Mlitary Will Continue To Uphold Tenets Of Human Rights, Dignity Of Our Citizens…Abubakar

By Sunny Anderson Osiebe...

Brigadier General, Rabe Abubakar is the Acting Director of Defence Information of the Nigerian Military. In this interview with the Publisher of HallowMace Magazine, Sunny Anderson Osiebe at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, he speaks on the success recorded so far in the fight against insurgency and other sundry issues.

Brief Introduction

I am Brigadier General, Abubakar Rabe, the Acting Director of Defence Information, Defence Headquarters Abuja.

What is your assessment about the Boko Haram `Insurgency in the country?

Let me inform you that whatever I am going to say here I am saying it from my heart and from nationalistic point of view, as an insider and as an active participant of the ongoing war on terror. Terrorism generally has some peculiar nature, peculiar nature in the sense that they are never accepted. Nigeria overtime has had significant achievement in the area of fighting this common enemy called Boko Haram.

Let me give you a synopsis, by 2008 when the insurgency started, we were having some locations or units formations in Maiduguri, Adamawa and some other places domiciled in the Northeast but the insurgents grew unfortunately in strength and were waxing its ugly influence to the extent of confronting the state actors and invading into the human rights and human dignity of individuals in the northeast. The government had to come up with a very proactive and largely proactive force so as to quell these activities of the insurgency.

Our first encounter was in 2008, the men of 3rd Division Nigerian Army Jos whose responsibility was extended to cover that general area, Maiduguri, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Bauchi were called upon to bring down the terrorist in their midst and that was the first appearance.

The 3^rd Division had played a formidable role in bringing Boko Haram down. You are very much aware that when we did that operation a lot of things came up, with the arrest of the leader, Ali Yusuf and his subsequent death and that did not end insurgents. Insurgency by nature has so many characteristics. One of the common characteristics of insurgents is non-identity and they are mostly Non-State Actors, they don't have boundary and they operate unconventionally and in a way of deligerents and later they resurfaced in a small town called Karna and the story didn't change. That is why the government had to form what was then called the Joint Taskforce.

Joint Taskforce by nature is an adhoc arrangement, this people have no identity and this people constitute nuisance not just to the society and they live within the people. At any given time they can kill innocent people, abduct women and wives.

Progressively, that JTF was disbanded and the 7 Division Nigerian Army in Maiduguri was set up. The 7 Division has the responsibility to totally deny and checkmate the activities of Boko Haram in the three Northeastern States of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno which is the centre piece of all things.

As time goes on there was the need for another transformation, this time around more proactive transformation where witnessed, with injection of personnel to dominate the area because one of the most interesting thing to do in fighting insurgency is to ensure total dominance of the area and you can only do that when you inject personnel and various degrees of weapons were also injected there.

The 7 Division and other small pragmatic units were formed and that is operation Zama Lafiya. Operation Zama Lafiya was to work hand in hand with the 3^rd Division and in addition to 3^rd Division, there is now Wuskas with Headquarters in Damaturu. So, you can see the holistic efforts or joint efforts that were put in place to ensure the total eradication of Boko Haram insurgents by the government. Later Operation Zama Lafiya was changed to Operation Lafiya Dole.

Since the new leadership of the military to the present time there have been tremendous and unprecedented successes recorded on the fight against Boko Haram and what brought about that are 4 things. In fact in the fight against insurgency you need these four things; Firstly, force generation, that is injection of personnel, secondly, welfare, thirdly injection of modern technology and fourthly, purposeful leadership and I can beat my chest anywhere and say we are now having Commanders, Service Chiefs that are extremely proactive, that are extremely patriotic, that are extremely nationalistic and above all professional in their various endeavours in the Military career.

The Operation Lafiya Dole was an order from the presidency that we should all move, that is why we established the command and control centre in Maiduguri where all the Service Chiefs moved there with us to coordinate activities, coordinate operations, to work out how the whole efforts could be jointly coordinated so as to achieve the set objectives of the government.

And what is the set objective of the government? to crush Boko Haram completely with purposeful leadership, with professionalism, with the welfare which is hitherto if you recall was not there where soldiers were abandoning their locations to run away because there was no equipment to fight with, their welfare were not taken care of but today the whole story has changed.

In the Operation Lafiya Dole we have what we call theatre Commander or theatre Command.

Theatre Command has some leverage of having other forces beside Army, Airforce and Navy. We have other security agencies which are on board to contribute their own expertise in the respective field collectively to achieve the desired objective of the government and that are exactly what happened.

The Nigerian Army has been rated high in terms of fighting regional crisis, why is the rating low in terms of sweeping out insurgency in the Northeast and South South?

Fighting insurgency is like what I refer to as unconventional matrix warfare which you don't even know the enemy and you can’t define him. But in the case of conventional warfare you see the enemy, you read him, you know his plans and you have intelligence about him.

