The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has offered insights into the prolonged and complex battle against Boko Haram, emphasizing the numerous obstacles the Nigerian military faces in eradicating the terrorist group that has plagued the nation for over 16 years. Speaking on Channels Television’s , Politics Today program on Friday, General Musa provided a candid assessment of the multifaceted nature of the insurgency and its enduring presence.
Boko Haram, a militant group with a violent and extreme ideology, first began attacking vulnerable targets in northeastern Nigeria in 2009. By 2011, their operations escalated to high-profile bombings, including an attack on a police facility and the United Nations office in Abuja. The Nigerian government declared a state of emergency across parts of the northeast in 2012, a measure that was later extended to the entire region. Despite these efforts, Boko Haram’s activities have led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 2.3 million people.
General Musa highlighted the key factors sustaining Boko Haram’s insurgency, starting with its funding. “This Boko Haram thing is a lot,” he remarked. “For them to have survived for 16 years and are still fighting, how are they getting their funding? Who is sustaining them? They cannot just be doing it actively without external or internal support.” His statement points to the difficulty the Nigerian military faces in countering a group that has clearly secured some form of financial backing.
One of the main challenges, according to General Musa, lies in Boko Haram’s ideological motivations. “They believe they are right, and you are wrong. If they kill you, they think they are blessed. If you kill them, they think they are going to heaven,” Musa explained. “That’s a mindset of someone with absolutely nothing to lose.” The intense religious and ideological convictions of the insurgents have created a situation where negotiations or traditional methods of conflict resolution are nearly impossible.
General Musa also underscored the tactical difficulties in fighting a group that employs unconventional warfare methods. Boko Haram fighters use human shields, making it challenging for the military to engage without causing civilian casualties. “They use human shields, so you cannot attack them freely,” Musa said. “Any mistake could lead to civilian casualties, which brings criticism on the military.” This aspect of the conflict further complicates the military’s strategy, as it must balance its operational goals with international legal constraints and the protection of innocent civilians.
In addition to the tactical challenges, General Musa emphasized the difficulty of identifying Boko Haram insurgents within civilian populations. “Unlike conventional wars where you know the enemy’s territory, here, they live among civilians, making it nearly impossible to differentiate,” he stated. This guerrilla warfare dynamic has proven to be one of the primary reasons for the prolonged nature of the conflict, as traditional military strategies are not easily applicable.
While acknowledging the difficulties, General Musa made it clear that, in a conventional conflict, the military would have the necessary resources to defeat Boko Haram more swiftly. “If it were conventional warfare, with the resources and armaments we have today, we could end it quickly,” he said. However, the nature of the insurgency, which involves urban and rural guerilla tactics, and the need to limit collateral damage, has extended the length of military operations.
Despite the extended duration of the conflict, General Musa expressed a strong commitment to addressing the insurgency, stressing the complexities the military must navigate. He pointed out that although Boko Haram’s tactics are unconventional, the Nigerian military has continued to adapt and evolve its strategies in response.
