Insecurity And Insurgency: We Need To Identify The Nexus For Peace – TY Buratai

BY AUSTIN AJAYI, YOLA – Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has said that the difficulties being experience in the fight against insurgency in the Northeast are due to the inability to fully calibrate the interconnectedness and direct correlation of the two significant criteria for establishing peace.

Burati specifically said that fight against insurgency and terrorism can only be achieved when the issue of development in all sectors are addressed.

Buratai, who is presently the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, further said that insecurity can be achieved and resolved when there is peace and not during war.

The former Chief of Army Staff, who stated these on Saturday in  paper he presented at the combined convocation ceremony of the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola, Adamawa state, said we must consciously search for security during peace time and through all round development
Buratai in his Convocation lecture with the Theme: “The Nigeria Front In War On Terror; Security Or Development,” said the idea of an interdependent, overlapping and interlocking relationship between security and development has been codified through security-development nexus .
He said; “We will not enjoy development without security or security without development. The quest for security must go with development, the Northeast lacks development in all areas. That is one of the major reasons it is feeling insurgency and insecurity challenges”.
Buratai stressed that the Nigerian military has been engaged in counter terrorism (COT) and counter Insurgency (COIN) operations in the Northeast since 2009 with tremendous successes though not without challenges.
He explained that the use of non- Kinetic options and the need to win hearts and minds of our compatriots in conflict affected areas made the Nigerian Army to be fully involved in the stabilization process.
He further said; “We were part of a regional stabilization facility launched for the four countries in the lake Chad Basin and endorsed by the Peace and Security Council of the Africa Union (AU).
Buratai said that the politics of regional and international support remain part of the reasons successes were recorded, adding however that there have been mixed bags.
He also said; “The failure of some states to provide basic rights and services not only contribute to growing inequality and radicalization but it also creates a vacuum that allows Boko Haram to flourish.
“The most important facet of COT/COIN operations in the Northeast should be the provision of socio-economic opportunities and alternatives to groups at risk of violence especially the young persons and government which is at the core of the security-development nexus.
“The media and the social media should be used more to carry the message to the people on positive narratives of the operations of the Nigerian military.
“All hands must be on desk, the government, CSOs, CBOs, FBOs, the traditional rulers and the populace, it is a collective fight that can be completely won if we are all involved. The military is the only fighting arms of the state and not it’s replacement,” Buratai said.