However, we have to clearly adapt to the training on counter insurgency and counter insurgency operations. This has significantly turned around the whole story to a positive one and this brought the issue of real information sharing and intelligence with synergy from security agencies, that is why we have the DSS, we have the Police and all other Security Agencies giving its own expertise to ensure that everybody contribute to the success story of total wiping of Boko Haram insurgents. As I am speaking with you I can beat my chest and say that Boko Haram has 95 percent been completely decimated.

What about the South South where we have the Niger Delta Avengers?

We are taking our time strategizing on daily basis on all facets of our operations where it is needed either in the Northeast or in the South South. In the case of South South, two things are involved, the ongoing negotiations with the Federal government which is surely political even though we cannot fold our arms and allow criminals to go on vandalising government assets, critical infrastructure and what have you.

In that situation, we are abiding by the negotiations going on and we must be seen respecting the political leaders. However, we are on high alert about any negative intention or any attack against us.

We have said it that we would be on the defensive and however if we are attacked, we would respond proportionately and would respond decisively and professionally in line with the mandate given to us as enshrined in the constitution.

That is our stand otherwise we would have to exercise high-level of professionalism and we have to exercise some high-level of restraints too, we must remain focus because if we do anything, they will say you have contravened the ongoing negotiations.

So, we have to give them a chance to do the negotiation however we are always on standby, we know what we have done elsewhere and if we can be restoring peace and security in other regional areas I see no reason why we won’t be able to suppress some forces within our own region.

We are equally determined and equally capable of suppressing any criminal minded group or individual wherever they are, either in the Niger Delta or in the northeast or wherever and we are coming with a lot of plans in achieving this. We are taking our time and would remain focused and our appeal to them or my advice to them is that there are so many channels of communication.

You cannot in any way hold the nation to ransom because the nation is greater than anyone of us and we must do everything to ensure that the nation is protected and whatever they do, they should take them up. If you destroy those things what is the benefits for destroying them? In as much as you are complaining of degradation in the Niger Delta.

We are saying why won’t they follow peaceful channel of dispute and why must one take dynamite to go and destroy pipelines? You are adding more problems to the existing problem.

However, the military will not fold its arms and allow the people to do whatever they like and that's why we have other operations unit there from Operation Polo Shield to Operation Delta Save.

Operation Delta Save is more proactive, more encompassing regarding personnel and what have you. It's a joint taskforce too but other services were incorporated there, where we have the Police, DSS and all other security agencies equally playing one role or the other in that area and would keep on doing that.

However, we are capable of defending this nation and all these problems that are coming up either from the Northeast or South-South is a problem that would one day end because negativity never last. Nigeria will come out from all these and remain stronger, United and more prosperous by the grace of God.

What assurances are we getting from the Nigerian Armed Forces that insurgency will not rise again in the nearest future?

Let me juxtapose concerning your question I didn't respond to on the regional efforts that Nigeria has put. Nigeria must be seen playing its own obligation as an independent nation, a sovereign nation in fulfillment of its contributions to the peaceful coexistence not only in our region but all over the world.

As I am speaking with you we have lot of personnel outside the country for peacekeeping, peace supports and for military observers as well as staff of the United Nations. We have over 2000 outside and all these things were nothing but only giving our contributions to the peaceful coexistence. It is our obligations in which we have signed and we are keeping to that.

Nigeria being a nation has recorded a lot against the fight on insurgency, there is no country that finished insurgency within the time frame in which we finished. No country on earth even the most developed nation didn't finish their insurgency within the prime time in which we finished our own.

We are doing these things because insurgency by nature requires collective effort and it has become an internationalized thing and that is why nations join hands with the others to ensure that they go after the terrorists just like what is happening in US with ISIS for instance.

We all have to go into alliance to check the menace being paused internationally or globally. In Nigeria we have the collaborations, we have the support of some countries and we appreciate it.

What are the challenges facing the Military especially in the areas of Funding, Housing and Innovation?

Let me quickly say this that there are no Armed Forces even the most developed Armed Forces that do not have its own challenges. So Nigerian Armed Forces should not by any way be an exception. However, those challenges should not form an impediment to you achieving your set goals either at short time, medium or long time and it's against this background that we were able to get a lot of support from the government and a lot of support from the leadership in the area of procurement of weapons and equipment.

However, whatever you do to your Armed Forces or Security Agencies is not too much because these are guys who mortgaged their lives, their comfort for the comfort of others. So, whatever the government does or is planning to do is not too much for its Armed Forces in terms of Housing, Innovation and more funding to the overall personnel of the Armed Forces.

Let's look at the rate of Civil/Military Relationship. What strategies have been put in place to strengthen this?

