Buhari’s war on terror

In the run-up to the 2015 Presidential Elections, Muhammadu Buhari’s unique selling point was his background as a former General/Head of State.
Many believed he had what it takes to combat the war on terror. As it happened, he went on to win that election, defeating the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As soon as President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power, he gave a clear charge to the military high command to rout out Boko Haram. Back then terrorism was confined to the North-east where about two million people were displaced from their ancestral lands and had become refugees in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. At that time, Boko Haram controlled around 20 local government areas.

Indeed Buhari’s charge was a wake-up call. At that point in time, Boko Haram controlled local government areas in Borno and Yobe states where they had raised their flag and established their influence, power and authority. As expected, the Armed Forces swung into action and before long had recovered all LGAs and also restored relative peace in those areas.

Military’s exploits/frustration

Over time, the Armed Forces had established relative peace in the North-east, especially with the acquisition of Tucano jets and more lethal military hardware. The Tucano jets have become a game changer in the war against terrorists.

At the onset, the war against terror was purposeful, decisive and focused but along the way, the war seemed to have lost steam as it was generally perceived that the political will to fight the war was absent. It is for this reason, Field commanders were seemingly held back in their efforts to prosecute the war to its logical conclusion.

It will be recalled that in March 2020 Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole in Borno state voiced his frustration over the war in a video that went viral where he expressed regret that his men were prepared for battle, but were held back by limitations in terms of military hardware in the light of superior firepower of Boko Haram. Shortly after, Adeniyi was recalled from the war front and reposted to Nigerian Army Resource Centre.

From N/East to other regions

Much as the Armed Forces can thump their chest and bask in the glory of restoring relative peace and calm in the North-east, the same thing cannot be said about the growing security challenge in the North-west and parts of the North-central that have become the epicentre of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. It’s as if the war on terror has been widened having spread downwards to the North-west and parts of the North-central.

In fact, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina states have become hotbeds of terrorism. In the same vein, large swathes of territory in Niger state have been taken over by bandits and terrorists. In Kaduna, Governor Nasir El Rufai has cried himself hoarse, claiming the Ansaru faction of Boko Haram are working in tandem with bandits to wreak havoc in the state. El Rufai had claimed that the terrorists had formed a parallel government in his state.

For instance, Southern Kaduna has been a prime target for bandits and terrorists where several communities have been attacked and several lives lost. Even in northern parts including Igabi, Ikara, Giwa have not fared better as terrorists have continually desecrated many farming communities, putting agriculture which is the mainstay of many rural economies in jeopardy.

Also, Birnin Gwari has become a notorious epicentre of banditry and terrorism. That’s why Gov El Rufai has for the umpteenth time called on the government to descend heavily on their hideouts and decimate them. In any case, the activities of terrorists reached a crescendo last March when these outlaws attacked a Kaduna-bound train killing eight passengers and taking over a hundred passengers as hostages.

The situation of things in Zamfara and Kaduna has taken a new dimension, hence it’s important to illustrate the current happenings in those two states.
For example, bandits operating in Zamfara now kidnap farmers in various communities in the state and make them work as slaves.

Despite claims that the farmers in November 2021 negotiated with the bandits to allow them to go about their farming business and have access to their farms, the bandits have not ceased their attacks by abducting them to work as slaves.

In a similar vein, farmers in Birnin Gwari local government area have reportedly agreed to pay the huge amount that bandits levied them to access their farmlands.

According to Ishaq Usman Kasai, chairman Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU), bandits imposed multi-million naira levies on the farmers. According to him, farmers resorted to negotiating with the bandits because they were helpless.

Furthermore, he said farming activities in Birnin-Gwari had been crippled as about 70 percent of farmlands have been inaccessible by farmers in the last three years.

Kasai said the bandits had suspended kidnappings and attacks in some communities but have continued to snatch motorcycles and other valuables from farmers.

However, as the war on terror rages and spreads, there have been misgivings about the capacity of the Armed Forces and perhaps complicity of some security forces as well as the apparent lack of political will to confront these terrorists and bring them on their heel. Already President Buhari has advised the military to fish out criminals within its ranks before they destroy the image of the Armed Forces. Still many security analysts who are former military officers including Generals have always lamented that there was a missing link in the war on terror.

Gov Ortom’s anger

For this reason, the battle against terrorists has been lacking effective bite and power. Little wonder Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, has accused the federal government of complicit in the attacks on many communities and villages in the state. Governor Ortom went so far as to suggest that the manner in which perpetrators were pampered by the government indicated that the Buhari administration was in cohort with them.
To tackle the worsening security situation in Benue, last July Gov Ortom inaugurated the first batch of a 500-man Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVG). The Governor lamented that from 2011 till date, over 5,000 Benue indigenes were murdered by armed herdsmen which left over 1.5 million persons displaced.


Arising from this situation, thousands have been displaced from their ancestral lands in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Taraba states and have sought refuge in Internal Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. According to Statistics, Nigeria has the third highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa. In 2020, it counted 2.7 million internally displaced people.
As the president comes under increasing pressure and attacks for handling the war on terror with kid gloves, he seems to have realised that whatever strides he has made in terms of infrastructural development would pale into nothingness in comparison to the creeping failure of the war on terror if he does not change tactics.

Awaking the giant within

Therefore with an eye towards his legacy, he has become more proactive in reading the riot act to the Armed Forces to take the battle to the terrorists and decimate their ranks once and for all.


He has for the umpteenth time given the military charge to eliminate the terrorists without any reservations.
Speaking at the World Humanitarian Day in Maiduguri, Borno State last Friday, President Buhari told the armed forces, “I therefore implore you not to relent in your efforts. Continue to take the fight to their hideouts and ensure they are completely eliminated.”


As if taking a cue from the Commander-in-Chief, there’s been a renewed tempo and urgency against terrorists, insurgents and other criminal elements as fighter aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force have pounded terrorist Commander, Fiyal Ba Yuram, who succeeded Abubakar Shekau in his enclave in Sambisa Forest and killed scores of terrorists.


Also, several hideouts of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists were destroyed while many terrorists met their waterloo in precision air strikes. Similar airstrikes were undertaken in Lake Chad axis, believed to a training camp for terrorists.


With the change in tone and tenor of President Muhammadu Buhari, the security forces seems to have gained a new momentum in the battle against terrorists.
More importantly, Buhari said security agents have the mandate to hunt, pursue, and speak to terrorists in the language they understand. He spoke at the Citizens Summit for National Integration, Peace, and Security organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and Partners in Abuja. He promised to successfully tackle terrorism and banditry across the country.


He said, “We have directed the military to crush those terrorising our citizens, peace and security are gradually being restored to the country.
Metro