By Bashir Bello

Following renewed Boko Haram attacks amid the claim by the Federal Government that it has ‘technically degraded’ the insurgents, Brigadier General Idris Danbazau (retd), in this interview, says the “present Super Camps tactics are obviously not working and must be changed.”

Why has Boko Haram become a serious problem again after they were ‘degraded’ by security forces?

The recent massacre by Boko Haram insurgents of rice farmers in the North-East was very shocking. The insurgents have remained active over the years but their attacks had been mild and mostly on security agents and Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps.

This has highlighted the fact that whatever strategy being employed to fight the insurgency has so far failed. There is therefore the need to evolve a new strategy to be able to deal with the situation. The present “Super Camps” tactics are obviously not working and must be changed.

What are the new strategies to be adopted in the light of renewed attacks and killings?

Strategies are evolved from the seeming threat and it is formulated at the political level.  Government is to study the situation and evolve a new strategy.

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In addition, there is the obvious failure of the intelligence agencies because such an attack should have been detected long before it was carried out and nipped-in-bud if the intelligence agencies were “on their toes”. Then there is the issue of manpower because presently the numerical strength of the Army in particular is insufficient for the required massive deployment that would checkmate the insurgency and banditry across the country.

Therefore, there is the need for massive recruitment of youths into the various security services to be able to achieve numerical superiority over insurgents and bandits. There is also the issue of cooperation and coordination with security forces of our neighbouring countries (Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin). The earlier success achieved against insurgency was as a result of such cooperation. Therefore, there is the need to reinstate this.

Do you support calls for government to use mercenaries to fight the war against Boko Haram?

I don’t support the call for the use of mercenaries to fight insurgency. Instead, the country needs the services of our retired service personnel to assist in overcoming the present security challenges.

Many of them have been well trained and some are still very fit and ready to serve if called upon to do so. Those who are 65 years and below will be very useful, Since they are already on pension there will be no need for too much expenditure on them.

Vanguardngr.com