“A DELIBERATE MISCHIEF!” Ex-Army General Breaks Silence on Alleged Plot Against Nigeria

When their security needs have been addressed, When their livelihoods are secured, they become the most sensitive. and a reliable component of a human sensor network. Now let's move on to the prototype and media perception, Setting the stress levels. You know, leadership is not quite easy, And you must always be held accountable. But if you are held accountable, justified, if the accusations or whatever allegation is justified, that doesn't matter. But when they are fabricated, that's where the problem lies. But this is a media forum, that's why I will need to make clarification, not in my own defense, but for the record. Let me address two issues that have shaped media perception. of my channel and, by extension, the national television's reputation. I not out of defensiveness, but in the interest of historical accuracy. Now, the corruption allegations are deliberate mischief, I call it. First, with one billion US dollars in procurement Amid the controversies, the facts are simple. One billion dollars was approved. by the National Economic Council for defense procurement And I tell you, not a single dollar of the fund passed through my hands. or through the accounts of the Nigerian Army. The Navy or the Air Force The funds were released to the Ministry of Defence. And the entire procurement process was managed by that ministry. The Army, Navy, and Air Force never had a single dollar. from that fund to make procurement directly I have described these allegations as political and malicious. They first emerged during the 2019 election period. If you search the 2019 election on the internet, you'll see the publication where that particular amount is mentioned was addressed by the government. They first surfaced during the 2019 election period, when the opposition alleged that the funds had been diverted for electoral purposes, they claimed the federal government publicly refuted, yet the same demand attached to the salaries rather than the institution that managed the funds The media has never seriously pursued why the National Defence under The previous government never came forward to clarify the proclamations. The ministry then on its own has not publicly explained how The funds were disbursed or contracts awarded. Here, I want to emphasize that accountability must be properly located, and that is the responsibility of the media. It's very important. Next, the allegations regarding human rights. The ICC findings and the 2016 understanding. You see, one very unfortunate thing is when you continue to emphasize On this aspect, it is important, but at the same time you are tying the hands of the legitimate institutions that are supposed to fight and defend the nation, defend the people, Defend the human rights of Nigerians. Secondly, allegations regarding human rights and the ICC findings. These are not matters to be dismissed. In December 2020, after a decade-long preliminary examination, The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court concluded that there was a a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed by both Boko Haram and the elements of the Nigerian security forces. The finding cited extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, mass arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture as well as sexual violence. I have always maintained that where credible allegations exist, they must be investigated and where substantiated, prosecuted. The military However, at the same time, The ICC acknowledged that Nigeria had made tangible progress. in addressing alleged crimes committed by Boko Haram and ISWAP, and that allegations from certain members of the Nigerian forces had Have been addressed through court-martial proceedings. On 26 May 2016, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor and Nigeria signed a memorandum of understanding deference to Nigeria's primary responsibility to investigate and prosecute alleged crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC. The ICC decided not to seek authorization. to initiate a formal investigation instead on sentencing complementarity with Nigeria. The deputy prosecutor, Mattiaye Nyan said that complementarity is not merely a legal threshold, but a pathway through which effective justice can be achieved be realized in practice, and that is the best way to proceed. This carries dual significance. On one hand, it affirms Nigerian sovereignty. and the military's accountability mechanism. This is exactly what I have always emphasized. Our sovereignty must be enforced. On the other hand, the ICC stated that further efforts are necessary. to ensure comprehensive accountability. The military must continue to demonstrate that its internal disciplinary procedures are credible, transparent, and capable of addressing allegations at all levels, not merely low-level offenders The media's role here is equally important. Allegations of human rights violations against the military were real. were real enough to attract international attention. But coverage has sometimes been selective, ignoring the context of a brutal insurgency in which Boko Haram and ISWAP committed atrocities of unimaginable scale and ignored the thousands of Nigerian soldiers who died protecting civilians. The same situation is occurring in the Northwest and the North Central regions. A balanced narrative does not excuse wrongdoing, but it does demand that the enemy's wrongdoing is not erased from the story. Now, we are almost reaching the end. A closing word on perception. I have spent a significant amount of time on perception. Because in the information age, perception is not secondary. It is a dimension of national security. The corruption allegations were, in my opinion, deliberate mischief, but they gained traction because the military did not sufficiently explain its procedures and because The Ministry of Defence did not defend its own procurement record. The allegations regarding human rights were serious. but their coverage was sometimes one-sided, and the military's Own accountability mechanisms were not adequately communicated. The lesson is this: Silence is not a certainty. If the