By Augustine Ehikioya
To completely minimize the havoc and impact of terrorists, bandits, and other criminals in the country, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that there is heavy tracking down on their oxygens.
Noting that it is very difficult for any country in the world to fight asymmetric warfare, he said, currently the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) is doing everything to take out the enemies logistics, funding and leadership.
The new steps and pressure, according to him, are already pushing the criminals out to surrender.
General Musa spoke exclusively to Security Watch Africa, when its President/CEO, Mr. Patrick Agbambu led his team to the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
He said “The enemy like I told you is very mobile, he doesn’t believe in boundaries, he’s always on motorcycle. Now, we are tracking down their oxygen, taking out their logistics, their funding and leadership.
“Those are the things we are doing. You can see with a lot of pressure we are putting on them, a lot of them have started surrendering. In the North West, a lot, just yesterday a lot of major commanders just came and dropped their weapons, saying they were tired and want to give up.” he added.
Speaking further, General Musa said “So coming into this year, we are doing more, we just finished the Theatre Commanders Conference, which was very robust. We gave opportunity to those who have even retired, former Commanders to come and give their vast experience to play, including the current Commanders. And that has played out very well. We are taking all that out and pushing that into our operations so that we can adjust.”
He also assured that the military will continue with the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, saying “The kinetic is to ensure anybody who doesn’t want to surrender face the music.”
Looking back at events in the year 2024, he said the year was challenging but that it achieved so much, even though they were not where they wanted to be.
General Musa said “Year 2024 was challenging as usual asymmetric warfare like I always said is not a kind of operation that is one off, it’s not the type that is here today and tomorrow it’s over because we are dealing with mindsets, people with ideology, dealing with criminals that believe that is the only means they have to survive because they have been getting away with these things over time.
“They have continued to perpetuate what they have been doing. It is a very difficult operation. Anywhere in the world, asymmetric warfare is extremely very difficult.
“But I can say we have risen to the occasion right from 2023 when we came in, we kept on adjusting our operation, because it’s a fluid operation. People you are dealing with, live within us, they are people we know, individuals that are within communities. So, it makes it extremely difficult to identify and be able to get them because they have people they are paying that give them information, give them logistics.
“As we are moving, so they are also reporting on you. Those are the effects of technology, so it depends on how it is being used.
“So, we started the year very well. Issues, challenges here and there, but I think we’ve gotten the rhythm and we are riding on it.”
He took time to highlight the progress made in the various geopolitical zones in the country.
“In the North West as you know, we have killed over 20 to 30 kingpins, bandits and ongoing operations, including that of the Lakurawas. It is ongoing, we have dislodged them completely, they are running helter, skelter and we are closing in on them.
“North Central too is calm. You know you cannot have 100% of peace, it is not possible anywhere in the world. But we are trying to reduce this to the minimum so that Nigerians will continue to be happy. I can see Nigerians, life is coming back to normalcy, schools are opened, markets are opened and people are moving very well, the Abuja – Kaduna – Kano expressway is now extremely busy day and night.”
He went on “And other locations, the South South too, we are putting so much. Oil production has increased, fluctuating between 1.7m to 1.8m. We have reduced the activities of the criminals.
“Now, most of the ones we are dealing with are the major ones through the shipping lines so that we nip it in the bud. The Air Force, the land forces, the maritime, everybody contributing to the success.
“The North East, the same thing, with Boko Haram last year we have been able to subdue them too. This year, like I said, they will always want to come back. And what they do is that, if you defend this area, they look for soft area where there is nobody and go and hit, because they want to remain relevant.
“But I can tell you we are riding on. And because we are getting new equipment into the theater that’s why you are seeing the successes. We said it, if we can get more equipment, basically drones, helicopters,….,, it will assist us in doing our work very well. So, we are riding on that too.
“The South West has remained quiet, peaceful, apart from issues of criminality, bunkering, trafficking of human beings, issues of drugs.
“So on a holistic aspect, last year was a bit success, I think we were not where we want to be, but I think we achieve so much last year” General Musa said
Speaking on the Africa Military Games held in Nigeria, he said the Games was an opportunity to showcase Nigeria and change most reports indicating that Nigeria was not a safe place to be.
“We are happy we did it. We had over 20 countries that attended. It was a huge challenge when we started, we were glad it went through and everyone was happy.”
According to him, the games also gave members of the Armed Forces the opportunity to interact with others from outside Nigeria.
He also explained why there was changes in the marking of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day this year.
Apart from honouring the dead, he said it is right to also honor the living at such occasion.
“On the issue of Armed Forces Remembrance Day, my policy has always been reward and punishment. You do well, you are rewarded and you do badly, you are punished. And in that line I observed that we had always concentrated on honouring the dead and forgetting the living. And we said that was not right. So, let us also honour those that are alive so that they know their sweat is not in vain.”
Such celebration, he said, will be a continuous thing that will be done yearly.
While thanking Nigerians for their cooperation, he extended his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for giving the military total support.
He also thanked members of Federal cabinet, including Minister of Defence, the NSA.
On the cooperation with other security agencies, he said “We are working together. I think that’s one thing that also played out for us. We are now working as a team, no more competition among us, we know that this is a Nigerian challenge and we must all as Nigerians face the challenge together to be successful.”
Mr. Agbambu had used the occasion of the meeting to present the recognition award to Gen Musa that emanated from the votes of SWA esteemed readers and viewers across the globe, which voted him as the ‘Defence Man of Year 2024’ for being the BEACON and DIRECTION in the fight against Terrorism and Insurgency in Nigeria in 2024.
