STANDING ON TWO LEGS IS BETTER THAN ON ONE LEG

CHRISTOPHER GWABIN MUSA argues the need for the general public to collaborate with the military to defeat terrorism

When I assumed office as Minister of Defence, I pledged to strengthen the country’s security architecture. I highlighted that, firstly, as Nigerians, we must take ownership of the responsibilities and challenges we face in our country. This is beyond rhetoric but a call to action, and I stand resolute in ensuring that we face our security challenges squarely using the philosophy of the “unity of purpose” approach that encompasses collectively working as a team rather than as a stand-alone army.

This has been my philosophy throughout my career, serving the country in command and staff positions in the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN). This philosophy has stayed with me to date. I cultivated the habit of encouraging my lieutenants to recognise the importance of this strategic mindset and to apply it consistently wherever they find themselves in their careers. The rank I wear today is that of strengthening the country’s security architecture, in line with the mandate given to me by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. I am passionately committed to translating the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians into tangible reality by defeating terrorism.

Military and civilian orientation: As a serving military officer at the time, one of the challenges I faced was balancing military orientation and the civilian culture. There were several situations in which one had to defer to a civilian perspective on addressing security challenges as they occur. In the instances where I deferred, I was impressed with the results I achieved as a commander. Though I knew that some of my decisions didn’t always go down well with my troops, as the commander, they were required to agree with me. I always took responsibility. With the benefit of hindsight, I am glad I took those decisions because they proved valuable.

The war of attrition and legitimacy: An asymmetric war is defined by how many people you pull out of the bush, not just how many you kill in the bush. This is shifting from a war of attrition (counting bodies) to a war of legitimacy (winning hearts and minds). The war of attrition is demanding; it mostly scratches the surface, which tends to exhaust public patience. The war of legitimacy focuses on the root of the issues. My operational strategy has, consequently, been woven around this synergy of necessity.

My subsequent appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) further gave me the leverage to replicate the “Borno model” in the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. I recall that as CDS, at the Chief of Defence Staff Joint Task Force Commanders Conference with the theme “Enhancing Jointness Across All Theatres of Operations”, I harped on the importance of unity of effort, resourcefulness, and a whole-of-society approach in addressing security challenges. For example, the rebranding of the joint military operations in Plateau State from “Operation Safe Haven” to “Operation Enduring Peace” was to create a new perspective among the troops and the local communities on the need to work together to bring about enduring peace in Plateau State. I feel proud to say this strategy is in effect in the state and other military operational theatres across the country.

The “Whole-of-Society” Strategy: There is a realisation I want to emphasise. It is not commonly seen in the public space. We are fighting a war of several parts. Boko Haram, ISWAP, Lakurawa and other violent groups have formed a union by putting aside rivalries to collaborate and launch attacks. They share intelligence in some instances. This is a stark reality, and it’s why “standing on two legs” is the necessity of the combination of “kinetic” and “non-kinetic” strategies in our defence operations, providing the balance needed to defeat terrorism. If terrorist groups can collaborate, what stops the general public from collaborating with the military? We can’t defeat terrorism with guns and bullets alone. This is the crux of my position in this article.

My experiences as theatre commander and chief of defence staff still reverberate in my consciousness. I saw the issues from a command and staff position. For example, the decision to defer to the civilian worldview by seamlessly collaborating with the Borno State government led to substantial gains in the Boko Haram insurgency. This also buttresses my point that security is a shared responsibility. This is a standard doctrine in advanced climes. I do not agree that ours should be different. This is the orientation that the Ministry of Defence is implementing. I am glad the various services of the Armed Forces sync with this strategy. The ministry is also engaging with relevant stakeholders in communities, religious and traditional institutions, media houses, civil societies, and the organised private sector to key into the “Whole-of-Society” strategy in addressing the country’s security challenges.

We have developed a messaging template for different strata of society, such that it would also resonate with rural dwellers. The objective is to create awareness that collectively we can defeat terrorism if we resolve to do it. There are several triggers to insecurity, but one knob can disengage it. And that knob is when Nigerians, irrespective of sociocultural affiliations, take responsibility. It is the responsibility of necessity to turn the tide against those who do not wish well for our country.

Passive Observers: I recently delivered a keynote address at the Federal Government College, Kaduna, Old Students Association’s global annual general meeting. I emphasised that “History teaches us that no nation can be secure if its citizens are passive observers. I gave the example that the farmer in Sokoto, the trader in Lagos, and the teacher in Enugu form the first line of defence in the country. It is more like moving the national security debate from the barracks to the streets, highlighting the fact that security is everyone’s business. The military cannot be omnipresent. The necessity, therefore, is for Nigerians to be active participants in the security value chain and not passive observers.

I chose to use the simple title of “Standing on two legs is better than standing on one leg” for this article. It was strategic and in line with the new mindset that we are pushing out. I want the message to resonate even with the POS operator in Ibadan, the tailor in Kaduna, and the civil servant in Port Harcourt. This is a necessity, and it comes with an urgency and a pledge from Nigerians to “stand on two legs” in the fight against terrorism. I made that pledge on September 21, 1991, when I was granted the presidential commission to serve in the Nigerian Army as an infantry officer. We need to stand united to change our national security culture.

General Musa, OFR, GSS, (rtd), former Chief of Defence Staff, is the Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria