Funke Busari, Lagos
The Civil Society Advocacy Group, CISLAC, through its Executive Director Auwal Musa Rafsajani has joined the league of those commending President Muhammadu Buhari for removing the Service Chiefs and replaced them with fresh ideas.
Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC.
In a statement released on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, the group said the decision to remove the Service Chiefs is long overdue.
It based its conclusion on the detrioriating security situation nationwide.
According to CISLAC this new appointments should be a point of entry for the new Chiefs who for now have credentials in their favour.
According to the group, their credentials suggest that they are well experienced in tactical and strategy which is the immediate fresh breath that is required to engage going forward.
It stated further that the new service chiefs should be professional and not politicians in uniform.
“The situation where on every issue the army issue statement to condemn human rights groups and media for calling on the security agencies to respect human rights should not continue under this dispensation.
“They have review the current strategy on terrorism and counter insurgency, the de-radicalization without community victims healing is not productive. Secondly they need to provide proper facilities and equipment to enable soldiers to effectively deal with the insurgents.
Chief of Army Staff
Besides, Nigeria needs to take care of the welfare of her troops. Not only should they be paid all their entitlements while out there defending their fatherland, they should also be well equipped to be able to repel the forces of terror. Issues that should lead to soldiers protesting or scampering away from battlefield should be avoided. If soldiers have overstayed their appointed time, they should be replaced with fresh blood to avoid fatigue setting in, it added.”
Furthermore, it added that the new regime should as a matter of urgency investigate the resignation of over 127 soldiers in recent weeks as well as non-payment of pension to veterans.
According to the group, the rivalry between the different security organizations must stop.
“This dispensation must strike the rhythm for effective coordination, collaboration and synergy as diamond formation to victory. But, above all, to win the war against Boko Haram, the government has to win the war of the mind. Most of the people conscripted by the terrorists are brainwashed to believe they are fighting for God and would go straight to heaven if they die in the process. This is the most difficult aspect of the war to fight. Until the government and religious leaders are able to counter it effectively, only very little progress can be made in the war against terror. The new regime must therefore work very closely with stakeholders on the non-kinetic aspects.
CISLAC has recently launched a Technical Working Group on Protection of civilians and Civilian Harm Mitigation, it is a robust platform that can support new and ongoing efforts of the armed forces with strategic communications to the communities.
While militancy, a major security threat in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, has receded remarkably, herdsmen killings have grown in scope and intensity. The first approach from the new chiefs will be to dwell more on intelligence led response. This will save money, time and casualties. A whole lot must go into building confidence and resilience from communities and partnership building. There is a huge disconnect between the people and its armed forces and this clearly suggests that information is not adequate and has a huge potential of drifting citizens into a deeper resentment with the security institutions, it concluded.