military does not tell its own story accurately, transparently and consistently, others will tell it. And if the media does not pursue the full truth, including questions, If our institutions prefer to avoid, the public is not served. compatibly That is why I invested in the embedded journalist model. and why their control is critical. A professional, well-informed, courageous, and The informed press corps is not an adversary of the military. It is a partner in national security provided that it pursues the truth without fear or favor, and provided The military provides it with the access and information to do that. This aspect equally agrees with the Minister. of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff position. Accessibility is very, Very important, and it should be mutual as well. Now the way forward, building an integrated security architecture Based on the following, I offer the following recommendations as the way forward. First, institutionalize an intelligence fusion architecture under DIA Observatory of Integrating Analytical Capabilities from the Ministry of Police, NSA, NIA, DSS, and Financial Intelligence Unit. Well, as I said, this is already being done. but it needs to be further strengthened and made more operational. Second, establish dedicated non-kinetic operations projects. A dedicated line for non-kinetic operations and civil-military cooperation should be established in defense and security agencies, ensuring humanitarian intervention, community engagement, and deradicalization and integration of independent, stable, and predictable funding. I believe this should be sustained and of course domesticated It is currently being led by a foreign defense company. I think that if it is domesticated, it will be much better for us. Fourth, invest in community intelligence networks. Amendment to the Nigerian Police Act concerning the community policing committees provide a legal framework, However, frameworks require resources and training. These are very fundamental. Fifth, strengthen capacity building for a joint media security agency. They can, in partnership with defense reporters and ANSA, should hold regular security reporting seminars to enhance journalists' capacity to verify information Not necessarily an annual event, but it should be done on a quarterly basis. Let me also acknowledge Security Watch Africa, Mr. Patrick Pambou, this one is also one of the flagship ones. Defense information and defense news are widely circulated. But I know they are a private company, But there are government agencies, all of which are performing very well. Voice of Nigeria News Agency of Nigeria, NTA Channels, Arise TV, and TBC, AIT We are all doing very well. Sixth, establish an annual review mechanism for the five-year strategic defense plan And I advise you, you may try to secure a position at the Staff College, Defense Correspondents, I think the Minister of Defense can do that. so that you truly understand, as we have civil institutions, the National Assembly, do attend Staff College. 7. Upgrade reintegration from a project to a strategy. Radicalization and reintegration are not an afterthought. to counterterrorism, but a strategic cornerstone. Now, the initial defense must take responsibility for its procurement record. the $1,000,000,000 procurement controversy, you know tested because the institution that managed the bonds, the initial defended, remained silent while serving to block the criticism. We took the bullets, but we know our conscience was very, Very clear in that regard. I recommend Defense Procurement Transparency Portal But it's already there, actually, because most of the national budgets are done there, because such intervention funds are not generally reflected in the budgets. Ninth, the military must communicate its accountability mechanisms proactively. Court-martial proceedings that convicted soldiers for human rights violations, including death sentences for murder, Demonstrate that the military does not hold personnel accountable. Hold personnel accountable. This belief is not established. Last but not least, The military must stop treating the media as an adversary. and start treating it as a partner. The embedded journalist model remains the most effective mechanism. for building mutual understanding I recommend establishing a standing media-military dialogue forum. that meets quarterly to discuss coverage of security issues, address grievances on both sides and develop shared protocols for reporting on sensitive matters. Trust is not built through processes or press releases. It is built through sustained engagement, even when the subject is uncomfortable. Your Excellencies, the other Ministers of Defense, Service Chiefs, distinguished guests, cabinet secretary, friends, colleagues I want to thank you most sincerely for your attention. In conclusion, there is no single solution, no one not a real victory, but I firmly believe our nation possesses all the elements needed to meet these challenges Brave soldiers, professional intelligence officers, dedicated journalists, wise traditional rulers resilient communities and growing technological capabilities. When I say soldiers, It encompasses the airmen and their entourage. The key lies in how we integrate these elements into a comprehensive Kinetic action provides security space. Non-kinetic action builds lasting peace. Technology enablement enhances efficiency. Intelligence-led operations define the proactive stance. Media communication fosters public understanding. and trust. These five dimensions must work in synergy. The absence or weakness of any one dimension weakens the entire system. Let me close with a thought I have carried with me. In counter-insurgency, you must not only win battles, You must win the hearts of those who do not fight. And the engineering of winning hearts begins beforehand The first shot is fired, and continues long after the last shot has fallen silent. I look forward to deepening these relations with you today. and translating them into practical wisdom of Nigeria's security governments. And finally, thank you for your attention. May the Almighty God continue to bless the people of Nigeria. Thank you and may God bless you.