I think we have passed that stage and there is no Soldier now who can look at its citizen and utter or downgrade him or utter a very unpleasant comment because of orientation. As I am speaking with you we have officers that are established and dedicated for Civil/Military relations in all the Departments. We have it in the Army, Navy and Airforce. So, this is a demonstration that Nigerian Armed Forces have moved beyond what people are thinking. We are here because people are here and we just have the opportunity of serving our fatherland and this does not translate that we should act otherwise. We are here to defend the integrity and dignity of human rights of citizens either within or outside the country and we must be seen doing that. We are equally human beings and in an Organisation of so many thousands of people, you don't expect them to be very good, there could be some bad eggs and those bad eggs could maintain certain behaviour which will be considered unethical that can tarnish the image of the Armed Forces and we don't take that lightly.

For example Soldiers beating up a civilian, an appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against them and however, we always welcome any information where you see our soldiers having an unacceptable behavior so that collectively we can be able to check mate not only in Armed Forces but other security agencies and vice versa. Change comes with pains and that is why we as Nigerians should be our brothers’ keepers, where we should have one Nigeria and this syndrome will be maintained and Armed Forces will ensure sustenance of one indivisible Nigeria being strong by the grace of God.

Nigerian Airforce launched Operations Forest Storm in the Northeast, what is the whole essence of this Operation?

This operations launched by the Nigerian Air force was aimed at getting rid of the Boko Haram who decides to hide in some very high places. I believe it has been paying off, remember we are using precisioner air weapons now unlike before. No collateral damage, no human damage and what have you. This effort jointly will see the end of Boko Haram completely as soon as possible.

The Armed Forces have stated that it has cited the Chibok Girls but some of the Girls are still in captivity. How factual is the Military claim?

There is nobody who's not concerned with the issue of Chibok Girls, not only the Chibok Girls but any other of our sisters and brothers that have being held captives by the terrorists. Like I said earlier we are having contact with a lot of people, from May 15th last year to May 16^th this year, we rescued over 10, 000 persons, those you are seeing in the IDPs are not just coming from the sky and they are all rescued in one way or the other with the help of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Military operating there. We are very much concerned, planning and strategizing to ensure that we don’t jeopardize their lives. We are extremely very careful and being conscious but focused to ensure that we get our aims and objectives right.

What humanitarian problem is the Armed Forces facing in their respective fields of operation and how can it be mitigated?

Let me put it this way, the Armed Forces have what it takes to excel either in the Northeast or any other place. However, we do get some level of support in terms of information or in terms of synergy with other countries. As I said earlier, the battle against insurgency or terrorism is not a one nation effort, it must be collective efforts. We have been collaborating, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs have been visiting countries and have also been discussing with other stakeholders both locally and foreign to ensure that we get what is required to finish the activities of the insurgency. Even recently somebody donated some food items to the Armed Forces in appreciation of what we are doing and it was highly commendable. In an atmosphere of crisis, everybody should contribute towards solving the national crisis, the media, the citizens, etc. We are calling on our respective citizens to know that the problem we are facing is a national problem, it is not just a regional problem, it affects all Nigerians because if you don't have anybody there (Northeast) at least you have a cousin or a friend in that area.

Most of your Meetings at the National Assembly are held behind closed doors, why?

There are certain informations that are meant to be classified because the disclosure of such information could affect so many things. Nigerians should forgive us for that and information which we want them to know would be made available to them. But information which has to do with certain operations or classified information, we should be forgiven for that, it is not deliberate, it is to better the lives of our citizens in this our great country.

Is the Nigerian Armed Forces well funded?

As far as we are concerned, we are getting what we want and the operations are moving well. What we need to operate we have them. I can assure you that we have all we want. Before the story was not like this. The Military will continue to uphold the tenets of human rights and the dignity of our citizens including those who decides to be belligerent

How is the working relationship between the National Assembly Committees overseeing the Armed Forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces in addressing security challenges?

They are our leaders and we tell them what we want and that is why we are getting what we want now and without their cooperation we wouldn't be getting what we are getting now regarding funding and decimating of the Boko Haram. The cooperation is not contestable even though like oliver twist, we still need more and more.

During former President Goodluck Jonathan Administration, the Military was laid back and now the fight against Boko Haram has been seriously renewed, is it because the present president is a Retired General?

What I can say is that operations are going on well now, what it used to be is no longer happening. The logistics is there, the manpower is there, the new platforms are there. The morals are extremely high and the patriotism being instilled by the Armed Forces hierarchy now is really working. We have highly distinguished Commanders who are professionals and they are always on the frontline to boost the morale of the junior ones on the battlefield.

Concluding thoughts

Nigeria is for all of us. We don't have any other country apart from this and Nigerian Armed Forces are Nigerians, they have parents and relations and they are there to ensure that the country is conducive for all of us, be it Business, be it Security, and be it social interaction and what have you. We are all stakeholders.

Mlitary Will Continue To Uphold Tenets Of Human Rights, Dignity Of Our Citizens…Abubakar