Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), a former chief security officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, yesterday charged the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, to speed up the war against insurgency to enable the military to return to the barracks and focus on its constitutional role.
He said the involvement of the military in internal security operations had reduced the value of the military establishment.
Al-Mustapha told journalists in Abuja that the war against insurgency must end as quickly as possible.
He said the new army chief must ensure speed in ending the insurgency, which had resulted in the death of thousands of people and destruction of property.
He added: “Delaying the fight against Boko Haram will be a great disservice to Nigeria. The earlier we crush them, the better.
“Speed is very vital, because we are not fighting a conventional war; speed matters a lot because Nigeria should recover from this speedily as much as possible. I know this is possible because I have done some homework.”
According to him, the military must hasten its pace in tackling security challenges facing the country to enable it to return to barracks as soon as possible.
“We need to end all these challenges as quickly as possible, so that the military can go back to the barracks to face its primary role of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria.
“Internal security operation has reduced the value of the military because they are taking over the role of the police, which is a disservice.
We have to end these crises so that the police can effectively take over their function, train and expand their capacity, ” he stated.
Al-Mustapha urged the new army chief to evolve new ways of ending the hostilities by tracing the sources of arms into the country.
“There are different ways for him to succeed in overcoming the numerous security challenges bedevilling the country.
“If you want to contain an insurgency, every single detail of its activities should be on your palm, that is when you can say am on top of the situation.
“You have to get their sources of logistics, their electronic support and capabilities, what they do on daily basis and how they get information among others,” he added.
He said Yahaya must also trace the sources of arms getting into Nigeria resulting in arms proliferation.
“Our security challenge also has its root in the grand design by some powerful countries as far back as 1972 to retard Nigeria’s development.
“That’s why the country is facing security challenges from all facets at the same time. Our past mistakes have to do with viewing issues from narrow perspectives and that is why we must be very wide and open now,” he said.
He urged the new army chief to work in synergy with other security agencies to ensure success.
“My advice is that the army should not be alone because it is not a military affair alone.
Boko Haram for example has been on for more than 20 years from my account, that is from conception to its maturity.
“If you want to contain an insurgency, every single detail of its activities should be on your palm; that is when you can say I am on top of the situation.
“You have to get their sources of logistics, their electronic support and capabilities, what they do on daily basis and how they get information among others,” he stated.
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