To combat the insecurity challenges Nigeria and its neighbours are battling in the Lake Chad area, President Bola Tinubu stated that African countries must show boldness in altering their military doctrine and changing strategies to effectively fight insecurity.
The President said that the need for a shift in strategy arose from the fact that the nations in the area were engaged in combat with a “mobile and elusive irregular force” that disregarded accepted military doctrine.
At the Senior Course 45 graduation ceremony of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in Kaduna State, Tinubu made this statement.
The President emphasised that the sub-regional countries’ enemies were not conventional armies fighting on traditional battlefields.
The Nigerian president appreciated the joint efforts of Nigeria, Cameroon, the Niger Republic, and Chad to restore peace to the Lake Chad area. He urged African nations to cooperate against common dangers.
He reaffirmed his point that collaboration ought to act as an admirable model that can be imitated and improved upon as needed.
“We must also be brave enough to reform military doctrine and practice. We do not face a conventional army in the traditional field of battle. No, we contend against mobile, elusive irregular forces that disdain the normal rules of warfare.
“We must adjust accordingly to subdue the menace. This shall require a change in mindset, strategy, and tactics in equipment and gear.
The president also took the opportunity to outline his national security goal, stating that it would be to employ state authority to ensure security, justice, and democratic prosperity.
cc: Punch Ng
