What should be the role of the armed forces when a country in peace times when the country is not at war - to engage in military operations or engage in farming, construction of houses, bridges and clearing drainage?
A case study of Cuba and Nigeria: in Cuba, according to the former Secretary General of the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), Comrade Owei Lakemfa, "In 1986, at the height of military rascality in Nigeria, I visited Cuba. I remember that at the departure lounge in Lagos, I was watching Attacking Midfielder, Diego Maradona in a World Cup match, dribbling Argentina’s opponents, like our then Military strongman, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, was dribbling Nigerians on the political turf with fake promises and programmes. Going round Havana, I noticed that soldiers were not just guarding public institutions, but the workers building public houses, roads and clearing drains, were soldiers! What indignity! I asked my host if the soldiers have no work. He replied that they were at work! No, I told him that what I saw them doing was not soldiering but basic manual work. He replied that although Cuba was always in danger of being invaded by the United States, but the fact was that the country was not at war, so what will the soldiers be doing after the normal drills; sit idly in the barracks or go home to sleep? No, they have to work like other Cubans if they are to deserve salaries. I also learnt that the Armed Forces was so demythologized in Cuba, that all citizens between 16 and 60 years were either in the military or had been in it. So unlike Nigeria, there can be no military coup nor are there ‘Bloody Civilians’. So military service to the motherland is not only in carrying weapons. Despite their preoccupation with such civil jobs, the Cuban Armed Forces, in their military defeat of the powerful South African Apartheid Army in Angola, showed they are one of the best in the world. I told myself that if I can influence policies, I will advocate we build our Armed Forces on the Cuban model." compare Owei's observation on the Cuban experience with the following military operations in all the geo-political zones of Nigeria. After reading the copied post on the military operations all over Nigeria, the reader may want to join Owei in asking policy makers to deploy members of Nigeria armed forces not engaged in curtailing Boko Haram insurgents into more product activities rather than engaging in militarising Nigeria's "civil" rule, with dire implications for basic freedoms. A copied post on formal military operations in Nigeria follows:
"1. Operation Lafiya Dole:
This code name literally translates to ‘Peace by all means’ in Hausa.
Operation Lafiya Dole is the army’s code name for the war on terror in Nigeria’s northeast.
It was launched by Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai in July 2015 as a replacement for “Operation Zaman Lafiya” (Let’s live in peace).
2. Operation Sharan Daji:
This operation was launched in July 2015 to tackle recurring incidents of livestock rustling and armed banditry in the Northwest region of Nigeria.
3. Operation Awatse:
Launched in the Southwest to tackle militants and oil installation vandals around the Arepo, Ishawo and Elepete creeks in Lagos and Ogun States.
Awatse translates to “scatter” in Hausa.
Operation Awatse was implemented by a combined team from the Airforce and Navy with plenty of support from army boots on the ground.
4. Operation Shirin Harbi:
Launched in 2015 to combat restiveness in Bauchi and Gombe States.
Shirin Harbi was also useful as the military sought to rein in the killers in Southern Kaduna.
5. Harbin Kunama I:
This was the military’s answer to cattle rustling and armed banditry in the Dansadau Forest of Zamfara State and environs.
Harbin Kunama translates to “sting of a Scorpion” in Hausa.
It was a Northwest operation launched in 2015.
6. Crocodile Smile I:
This was a South-South operation flagged off in August 2015.
Its aim is to improve operational effectiveness in the creeks and halt the destructive activities of oil thieves and militants.
This operation sought to rein in Niger Delta militants crippling Nigeria’s oil installations.
7. Python Dance I:
A Southeast operation with Anambra State as its base.
Python Dance I lasted over a month and its objective was to check the spate of robberies, kidnappings and Cultism in and around Anambra State.
8. Harbin Kunama II:
Northwest and North central operation launched in July 2017.
Its brief was similar to Harbin Kunama I—deal with Cattle rustling, armed banditry and clashes between pastoralists and farmers.
9. Operation Dokaji:
Another Northwest and North central drill with similar objectives to Harbin Kunama.
Launched in July 2017.
Operation Egwu Eke (aka Python Dance II):
Ongoing operation with the mandate to check kidnappings, robberies,robberies, cultism and of course secessionist agitations in the Southeastern Nigeria.
Abia State is its operational base.
Python Dance II will last a month.
