Every time we hear that another military base has been attacked or more soldiers have been killed in an ambush, like what happened recently in Borno State, one question comes to mind: after more than two decades of fighting insurgency, why are we still struggling to defeat these terrorists?
First and foremost, nobody can question the courage of the Nigerian military. Our soldiers have sacrificed immensely for this country, and many have paid the ultimate price. However, bravery alone cannot win a war. Strategy, intelligence, planning, and coordination are equally important.
Nigeria once demonstrated its military strength in peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Yet at home, we continue to lose personnel to insurgent attacks, with no lasting solution in sight.
One concern many Nigerians have is whether lessons are being learned after each setback. In warfare, when a strategy repeatedly exposes troops to danger, it must be reviewed and adjusted.
Terrorists do not simply decide overnight to attack a military formation. They conduct surveillance, study troop movements, identify weaknesses, and strike when they believe they have an advantage. The reality is that many insurgents have become highly skilled in guerrilla warfare, reconnaissance, and ambush tactics.
This is not a conventional war. It is an asymmetric conflict that requires flexibility and innovation. The military must become more adaptive, unpredictable, and intelligence-driven.
There should be stronger intelligence gathering, more undercover operations, enhanced surveillance, and constant monitoring of terrorist movements. Most importantly, security forces must remain on the offensive rather than constantly reacting to attacks.
One question Nigerians should continue asking is: where is the intelligence?
Every successful attack suggests that terrorists had prior knowledge of their targets. Where are the early warning systems? Why are terrorist camps and supply routes still proving difficult to identify after so many years?
The truth is that this war cannot be left to the military alone. Every security and paramilitary agency has a role to play.
How are these terrorists obtaining weapons and ammunition? Who is funding them? How are fighters moving across borders?
The Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian Immigration Service must strengthen efforts to disrupt supply chains, monitor suspicious movements, and secure the nation's borders. As long as terrorists can freely access weapons, funds, and recruits, defeating them will remain difficult.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited a serious security challenge, but Nigerians expect results. The issue goes beyond changing service chiefs. The real question is whether those responsible for strategy, intelligence, and coordination are delivering measurable outcomes.
The Nigerian Police Force also requires urgent reforms. It needs better mobility, modern equipment, improved communication systems, and continuous training to respond effectively to today's security threats.
Nigeria should also establish a reliable national emergency number that citizens can easily access during emergencies. Such a system could save lives and improve response times.
The painful reality is that insecurity affects every aspect of national life. Businesses suffer, investments decline, farmers abandon their land, and schools become unsafe.
After years of bloodshed, Nigerians want action, accountability, and results. The bravery of our soldiers has never been in doubt. What is being questioned is whether the institutions responsible for supporting them are doing enough.
What Nigeria needs now is stronger leadership, better coordination, improved intelligence, and the political will to make difficult decisions.
The lives of our soldiers demand it, the safety of Nigerians requires it, and the future of our nation depends on it.
May the souls of all military personnel who lost their lives defending Nigeria rest in perfect peace.
Mogaji Wole Arisekola
Publisher, Streetjournal Newspaper, writes from Ibadan.
Nigeria once demonstrated its military strength in peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Yet at home, we continue to lose personnel to insurgent attacks, with no lasting solution in sight.
One concern many Nigerians have is whether lessons are being learned after each setback. In warfare, when a strategy repeatedly exposes troops to danger, it must be reviewed and adjusted.
Terrorists do not simply decide overnight to attack a military formation. They conduct surveillance, study troop movements, identify weaknesses, and strike when they believe they have an advantage. The reality is that many insurgents have become highly skilled in guerrilla warfare, reconnaissance, and ambush tactics.
This is not a conventional war. It is an asymmetric conflict that requires flexibility and innovation. The military must become more adaptive, unpredictable, and intelligence-driven.
There should be stronger intelligence gathering, more undercover operations, enhanced surveillance, and constant monitoring of terrorist movements. Most importantly, security forces must remain on the offensive rather than constantly reacting to attacks.
One question Nigerians should continue asking is: where is the intelligence?
Every successful attack suggests that terrorists had prior knowledge of their targets. Where are the early warning systems? Why are terrorist camps and supply routes still proving difficult to identify after so many years?
The truth is that this war cannot be left to the military alone. Every security and paramilitary agency has a role to play.
How are these terrorists obtaining weapons and ammunition? Who is funding them? How are fighters moving across borders?
The Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian Immigration Service must strengthen efforts to disrupt supply chains, monitor suspicious movements, and secure the nation's borders. As long as terrorists can freely access weapons, funds, and recruits, defeating them will remain difficult.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited a serious security challenge, but Nigerians expect results. The issue goes beyond changing service chiefs. The real question is whether those responsible for strategy, intelligence, and coordination are delivering measurable outcomes.
The Nigerian Police Force also requires urgent reforms. It needs better mobility, modern equipment, improved communication systems, and continuous training to respond effectively to today's security threats.
Nigeria should also establish a reliable national emergency number that citizens can easily access during emergencies. Such a system could save lives and improve response times.
The painful reality is that insecurity affects every aspect of national life. Businesses suffer, investments decline, farmers abandon their land, and schools become unsafe.
After years of bloodshed, Nigerians want action, accountability, and results. The bravery of our soldiers has never been in doubt. What is being questioned is whether the institutions responsible for supporting them are doing enough.
What Nigeria needs now is stronger leadership, better coordination, improved intelligence, and the political will to make difficult decisions.
The lives of our soldiers demand it, the safety of Nigerians requires it, and the future of our nation depends on it.
May the souls of all military personnel who lost their lives defending Nigeria rest in perfect peace.
Mogaji Wole Arisekola
Publisher, Streetjournal Newspaper, writes from Ibadan.
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