$9.3 AND $5.7 MILLION SEIZURE, SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD PAY A STIFF PRICE.

Icheoku says Nigerian media has been awash with  news about some intended "military purchases" gone wrong in South Africa, by an overwhelmed Nigerian government, trying so hard to stem the tide of Boko Haram madness. Icheoku says it is absolutely indeed laughable that a pittance of $15million, spent for military procurement, is subject to this degree of scrutiny? Icheoku says so because the amounts in question is pitifully and ridiculously infinitesimal and a drop in the ocean when scaled against military spending the world over and the real cost of military hardware.  

Icheoku says except the sums were respectively meant to just purchase ordinary bullets and bayonets, BUT NOT any specialized hardware, the amount is ludicrously too small for a military to become a subject of this frenzied discussion in Nigeria. But unfortunately an ever partisan media that has nothing more to offer to her customers ran with the story of how South African government seized "millions of Nigerians dollars" meant for military purchase. Analyzing an industry wherein midsize countries the world over spend upwards of $300billion with a "B" in equipping their armed forces, what is $15million spent to finance anti Boko Haram campaign? Icheoku asserts that a cursory check of pricing of military hardwares backs up the Nigerian government as very conservative with this aborted transactions, because $15million is a considerately modest sum where military procurement is concerned. 

Take for instance an F-35 fighter jet costs between $60 to $100 million each and the lower end F-16 costs about $17million a pop. A blackhawk (down) helicopter costs about $6million each; an Abram tank costs $5million each; one howitzer artillery gun cost about $600,000 each; a M-16 machine gun costs about $20,000 each; and some cannons costs upwards of $10,000 a piece. Now do the math and please educate Icheoku on what he is not getting right or correct when he says that $15million is peanuts if employed toward routing those mongrels in Sambisa Terrorist evil Forest. How many artillery pieces can this amount buy? How many M-16 machine guns can it really buy viz a vis the number of soldiers needing to carry and fire one? How many howitzers guns can it actually bring into the arsenal of the Nigerian military and yet we are not even talking about the heavy gadgets and top dollar military hardware including tanks and air-crafts. Or better still how much is indeed too much if it puts Boko Haram out of commission or is the life of any of those Nigerians being beheaded by Boko Haram quantifiable in dollar bills?

Icheoku says Nigeria will be a better place when politicians learn that there are watersheds in politics and not to play politics with certain things including national security. If only certain politicians and some particular geography could see the current madness of Boko Haram as a challenge to every Nigerian and worth fighting for and not just President Jonathan and the PDP war. Icheoku says what the president and all those currently engaged in the war against Boko Haram need at this time is support and encouragement; but certainly not words of disparagement or laughable accusations such as that a paltry $15million was expensed in the purchase of military needs. Once again, Icheoku urges Nigerians of every politics and persuasion to please give the war against Boko Haram a chance at succeeding. Anyone in doubt about the need to throw everything including the kitchen sink at defeating Boko Haram, should take a good look at Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and all other such places where terrorists have established a hold and are meting out unbearable abuse of human rights  and then tell Icheoku that they gladly wish this to Nigeria. Please Nigerians, say no to Boko Haram, support the war effort. 

Icheoku says as for the disgruntled polygamist South African President Jacob Zuma, a man whose corruption is legendary, an accused rapist and racketeer, a man who would have gone to prison but for political expediency, and a man who very recently faced another corruption investigation for lavishing poor South African's $20million to refurbish his private country home, Nigerians should simply ignore him. Icheoku says Zuma is a cry-baby who is sucking his thumb because Nigeria is finally trying to get its acts together and is in the process of removing the shine out of South Africa as Africa's newest big thing, including its largest and biggest economy. Icheoku says who wouldn't be as pissed off and smarting to get his vengeful payback for being dethroned, which President Zuma saw an opening in this two botched  transactions?

Icheoku does not even know why Nigeria is routing their military procurements through South Africa as there are so many countries in the world ready and willing to do business in that direction including Cuba, Ukraine etc. At worst Nigeria can resort to the black market and get whatever weapons they desire to pay for. Icheoku is emphatic that South Africa is possibly part of the bigger conspiracy of Boko Haram in their effort to clip Nigeria's soaring wings. Icheoku says may be it is about time Nigeria permanently consign South Africa in the cold where they really belong for all their ingratitude for the so much help Nigeria gave them while fighting the apartheid regime. After all the only respected man and the symbol of that struggle Nelson Mandela is already dead and so, who still cares about what a grumpy womanizing South African President Zuma and his xenophobic country think. To hell with Zuma and to hell with even his ungrateful South Africa country!