What we see across the country today can only be surmounted through a decisive Presidential agenda devoid of politics and sentiments. Alhaji Shehu Shagari, faced with similar security threats, wasted no time in restoring order.

Shagari was still in his first year in office when Islamic fundamentalists, led by Muhammadu Marwa, better known as Maitatsine, visited terror on Kano. Domiciled in the Yan Awaki area, the man who originally hailed from Cameroon, began to create an empire of terrorists.

Kano was under the control of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) while the National Party of Nigeria ( NPN) controlled the Federal Government. Shagari, a Moslem, did not want to be politically correct because Kano was involved. He placed national security above everything else.

Realising that the terrorists had overwhelmed the police, killing about 100 of them including a Commissioner Yakubu who was moved from Aba, the president applied military force. It took just two days for soldiers to crush Maitatsine and his followers. At the end, 5,000 civilians died and the Army lost 35 souls.

That was in 1980. Shagari set up a Judicial Commission headed by Justice Anthony Aniagolu. Hundreds of the trouble makers were sent to jail. And it turned out that among them were fighters from Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mali.

On May 16, 1981, there was a skirmish at the Nigeria – Cameroon frontier. Second Lieutenant Seyiveh Sewhenu Amosu of the Nigeria Army, leading a patrol on the Akpa Yafe River, was killed in an ambush by Cameroonian forces. Four other soldiers, Felix Bemigho, Emmanuel Kasar, Joseph Imaja and Emmanuel Akpan also died.  

Shagari wasted no time in showing Cameroon the power of his forces. His Service Chiefs had tasted battle during the Civil War. Chief of Defence Staff, Gibson Jalo, was a General Officer Commanding (GOC). Army Chief Mohammed Wushishi, was part of the First Division, Chief of Naval Staff, Akin Aduwo, commanded a warship,  his Air Force counterpart, Dominic Bello, was one of the few Federals that flew jet bombers.

The world watched as Nigerian forces moved to the boarder for war on Cameroon, whose troops had never seen battle anywhere. Having frightened the aggressor, Shagari diplomatically halted the planned assault.

In October 1982, some of Maitatsine’s loyalists, regrouped in Maiduguri. Among them were many released from jail, like what we see with Boko Haram fighters today. They burnt mosques, churches and humans, using body parts as charm. Again, Shagari acted decisively to decimate the terrorists.

On April 18, 1983, one Idris Debby, led Chadian troops to seize 21 Nigerian fishing villages. Shagari showed his stuff, once again. As Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces, he chose seasoned fighters, after consulting with his Defence Team. Muhammadu Buhari, GOC of the 3rd Amoured Division was given the task of clearing the intruders. As the first governor of Borno State, the general knew the terrain so well. His mother was Kanuri, whose people knew much about Debby and the Zaghawa.

To support Buhari, Chris Ugokwe, a seasoned warrior and Commander of the 21 Armoured Brigade, led the battle. Ugokwe commanded Biafra’s 52 Brigade during the Civil War and was the officer who commanded 13 Armoured vehicles, under Ibrahim Babangida in 1976, to flush Bukar Dimka out of  Radio Nigeria.

Ugokwe and Buhari were friends and Nigeria Military Training College (NMTC) course 5 mates. Babangida was their junior by one Course. It was because of Biafra that Ugokwe lost seniority but he was trusted by PMB and IBB.Ugokwe and Babangida were together in Kaduna during the January 15, 1966 coup.

Ugokwe drove Debby out of Nigeria and led troops into Chad. To show the strength of his forces, he planned to capture Ndjamena and was going to accomplish that task when Shagari, again, turned to diplomacy. The president called on Buhari to stop his troops.

That war with Chad gave the Armed Forces so much respect. The Air Force had men like Ben Ekele and Adamu Sakaba. Ekele was so good in all his trainings abroad that he was nicknamed ‘Air Hooligan’. His friend, Isaac Alfa was known as ‘Air Warrior’. 

Ekele played with MiG 21 fighter jet, like a toy. Some admirers gave him another name, ‘Ben the MiG’. Unfortunately, Ekele was executed with Sakaba in March 1986. Both were found guilty of treason by the Charles Ndiomu led Military Tribunal  for their alleged roles in the Mamman Vatsa plot of 1985.

Shagari pushed our best into battle. Second Lt. Amosu who was killed by Cameroonians, belonged to the Nigeria Defence Academy Course 22. That Regular Course later produced a Chief of Naval Staff, Dele Ezeoba, a governor, Inuwa Bawa, a senator, Austin Akobundu and other prominent officers like Brigade of Guards Commander, J.O. Shoboiki, Task Force Commander, Sarkin Bello and Paul Izukanne. Another Amosu,  Nunayon, became Chief of Air Staff.

President Bola Tinubu should follow Shagari’s footsteps. Nigeria is in trouble and there should be no consideration of tribe, tongue or party. Our Armed Forces can do better. There are so many saboteurs in and out of power. What is paramount now is a new strategy.

The bloodletting is unprecedented. Citizens are slaughtered like chicken daily all over the country. We call them bandits in the North – West, killer herdsmen in the North – Central, terrorists in the North – East and Fulani herdsmen in the entire South.

There is only one President and Commander – in – Chief. Tinubu is a strong man, cowardice is not part of his profile. He was part of the NADECO fighters that waged war on Sani Abacha. This is another war, Tinubu can and should fight like a Field Marshal.