He specifically criticised the leadership style of Nigeria’s service chiefs and the broader military hierarchy.
Amilitary strategist has criticised Nigeria’s top military leadership, accusing them of incompetence and blaming them for the country’s struggling counterterrorism campaign against Boko Haram and other armed groups.
In a detailed assessment of the ongoing security crisis, the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the current leadership of the armed forces had failed to provide the strategic direction required to defeat insurgents.
He specifically criticised the leadership style of Nigeria’s service chiefs and the broader military hierarchy.
“General Christopher Musa (Rtd.) and the Service Chiefs have taken their ‘eyes off the ball’ perhaps because they are more interested in other things, like pecuniary things or seeking political endorsements,” the security expert said.
According to the strategist, the poor performance of the military in ongoing operations is largely the result of weak leadership at the highest levels.
“Whatever the case is, the military is badly led and as a result, it is delivering poor results,” he said.
The military strategist explained that military success depends heavily on the quality of leadership and strategy formulated by commanders at the highest levels.
Citing a well-known military principle, the expert said, “There are no bad soldiers, only bad officers.”
The strategist argued that the responsibility for battlefield success or failure ultimately lies with senior officers who design and supervise operational strategies.
“As the saying goes in the military, ‘There are no bad soldiers, only bad officers.’ So, the top hierarchy of the military is responsible for ensuring that the lower levels succeed. In simple terms, if the strategy is right, the tactics will be right,” the expert said.
However, the source warned that when the strategic leadership fails, it inevitably leads to operational failures on the battlefield.
“If the strategy is wrong, the operational and tactical levels will fail,” the expert stated.
According to him, Nigeria’s current counterterrorism campaign is suffering because the leadership at the strategic level has failed to formulate effective plans.
“In our present situation, the top hierarchy which operates in the strategic realm has gotten it wrong and thus, the lower levels are failing badly,” the source said.
The strategist also criticised both political and military leaders responsible for overseeing the fight against insurgency.
“We have bunch of incompetent people, both political and military, leading the entire counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign,” the source said.
The source insisted that the country’s military challenges were not caused by lack of equipment or resources.
“The reason the military campaigns are not succeeding is because of leadership failure. It is not because of lack of equipment or weapons. It is not also because of lack of fencing our borders,” the source said.
Despite the criticism, the strategist maintained that Boko Haram and other armed groups operating across the country could still be defeated if competent leaders are placed in command positions.
“Boko Haram and indeed all insurgent groups in the country, including bandits, can be defeated if the military acts professionally,” the source added.
Over the past week, fighters from Boko Haram and ISWAP have launched a series of bold attacks on military camps in Northeast Nigeria.
They struck bases in Borno and Yobe states, killing officers and soldiers, and seizing trucks and weapons. The attacks came mostly at night, showing careful planning and coordination.
The Nigerian Army has fought back. In Borno, troops retook Ngoshe community from the insurgents. In Yobe, they reportedly killed a top Boko Haram commander along with 19 of his men.
However, despite these successes, the military has suffered heavy losses, including three commanding officers killed in just seven days.
The Defence Minister, Gen. Musa (Rtd.), has promised a new strategy to strengthen intelligence and improve coordination.
