Despite the military's efforts to degrade the capabilities of ISWAP and Boko Haram, recent attacks highlight persistent vulnerabilities.
According to Vanguard, retired General Ishola Williams, former Chief of Training, Operations, and Plans at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), analyzed the situation, noting potential loopholes exploited by the bombers and discussing why insurgency seems unending in Borno State.
With the resurgence of suicide bombers, Williams suggests a possible shift in strategy by Boko Haram following their purported defeat. He questions the effectiveness of current tactics, emphasizing that Nigeria has not truly won the war against Boko Haram. He argues that insurgents capitalize on weaknesses in the intelligence system, recycling their attacks after periods of inactivity.
Williams observes that Boko Haram and ISWAP do not operate similarly in neighboring countries like Chad, Cameroon, or Niger, implying superior intelligence systems in those regions. He recounts how Boko Haram's late leader instructed fighters to avoid Chad, focusing instead on Nigeria. This fear of the Chadian army, contrasted with a lack of fear for the Nigerian army, underscores the need for tactical changes.
Williams noted that the war on Boko Haram has not been truly won, pointing out that the insurgency is recycled, with attacks resuming after periods of inactivity when weaknesses in the intelligence system are detected. He highlighted that Boko Haram and ISWAP do not engage in the same activities in Chad, Cameroon, or Niger, suggesting that these countries might have better intelligence systems. The late Boko Haram leader even instructed fighters to avoid Chad, indicating a fear of the Chadian army that is not present with the Nigerian army.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim echoes this sentiment, urging the military to adapt its strategies. Williams criticizes the continued investment in sophisticated but unnecessary equipment, advocating for a change in operational approach and the adoption of appropriate equipment and structures to effectively combat insurgency.
( Photo credit : The Vanguard Newspaper Verified Facebook Page )
During an interview with The Vanguard, He remarked, "I don’t think we have ever won the war on Boko Haram. What we see is the recycling of insurgency. They take a break; after sometime, when they see some weaknesses on the part of the intelligence system, they return with their attacks. There is something people haven’t bothered to notice. Boko Haram and ISWAP don’t do what they do in Nigeria in Chad, Cameroon or in Niger. Why? Is it because their intelligence system is better than our own? And Boko Haram leader, before he died, told Chadians to stop attacking them and that they were not interested in attacking Chad."