Defeating terror: The imperative of pragmatism

(Link on Daily Trust site)

The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum’s recommendation for the federal government to engage mercenaries in the protracted war against Boko Haram has added impetus to the debate over the feasibility or otherwise of that move. 

If, however, there one thing that Governor Zulum’s recommendation implies, it’s certainly his conclusion that the Nigerian military and other security agencies cannot eliminate Boko-Haram terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, unaided. 

Obviously, as the Governor of the worst terror-affected state, Borno, who, by virtue of his position as the state’s Chief Security Officer has unhindered access to relevant confidential security reports, Governor Zulum’s conclusion must have been based on facts. His position, therefore, explains the authoritativeness of his conclusion, which must not be taken lightly, let alone dismissed.

Besides, he was backed up by his counterparts in the Northeast who had equally arrived at the same conclusion in the light of the same confidential security reports they, likewise, have access to. 

After all, in reality, it doesn’t necessarily take access to any confidential security report to arrive at that conclusion, in the first place. The incapability of the Nigerian military to end Boko Haram insurgency is too obvious to elude any discerning “bloody civilian”, as the military men condescendingly call an individual with no military background. 

Apparently, many Nigerians find it hard to come to terms with the fact that the Nigerian military is one of the world’s weakest compared to the country’s geographical size, population, economic and geopolitical potential. It’s quite clear that the Nigerian military is grossly weak in terms of advanced unconventional warfare techniques, sophisticated intelligence-gathering and processing capabilities, and appropriate technology. 

Though combat personnel of the Nigerian military are particularly undermined by low morale due to insufficient incentives, the foregoing challenges remain the main constraints behind their inability to eliminate Boko-Haram terrorists and bandit syndicates in the country. 

Arguments against the recommendation for engaging mercenaries are largely based on unrealistic expectations of the Nigerian military capabilities, exaggerated -if not unfounded- fear of its security implications, and empty pride. 

Those arguing against it cite instances of monumental collateral damage, excessive recklessness, human right abuse and even war crimes that some mercenaries were involved in, in some countries. 

Whereas, while those are quite reasonable worries, such incidents aren't that frequent. Besides, even when they occur, they occur mostly amid the confusion of urban warfare. Fortunately enough, in Nigeria, terrorists, bandits and kidnappers are hiding in the bush and remote areas away from people.  

Others arguing against the idea are only motivated by pride, or rather, empty pride. They are under the illusion of the purported intactness of Nigeria’s sovereignty, which they assume will be jeopardized by engaging mercenaries.  

Whereas, in reality, Nigeria’s sovereignty is already grossly compromised by terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and other organized criminal gangs. Apart from the extremely few who enjoy adequate state-provided personal security, and the super-rich who can afford it, almost everybody has been literally condemned to living with the endless nightmare of being either robbed, kidnapped or killed by armed robbers, marauders or terrorists.   

Even the worries expressed over the implications of engaging mercenaries on Nigeria’s strategic national security interests aren’t realistic enough to warrant ignoring the idea altogether. 

After all, the Nigerian state is already an open book particularly to the Euro-American countries and other interested foreign governments. For instance, the way individuals among Nigerian top leadership elite are falling over themselves to impress particularly western diplomats in Abuja by unsolicitedly sharing privileged information about the country with them is enough to conclude that access to any Nigeria’s sensitive secret -if any- doesn’t necessarily require an act of espionage.  

Likewise, many rightly or wrongly aggrieved individuals and groups among the elite equally and sometimes openly reach out to the US, UK or European Union diplomats in Abuja to seek their intervention on purely national matters. 

Interestingly, some WikiLeaks leaks exposed how Robin Sanders, a former US ambassador to Nigeria was regularly updating the US Department of State in Washington of her experience with individuals among Nigeria's top political elite who were privately sharing with her unsolicited information about the country and even gossip against one another. 

Now, the bottom line is that it’s high time Nigeria began tackling its security challenges pragmatically, for it’s obvious that its military and other security agencies are simply too ill-prepared to accomplish it. Recently, the Chief of Army Staff, General Burutai, literally admitted it when he hinted that the war could persist for the next 20 years. 

Nigeria is a signatory to The United Nations International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, which bans engaging mercenaries. However, almost all the world’s major military powers, e.g. the US, Russia, etc, have refused to join. Also, many countries including the US and even some signatories to the Convention engage mercenaries under various disguises. 

Nigeria can, in fact, should equally engage them under whatever disguise. Alternatively, it can reach out to any country with appropriate capabilities, for assistance with advanced intelligence-gathering technology, techniques, and even covert operations, since no country is likely to deploy regular troops.

Admittedly, though, following decades of the persistent decline of Nigeria's continental and global diplomacy, one doubts if it can secure such assistance from any country.  

Interestingly, during the Nigeria civil war in the 60s, the Nigerian Head of State, General Gowon had sought military assistance from his Egyptian counterpart, Gamal Abdel Nasser who deployed a unit of the Egyptian Air Force to assist the federal troops. 

Anyway, though it’s already long overdue, yet, still it isn’t too late for Nigeria to consider a pragmatic approach in tackling the Boko-Haram terrorists, kidnappers and bandits ravaging the country.