Every right-thinking Nigerian must pause and reflect! The blood of our soldiers is everywhere on the battlefields as terrorists are killing them with impunity, and by implication, killing the very foundation of Nigeria. They are our strength. They are our pride. They must be protected.
In the last one year, we have witnessed a disturbing spike in the killing of our soldiers by non-state actors, including Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits and unknown gunmen, who continue to unleash mayhem with alarming audacity.
On Tuesday, May 13, three military bases in Rann, Gajiram and Dikwa in Borno State were attacked and four soldiers were confirmed killed. Unconfirmed sources said the number could be higher while others are still missing in action.
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The above incidents took place barely 24 hours after the terrorists attacked the military base in Marte, also in Borno State, that left unspecified number of soldiers killed and many still missing.
Speaking in the aftermath of the attacks, the army public relations officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Reuben Kovangiya had said, “All these attacks were defeated, apart from Rann, where they succeeded in penetrating to an extent, leading to the loss of four personnel.
“However, let me reassure you that the overall resolve of the Nigerian military is that we will completely defeat this terrorism and restore peace to the region once and for all, in the shortest possible time… In war, you have several campaigns, which are series of coordinated operations aimed at achieving strategic objectives.
“So, you will win some and lose some. What is most important is the statistics of what you win against what you lose…”
We join the families of our gallant troops and millions of Nigerians in grieving the needless slaying of our soldiers. We also empathise with the military high command and political hierarchy over the recent setbacks and also appreciate their optimism for a better tomorrow.
However, it is a settled matter that the life of a single soldier is more valuable than the life of 1,000 terrorists. It is, therefore, unfortunate that our gallant men and women, deployed to protect lives and property, have themselves become targets of coordinated ambushes, raids and bomb attacks, particularly in the North-East, North-West, and parts of the North-Central.
The sheer scale and frequency of these attacks point to a troubling trajectory. In March 2024, over 30 soldiers were killed in an ambush near Danmusa in Katsina State by armed bandits, who also carted away weapons and military vehicles.
Similarly, in February 2025, three soldiers and 12 Civil Defence personnel were killed in Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa State in a surprise attack by armed militias. From Zamfara to Niger, Plateau to Kaduna, the bodies of our brave men in uniform are being returned to their families in flag-draped coffins, their deaths symbolising the failure of the Nigerian state to protect its own protectors.
These deaths are happening at a time when the numerical strength of Nigeria’s military and police is far below the UN-recommended ratio of 222 officers per 100,000 citizens. The overstretched security forces are not just battling terrorism in the North-East, they are deployed to nearly all the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, fighting everything from banditry and communal clashes to oil theft and kidnapping. What is clearly a policing crisis has now become a military burden.
In any functional democracy, the role of the military is clearly defined: To defend the territorial integrity of the country against external aggression. Internal security, on the other hand, is the responsibility of the police and other law enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, our soldiers have become emergency policemen and street patrol agents. These are tasks for which they are neither trained nor designed to do. These overstretch, coupled with poor morale, lack of adequate welfare and low public confidence, are contributing to rising casualties.
How did we get here? The answer lies in decades of neglect, lack of political will, poor intelligence gathering and a decaying internal security framework. It is unfathomable that in a country that once led peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone and other countries, our own security forces now struggle to contain insurgents within our borders. What changed? The threats have evolved, yes, but our response has been lethargic, bureaucratic, and in many cases, reactionary.
We call on those charged with the security architecture of this country, including the National Security Adviser, service chiefs, the ministers of defence, among others, to rise to the occasion. They must urgently redesign the country’s security blueprint to address the root causes of these breaches. Community intelligence, surveillance technology and better coordination, among the security agencies, must be prioritised.
The president as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces must demonstrate leadership and empathy. He must ensure that the families of those who have died in active service are not abandoned. Every slain officer must be honoured, not just with words but actions.
We call for immediate provision of decent houses to the families of the deceased, comprehensive insurance pay-outs, and full scholarships for their children to the university level. Anything less is an insult to the sacrifice of these heroes.
Furthermore, soldiers on the frontlines must be equipped with superior firepower to overmatch the enemy. Reports of troops facing terrorists with outdated weapons and limited ammunition are unacceptable.
We must also reassess the role of the Nigeria Police Force, which is long overdue. We need a better-trained, better-paid and well-equipped police institution that can take over internal security functions. This will allow the military to return to the barracks and focus on their constitutional role.
The blood of our security men should not be spilt in vain. Their deaths should galvanise a national movement to overhaul our security sector, boost morale, restore order and reaffirm the social contract between the state and its defenders.
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