10. If you reside in South South and Southwest Nigeria, be on the lookout for Crocodile smile II in October 2017." The key question i pose, to remind us is: what should be the role of the military in peace times when the country is not at war with external aggressors? To follow the Cuban example as described by Owei or to continue with military operations? Nature abhors vacuum. Femi Aborisade
A case study of Cuba and Nigeria: in Cuba, according to the former Secretary General of the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), Comrade Owei Lakemfa, "In 1986, at the height of military rascality in Nigeria, I visited Cuba. I remember that at the departure lounge in Lagos, I was watching Attacking Midfielder, Diego Maradona in a World Cup match, dribbling Argentina’s opponents, like our then Military strongman, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, was dribbling Nigerians on the political turf with fake promises and programmes. Going round Havana, I noticed that soldiers were not just guarding public institutions, but the workers building public houses, roads and clearing drains, were soldiers! What indignity! I asked my host if the soldiers have no work. He replied that they were at work! No, I told him that what I saw them doing was not soldiering but basic manual work. He replied that although Cuba was always in danger of being invaded by the United States, but the fact was that the country was not at war, so what will the soldiers be doing after the normal drills; sit idly in the barracks or go home to sleep? No, they have to work like other Cubans if they are to deserve salaries. I also learnt that the Armed Forces was so demythologized in Cuba, that all citizens between 16 and 60 years were either in the military or had been in it. So unlike Nigeria, there can be no military coup nor are there ‘Bloody Civilians’. So military service to the motherland is not only in carrying weapons. Despite their preoccupation with such civil jobs, the Cuban Armed Forces, in their military defeat of the powerful South African Apartheid Army in Angola, showed they are one of the best in the world. I told myself that if I can influence policies, I will advocate we build our Armed Forces on the Cuban model." compare Owei's observation on the Cuban experience with the following military operations in all the geo-political zones of Nigeria. After reading the copied post on the military operations all over Nigeria, the reader may want to join Owei in asking policy makers to deploy members of Nigeria armed forces not engaged in curtailing Boko Haram insurgents into more product activities rather than engaging in militarising Nigeria's "civil" rule, with dire implications for basic freedoms. A copied post on formal military operations in Nigeria follows:
"1. Operation Lafiya Dole:
This code name literally translates to ‘Peace by all means’ in Hausa.
Operation Lafiya Dole is the army’s code name for the war on terror in Nigeria’s northeast.
It was launched by Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai in July 2015 as a replacement for “Operation Zaman Lafiya” (Let’s live in peace).
2. Operation Sharan Daji:
This operation was launched in July 2015 to tackle recurring incidents of livestock rustling and armed banditry in the Northwest region of Nigeria.
3. Operation Awatse:
Launched in the Southwest to tackle militants and oil installation vandals around the Arepo, Ishawo and Elepete creeks in Lagos and Ogun States.
Awatse translates to “scatter” in Hausa.
Operation Awatse was implemented by a combined team from the Airforce and Navy with plenty of support from army boots on the ground.
4. Operation Shirin Harbi:
Launched in 2015 to combat restiveness in Bauchi and Gombe States.
Shirin Harbi was also useful as the military sought to rein in the killers in Southern Kaduna.
5. Harbin Kunama I:
This was the military’s answer to cattle rustling and armed banditry in the Dansadau Forest of Zamfara State and environs.
Harbin Kunama translates to “sting of a Scorpion” in Hausa.
It was a Northwest operation launched in 2015.
6. Crocodile Smile I:
This was a South-South operation flagged off in August 2015.
Its aim is to improve operational effectiveness in the creeks and halt the destructive activities of oil thieves and militants.
This operation sought to rein in Niger Delta militants crippling Nigeria’s oil installations.
7. Python Dance I:
A Southeast operation with Anambra State as its base.
Python Dance I lasted over a month and its objective was to check the spate of robberies, kidnappings and Cultism in and around Anambra State.
8. Harbin Kunama II:
Northwest and North central operation launched in July 2017.
Its brief was similar to Harbin Kunama I—deal with Cattle rustling, armed banditry and clashes between pastoralists and farmers.
9. Operation Dokaji:
Another Northwest and North central drill with similar objectives to Harbin Kunama.
Launched in July 2017.
Operation Egwu Eke (aka Python Dance II):
Ongoing operation with the mandate to check kidnappings, robberies,robberies, cultism and of course secessionist agitations in the Southeastern Nigeria.
Abia State is its operational base.
Python Dance II will last a month.
10. If you reside in South South and Southwest Nigeria, be on the lookout for Crocodile smile II in October 2017." The key question i pose, to remind us is: what should be the role of the military in peace times when the country is not at war with external aggressors? To follow the Cuban example as described by Owei or to continue with military operations? Nature abhors vacuum. Femi Aborisade
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