Inadequacy of Army operations in Nigeria and need for foreign military intervention to end recurrent social vices

Kingsley Ezenwa Izimah, Esq President Muhammed Buhari has empowered the army to carry out some operations to protect the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure peaceful co-existence. The names of these military operations are:

1. “Operation Lafiya Dole” which is a replacement for “Operation Zaman Lafiya” whose sole responsibility is to declare and wage war on terrorism in the northeast and achieve lasting peace in the region.
2. “Operation Sharan Daji” was launched to tackle recurring incidents of livestock rustling and armed banditry in the northwest region with the sole aim of zero tolerance for loss of lives and property.
3. “Operation Awatse” was initiated by the entire military as a joint force of the Air force, Navy and the foot soldiers to tackle activities of militants and oil installation vandals around Arepo, Ishawo and Elepete creeks in Lagos and Ogun States of South Western Nigeria.
4. “Operation Shirin Harbi” was commenced in Bauchi, Gombe, and Southern Kaduna to rein in killers and combat restiveness of armed bandits and thugs and to achieve a peaceful co-existence between Christian and Muslims as well as factionists within these territories.
5. “Operation Harbin Kunama I & II” and “Operation Dokaji” was established to combat cattle rustling, armed banditry and clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Zamfara, northwest and north central regions of Nigeria.
6. “Operation Crocodile Smile I” was flagged off by the military as a joint of the Air force, Navy and Army to halt the destructive activities of oil thieves, militants and pipeline vandals crippling Nigeria’s oil production in the creeks of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria as well as ensure adequate security for staff of international oil companies who were the main target of the militants for kidnapping and improve operational effectiveness in the creeks.
7. “Operation Python Dance I & II” was specifically launched by the military to check the spate of robberies, kidnappings, cultism and secessionist agitation of members of IPOB in the southeast of Nigeria.

With all of these established military interventions to secure the territory of Nigeria and ensure peaceful co-existence, there appears to be more divisions, incidents, clashes, killings, kidnappings and events that led to their creation in the first place and with the recent killings in Plateau, Enugu, Ekiti, Adamawa, Imo, Delta, Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and Kogi States of Nigeria by suspected herdsmen; there seem to be more deepening crises in many respects and bloodbaths in the land, and perhaps the best and lasting option is a suggestion that foreign military intervention should be engaged to assist Nigerian army to stamp out these social vices. What are the benefits of foreign military intervention? Military interventions are regulated by the United Nations and are beneficial to develop countries in resolving conflicts and clashes efficiently. Military interventions have been known to:

1. Prevent large wars and crisis,
2. Improve civilian life lives usually called “nation building” which leads to the construction of infrastructures such as roads, schools, hospitals and radically change the lives of millions of people,
3. Stimulate economic activities by encouraging foreign investors because of their presence in the locality,
4. Deter aggressive rival and terrorist organizations and also serve as strategic political tools to improve a nations socio-political system,
5. Be more radical and progressive in bringing an end to conflicts.

All the indices above suggest that our military apparatus cannot handle the current security situation in Nigeria and if these social vices continue unabated; they may escalate into serious conflicts that will eventually attract international attention and apparently encourage the engagement of foreign military action to curb the crisis. It is advised that suggestions for the engagement of foreign military intervention should be an agreement for a military joint mission in collaboration with the Nigerian Army to share information, technology and intelligence to map out critical strategies for a successful completion of the counter-insurgency campaign and eradicate social vices in Nigeria. Finally, foreign military intervention is not targeted to take over the entire Nigerian military formation, but to support them in managing our crisis better, effectively and efficiently. ]]>