Buratai the soft spoken soldier whose mien and unassuming disposition gave Nigeria the needed peace has quietly written his name in the nations history book.
Ben Okezie
“Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him”. The above was a quote by Dwight David Eisenhower an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.
During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe.
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Coincidentally, should the military life of Eisenhower be replicated in Nigeria, one officer that would match and fit into his military description, would definitely be our own version in the person of Lt. Gen. Buratai, ( a confirmed three star General) who is the Chief of Army Staff of Nigerian Army.
We all knew how he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to help actualise his campaign promise to end insurgency.
Buratai was then serving as the Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force based in Ndjamena, Chad.
He was commissioned in 1983 as a military officer and has had multiple command, administrative, and instructional appointments. Going through his record, Buratai served in 26 Amphibious Battalion Elele, Port Harcourt, Military Observer at the United Nations Verification Mission II in Angola; later 26 Guards Battalion, Lagos; Lagos Garrison Command Camp. Lt. Gen. Buratai also served as administrative officer at the State House, Abuja; 82 Motorised Battalion; 81 Battalion, Bakassi Peninsula and Army Headquarters Garrison, Abuja before he became a Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, earning the prestigious “Pass Staff College Dagger”. Subsequently, he served at AHQ Dept of Army Policy and Plans, Abuja; Assistant Chief of Staff Administrative Matters, HQ Infantry Centre Jaji. Additionally, he was again at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College as Director Dept of Land Warfare from where he was appointed Commander 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, doubling as Commander, Sector 2 JTF Operation PULO SHIELD. Upon being promotion to the rank of Major General, he was appointed Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji.
The main purpose of this write-up is mainly to have a second and critical evaluation of the soldier commander call Buratai and his war tactics and strategies in fighting the insurgents and how the military was able to tactically end the war, despite the few dusts being raised by insurgents just to create impressions to both Nigerians and world observers. Before Buratai took over the Army command, the insurgents had captured over 18 Local Governments in the North Eastern part of the country. Military, DSS and police formations were not spared from their attacks, and sporadically were also able to have an inroad into the federal capital by bombing the police headquarters, mammy market inside the Mogadishu military cantonment and the United Nation building in Abuja.
There was palpable fear in the hearts of the people. The military then was incapacitated and almost frustrated. The Boko Haram boys were dictating the pace of the insurgency war as they freely hoisted their flags in all the captured local governments including Sambisa forest. There was mass movement out of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Educational institutions were forcefully closed down as security leaders were alleged to had siphoned the huge budget allocated for the execution of the war.
Carcasses of bombed vehicles and demolish d houses littered every street in these states.
In fact, leaders of the Boko Haram sect were seen on global television spitting fire . They crowned their efforts by abducting over two hundred female students of Girls school in Chibok, yet the government at the time displayed nonchalantly unbelievable attitude.
The new helmsman, Gen. Buratai wasted no time in strategically changing the tide and opened a victorious window for the affected local governments to heave a sigh of relief.
What the country had thought was impossible, was made possible by the newly elected incoming government which promised a pass mark over its promise to end the war on insurgency.
By this onerous act, the Nigerian Military known internationally for its result oriented focus, was able to realign itself back to reckoning. Buratai known as a war strategist nosed around the military and located Major General Leo lrabor, a tested tactical combat strategists was drafted to head the transformed operation ‘Lafia Dole’.
Instantly, the war game around Sambisa forest ‘zero one’ battle field changed dramatically resulting in the fleeing of the terrorists.
In less than two years of assuming command, the people themselves saw the difference and started returning back to their abandoned homes. From all indications, the gravity of the nine years war did not sink well into the consciousness of many Nigerians. Many still see the nine years terrorist war as a fairy tale from the moonlight. Maybe because the ravage was not
in their area of residence. It’s easy to play and joke with the name “Boko Haram” but it would be catastrophic if the country and its leaders would shun the lessons of the war and behave as if nothing happened. Truly, It is very easy to forget all the nine years war against the insurgents in a jiffy like a kite that swiftly abducted a poor chicken from the mother hen who is to lay more eggs that would hatch more chickens. A nation that forgets its past cannot boast of any remembrance. Any visitor to these ravaged areas cannot but be reminded of Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other war zones of the world.
Once upon a time, an American prolific writer, said, “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.”
Nigerians are forgetful people. That we now enjoy a relatively peaceful environment means that someone has been sacrificing his own sleep with his men who roundly believes in his ability.
Buratai the soft spoken soldier whose mien and unassuming disposition gave Nigeria the needed peace has quietly written his name in the nations history book.
It is such patriotic zeal that Nigeria needs at this crucial moment of our country. Men that love their country. Not double edged characters whose only interest is personal. Remarkable men like Buratai should be celebrated. Today, we have many of such icon in every field of endeavours in the country. Men and women whose selflessness speaks volume about their integrity. These are the heroes of our democracy. The gallant men and women both in uniform and those professionals who shed their blood for the survival of the country, should be celebrated.
Buratai should be reminded that bringing the insurgency to an end has pushed him into the circle of history.