no one wants to say but the intelligence desk across board in the services and I think must have also crossed some minds or is somewhere in the minds of policy makers, political and military leaders, local community stakeholders and traditional rulers, though at the end of the day it's still the call of the sitting president and I don't know which president would want that to be his legacy but maybe it might just be time to start considering talks with any element or at least moderate elements of Boko Haram to cease hostilities and find some way to live in peace even if it means creating for them a "living space". Yes, I know someone is screaming "give jihadists a living space?". And the downturn is not good because we might just go from Boko Yusuf to Boko Shekau to ISWAP to a monster we know not, but there are many options that can be put up for negotiations that allows for peace to reign and this shouldn't be only for Nigeria but the whole world suffering terrorism for which we could be a model. At least most of these guys are Nigerians like us which is one engine that drives the bitter fight. Because as it is I see no end in sight for the foreseeable future except we are ready to go through another 2 to 3 presidents and who knows still end up here whilst many state and non-state actors continue to benefit from this bitter war that has taken the lives of very fine young officers and soldiers. No doubt this is our own Vietnam and except we consider this course of action then no other choice than to roll out everything and officially declare war, start using napalm to destroy whole villages and towns and roll out the big guns and bombs including banned weapons. Except drastic measures are taken we may just continue to send young men to chase ghosts they can't see fighting us in a classical insurgency warfare that almost every other big power has lost. Nothing being done now that hasn't been done before which they know. Ideas can help.

jln115:
This is actually a very mature response Agaugust!!! However I still don't believe there are more goods entering Nigeria than South Africa even if we incorporate Ecowas ports, however that's actually not the point. And certainly not 50:1 as bidexiii claimed

And Yes I agree the Nigerian Navy has reduced piracy in your waters.

I never meant to make this a Nigeria vs SA thing.... Was simply responding to ignorant claims by Kabe1

That Agaugust must have really done something to your head apparently you still see him in your dreams so you can sleep try forget him

About the subject I'd agree u need convincing that Nigeria actually has more going for it in trade than SA. It's a given that data is better captured in SA owing to the developed white economy over the years thats long connected to the western hemisphere which reflects updated sectors of the economy for western capital flows so it appears its larger than Nigeria's but there's more market going on in Nigeria's informal sectors of the economy than its formal sector captured by the NBS. In essence Nigeria's GDP mostly captures statistics from its formal sectors but its informal economic activity is so huge that it drives the entire West Africa and countries beyond. Conservative estimates will put that entire economic activity if accurately measured at current prices on a scale of 5:1 in favor of Nigeria.

In any case both countries are not maximizing potential but if and when they do it is expected that Nigeria will emerge a global economic power while South Africa will decline in comparison.

jln115:
And?? As I said before if the Nigerian Navy was so much better, why is it you still have Piracy(regardless if piracy has decreased slightly)?? And we don't even though our ports and waters are far busier?

Most of that piracy is in contiguous waters not necessarily in Nigerian waters but because it happens in the Gulf of Guinea of course biased western media portray it as Nigeria's inability to protect shipping in its waters. The reality is the Nigerian Navy has reduced piracy to a significant level generally in the gulf of Guinea and the stats prove it. And the answer to your question is oil. Another arguable point is the busiest ports because that's relative depending on actual amount of goods docking and going into either country. More goods are traded into Nigeria from other ECOWAS ports reducing tonnage docking in Lagos. So factual comparisons should be made.

kabe1:
Your ignorance is painful to read.


43 killed in another bloody weekend in Cape Town

Another bloody weekend in Cape Town saw 43 people being murdered, Premier Alan Winde confirmed on Monday.

Provincial forensics services recorded these numbers between Friday night and Monday morning.

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/43-killed-in-another-bloody-weekend-in-cape-town-20190715

Na laugh I dey Another contest over lives

Let's all just admit Africa is failing its people

AskiaHarem:
I appreciate the sequel but it's run its course. Time to end this series and get back to military.

I dey laugh but I know sey not for long

Oya na dey chop pisure - Lol

AskiaHarem:
Cool story bro now back to military......

Back to which military? Ok let's cut to the chase. You think I derive fun to go against the grain on this thread, no I don't and actually don't even have the time but when I do I now opine for the sake of the brave men and women in uniform fighting a dirty war blind with hands and nails. We have lost very fine men. Do you know even know the extent of the discontent in that military we come here to post and watch pictures of, dunno if you got clue because of course the military is hierarchical and everyone is hiding behind there shadow. Young officers want to be promoted. Senior officers are busy scheming for command level postings, juicy appointments and promotions but no one is really happy. The bulk of money meant for operations are going missing. Have you even asked what really happened to the billion dollars for arms under Buhari. They bought some ammunition with what they brought that was promptly stolen by ISWAP/BHT terrorists. I didn't say weapons I mean just ammunitions that couldn't even sustain combat for six months. We are currently back again to the drawing board. You want to see ISWAP on the move, even combatant soldiers know better to use every skill in the book and training to slow them down cos those guys are well kitted using very good drones for reconnaissance, TDs and NVGs and very good marksmanship that's quite a game changer. ISWAP can now pick targets just like the average Nigerian soldier so its basically like going toe to toe and a good soldier knows to have an advantage better equipment is needed - superiority is always coveted by the military in any likely engagement so you don't send crack troops to their early deaths. Really don't have the stomach anymore for the rubbish going on and I have more than once traced it back to where the problem is coming from and that's from the commander-in-chief who has deliberately entrenched cronyism leading to malaise. How can you have one CDS and COAS that hasn't managed to change the dynamic of a war in five years and expect a better outcome. The longer they stay they themselves encourage patronage against better judgment by field commanders and junior officers. It's a case of ineptitude and incompetence. And that's the worst sickness any standing army can face. Buhari is our problem. Some of us have already abandoned ship or are in the process of doing so. All they do is look for victims to crucify to satisfy their bloated egos.

And then we come here and have f.ools who have never even fired a rifle want to tell us what they know nothing about just because they have a phone. Things are so bad that the Americans got it wrong the first time about 2015 because no one bothers to invade a huge country like Nigeria knowing it just drags you into a war you can't win so they leave it to good old history which has always proven true that powerful states self-implode by it's own internal powerful forces fed up with its arrangement. A true patriot will stand up for the right things to be done. I rest my case.

This idea of true freedom has to sweep Nigeria without which there might not be a Nigeria 2023. Many ethnic nationalists are up for secession.

http://saharareporters.com/2019/09/21/sowores-idea-can-never-be-caged-ezekwesili-tells-buhari

Another learned mind. We can't be all wrong. If the head is bad the body will be bad. Good read.

https://punchng.com/buharis-govt-deficient-in-terms-of-critical-thinking-prof-dankofa-abu/