10 Reasons Why Nigerian Army Cannot Defeat Boko Haram

There are some major reasons why the Nigerian army cannot defeat  Boko Haram. Boko Haram insurgency is in Nigeria for sometimes now, has pitted neighbours against neighbours, and has cost thousands of lives, and has displaced million of people, and has destroyed hundreds of schools, as well as, government buildings and has devastated Nigeria’s ravaged economy.

The insurgency has actually overstretches security services in the country and has spilled over to other parts of the country, especially in the north. Boko Haram is in fact, a big security challenge to Nigeria, and also a manifestation of threats to Nigeria’s federal security services.

However, except, the Nigerian government determines to develop, and at the same time, implement proactive and comprehensive plans and strategies to fight, the Book Haram group in the country, this group is likely to destabilise more parts of Nigeria.

Read Also: How to Stop Boko Haram Activities in Nigeria

What Then Are The Reasons Why Nigerian Army Cannot Defeat Boko Haram?

The answer to the above question is not far fetched, and in this article, l will be concentrating on some of the reasons why Nigerian army cannot defeat boko haram.

1. Boko Haram Is Driven By Injustice:

The majority of Nigerians and even outsiders believed that the boko haram insurgency in the country is driven by injustice. This, however, seems to be true, and if this is true, one would then wonders why it could be possible for the Nigerian army to defeat book haram in Nigeria. By that I mean, if truly, is an injustice that is driving boko haram insurgency in Nigeria, then that remained one reason why the Nigerian army cannot defeat boko haram. So many persons have blamed the Nigerian army for not being able to stop or defeat boko haram in Nigeria, but if you look at the issue critically, that is the problem.

2. Nigerian Military Does Not Have All The Capacity To Defeat Boko Haram:

One of the reasons why the Nigerian army cannot defeat Boko haram is that, the Nigerian army does not have all the capacity to defeat boko haram. This is true! You may ask how, and l am going to tell. This is how! Remember, l have told you that, the problem in Nigeria is not only insecurity but also injustice.

I have said that it is injustice that drives insurgency in Nigeria, and the Nigerian government’s response is mainly the use of the military without the proactive political will to stop boko haram in Nigeria. I believe that, the Nigerian government should do more than just that, the truth is, boko haram will continue to destabilise Nigeria, except there is a political will on the part of the government to stop it.

3. Nigeria As A Country Is Too Big:

Nigeria as a country, is said to be so big that, the Nigerian army cannot fight and defeat boko haram. One expert on sub-Saharan African politics has, however, confirmed that Nigeria as a country is quite too large to be effectively governed, and perhaps, too big for the Nigerian army to battle boko haram in every of their camp and location in the country and defeat them.

That out of the way, Nigeria was put together righ from colonial time as colonial region, and was left behind by the British lords. Maybe suppose Nigeria was a small country boko haram would have been defeated by its army.

4. Nigerian Army Is Not Up To The Task:

One of the reasons, and perhaps, the more important one, is that the Nigerian military may not have gotten what it takes to fight the boko haram and defeat them, and maybe the Nigerian army is not up to the task.

There are some reports in the country that have highlighted mass failings and disappointments within the Nigerian army in their attempt to fight the boko haram in Nigeria and defeat them.

These reports have went on to say that, why the Nigerian army are failing in their attempt to combat boko haram and get them defeated is that the Nigerian army lacks high morale, and, that because corruption is rife, losses have been heavy.

5. Lack Of Coordination And Cooperation Among Nigerian Army:

Among the various reasons why the Nigerian army cannot defeat boko haram in the country is that there is lack of coordination among the Nigerian army and also lack of cooperation between Nigerian security agencies.

And perhaps, what has attributed to this problem is corruption; and misallocation of resources; and limited requisite databases; including the slow pace in the area of the judicial system in the country; and also the lack of sufficient training for prosecutors in the system and also in the area, where judges have to implement anti-terrorism laws.

6. Nigerian Army Are Not Adequately Resourced / Equipped:

Nigerian army, particularly those soldiers in the northeast, are reportedly suffered from what l described as ‘low morale’ perhaps, for one obvious reason.

The military are struggling to make sure that they keep pace with their enemies, which are said to be increasingly well-armed and well-trained.

By all standards, finding has revealed that, the Nigerian army are not adequately resourced and they are not adequately equipped to fight the boko haram and defeat them, despite a security budget that run into billion dollars.

7. Nigerian Army Is Afraid To Engage:

While assessing the Department Of Defense officials, my observation is like maybe the Nigerian government funding for the Nigerian army is somehow being skimmed off the top, and you can imagine the resultant effect of such practice. Who knows maybe, because of this, the Nigerian army, which I really know is the reason why the Nigerian army is giving a signal of real fear, and almost everyone is seeing that Nigerian army is becoming afraid to even engage the Boko haram severely and defeat them.

8. African Coalition Force Of 3500 Pledged To Assist Is One-Third Insurance:

Other countries around Nigeria have seen the security plight of this country, and have reasoned along with Nigeria with an idea called, African Coalition Force.

The purpose of this coalition was to assist the Nigerian army to combat boko haram in the country and defeat them yet, the dream of defeating boko haram in the country did not come to fruition, why? It is because the strength of the African coalition force was one-third of that of the boko haram hence, they could not actualize that dream

9. Nigerian Army Alone Cannot Defeat Boko Haram:

Nigerian army offensive role to the problem of boko haram in the country is only a temporary effort in an attempt to bring a permanent solution to the problem of boko haram in Nigeria.

A number of military establishments in the country have acknowledged that the Nigerian army alone cannot and will not be able to defeat boko haram in the country.

There is former chief of defense, who said that the problem of boko haram cannot be solved by military solution because it is a political issue.

10.Complicated Ethnic And Religious Mix:

Complicated ethnic and religious mix is one reason why the Nigerian army cannot defeat boko haram insurgency in Nigeria. Looking at it critically, one will observed a sort of sensitive ethno-regional problem in the country, which has helped in making it difficult for the Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram and defeat them. What do you think will happen, when Nigerian soldiers recruited to fight lslamic extremists are lslamic themselves?

Conclusion:

Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria for sometimes now, has cost thousands of lives, and has displaced million of people, and has destroyed hundreds of schools, as well as, government buildings and has devastated Nigeria’s ravaged economy. The insurgency has actually overstretched security services in the country, and the above are the reasons why the Nigerian army cannot defeat Boko haram.

📢 We are hiring writers!