NIGERIAN ARMY LOSES IN NORTHEASTERN NIGERIA: UNFORTUNATE AND REGRETTABLE.

ICHEOKU says it is the unspoken tragedy of a military destroyed by successive governments, many of which, intentionally and purposefully, undermined the military to make it impossible for them to overthrow their governments and thus put an end to military incursions into politics through coup de tats. It did not start today and it will not be fixed overnight; and gradually, an under equipped, under trained and highly demoralized and nearly factionalized Nigerian army cannot be the best fighting force it was used to be in Africa or which anyone could expect them to be. It is rather unfortunate as it is regrettable that the clueless Nigerian politicians, like Emperor Nero, are partying while the only thing that is still holding the glue of Nigeria together and in place, is burning and unraveling like a candle; and you wonder which country will these thieving politicians prey on once the military falls victim to their ineptitude and wicked deprivation of the army what they needed to do their job precisely and professionally. 

Any number of soldiers lost in a battle field is a number too many and these brave men and women ought not to die, especially not in the hands of ragtag terrorists urchins, who are hellbent on decimating and destroying Nigeria. So, ask yourselves, what becomes of Nigeria should this last hope and last bastion of Nigeria's general defense falls. This is the reason every Nigerian should see the tragedy that befell those brave and courageous soldiers in their fight against Boko Haram Islamist terrorists, as a personal tragedy, because in them does our collective safety as a people and as a county rests. They need to be supported, prayed for and encouraged but not derided because Nigeria will cease to exist the day there is no Nigerian military to defend and protect the sovereign entity called Nigeria. Also is it possible that the same foreign interests who engineered the Jonathan loss of the last election are once again behind the latest insurgency in their attempt to once again influence the coming election outcome?

ICHEOKU's heart bleeds and ICHEOKU's mind broods and moans for the tragedy that took place in Bornu State, which saw nearly a company wiped out, alongside their commanding officer. ICHEOKU calls on the authorities in Abuja to set up a commission of inquiry over the tragic incident, to find out what exactly actually happened and how to prevent a repeat occurrence in the future. It is indeed mind boggling how a professional army of one, trained and equipped to overwhelm enemies of Nigeria, could sustain such a high number of loss of its soldiers, and without any counter action against the terrorists.  ICHEOKU says whether their mission was compromised and sabotaged by some insider informants, who knew about the planned mission and tipped off the Boko Haramites, who waylaid the advancing soldiers and killed them all off, nobody knows and hopefully such a commission will be able to make a determination about this. 

ICHEOKU respects anyone who could be so selfless as to put his or her life on the line and in defense of others; and hereby urges the Nigerian government to provide the Nigeria military with all and whatever they need but currently lacks to help them do the job at hand. They must be supported by all means to help them mission accomplish their current mission to root out those Boko Haram terrorists and solve the insurgency problem militating against Nigeria, particularly the Northwestern Nigeria Bornu State, once and for all. Imagine, if they could face such a huge challenge now pitied against an ordinary terrorist group, what will become of them should a well trained and equipped foreign country's military invade Nigeria. It is sad and it is lamentable the level of unpreparedness being exhibited by the Nigerian military in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists and their command and control cadre seems oblivious of the damage to their reputation which this non abating and never ending Boko Haram insurgency is causing to it. 

ICHEOKU says is not here to apportion blame or to hold anyone in particular responsible for what happened or to lay the blame for the latest loss of so many soldiers on anyone's footsteps, because the problem proceeded the current government and also the one before it. 

Ibrahim Babangida is the person responsible for messing up the once fierce fighting force called the Nigeria military, in his failed attempt to perpetuate himself in office. Three times did he wipe off a crop of Nigerian military officers under the guise of quelling military coup detats. Also 365 Nigerian Army Majors were killed through a plane crash in Ejigbo, all in his attempt to keep a lid on the military. One of the victims of that plane crash, a captain who was just promoted to a Major few weeks to that crash, was someone known to ICHEOKU. May the soul of Major Mba and his 364 other colleagues and course mates continue to rest in peace, however difficult that may be; because a soul so violently taken cannot really find peace as long as their killer still breathes. First there was the Mamman Vasta alleged coup that swept away so many military officers and personnels. Then come the Gideon Orka coup which saw many more officers and personnels once again wasted by the same evil genius resident of Minna Hilltop. The list of his victims went on, including individual soldiers who were prematurely retired and thrown out of the military for no just cause, thus rendering their training and beneficial use to the country useless. 

Then Olusegun Obasanjo happened on the stage and continued the fallowing in the military that the military was nearly completely hollowed out, as he compulsorily retired so many young military officers and corp who were the backbone of the military and still had a lot to offer to the country, under what some Northerners termed ethnic cleansing of the military of Northern military officers and personnels. These soldiers were laid off despite their youth and training and of course their courage, which is needed and necessarily required of anyone whose job is facing bullets and enemy's fire. It was probably politically expedient for Obasanjo to do what he did then as his admirers might argue, because he feared military coups. But today, Nigeria is now paying the hefty price for lack of real seasoned officers directing affairs of the military and preparing younger soldiers on how to professional charge into battle with caution, swiftness to overwhelm the enemy and of course preceded with recognizance. 

While other countries allow their fighting officers to remain in their military for as long as they can still hold their own; in Nigeria, an officer on who millions was spent training and seasoning for battles, can so easily be swept out of the military and for no just tangent cause, but due to tribal and religious nonsensical and fear of military coup. ICHEOKU still recalls like it was yesterday, the fate which Victor Malu suffered in the hands of Olusegun Obasanjo and his Minister of Defense TY Danjuma, just for no reason other than their being vindictive and petty. How do you expect a serving army chief to still be loyal when you burn down his country home. Anyway, Nigerians must try not to lose the only thing they still have and could call their own - their military as morals are very low and some of the soldiers feel like they are not being appreciated and they are dying for nothing. 

That Goodluck Jonathan caved in to undue pressure of Muritala Nyako's cries of genocide and removed COAS Ihejirika was yet another tragedy that befell the military.  The guy was in the process of fully repositioning and stabilizing the army, into becoming its former fighting force of reckon in Africa, a military which liberated Liberia, Senegal, Gambia,  using ECOMOG, as well as so many other flash-points globally, that the Nigerian army was feared and respected, when he was unceremoniously removed from office. But today, many are wondering what happened to that fearsome awesome Nigerian fighting army of yore which other African nations admired but feared. What became of the army that once chased out the French military supported Cameroonian Gendarmes out of the Bakassi Peninsular. How has the mighty fallen? ICHEOKU says the military must be placed above and beyond politicization, because if not, the country known as Nigeria will cease to exists. Therefore such unpalatable balkanized thinking of the Nigerian Army of One, as an army of Fulani or army of Yoruba or army of Igbo must be avoided like leprosy, regardless of who is in Aso Rock. 

ICHEOKU is saddened beyond belief at the massacre that took place and prays that both the families of the fallen soldiers, as well as their armed colleagues in uniforms, their fellow uncompromising patriots, should find the fortitude to bear such a heavy loss. ICHEOKU says will remember them in prayers and urges Nigerians to please cease and desist from the blame game. At least, respect their memories and for once mourn their loss together as a country of one, whose service men sacrificed their lives for their general well-being and well fair. Enough of the bastardization of the memories of the fallen with all those ill commentaries and gory videos and pictures. These are fellow country men, sons, brothers, boyfriends, lovers, husbands, fathers, uncles and relatives of fellow Nigerians. 

It is so petty to diminish their ultimate sacrifices by relaying their bloodied bodies the way some of you have been doing. It is callous and it is hurtful; and portrays you as an unfeeling cur. Please show some respect for the dead; be circumspect and exercise your discretion more reasonably and more rationally, putting yourself in the shoes of the bereaved, whose wards are being so displayed like road kills and pieces of macabre artworks in a gory exhibition. ICHEOKU says may God welcome their souls and bless their bereaved ones, both family and the military and give them the strength to cope facing such adversity. They answered the ultimate call while bravely facing the danger of Boko Haram terrorists and for this, Nigerians should remain eternally grateful. It shall be well IJN. May God heal their loved ones.