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LT. GEN. BURATAI : SECURING NIGERIA IN THE FACE OF INSURGENCY

Published

5 years ago

June 2, 2020

By Mike Msuaan

The war against terror assumed a disturbing dimension especially with the commando manner and sophisticated weapons coupled with the devastation these attacks left on the people and communities.

Since 2009, when the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists originated in Borno state, lives, properties and destruction of inestimable proportion has been recorded. Life has not been the same in the state and a large percentage of North East geopolitical zone. Sometime ago, the sect occupied local government areas in Borno state and foisted their way of life and flags signifying total conquest and capture of such territories.

These attacks permeated almost the whole of the North East zone and beyond almost plunging the nation into a full blown religious war. This has led to a mutual suspicion that exist between the predominant Muslim North and Christian South.

Gen Buratai assumed office in July 2015, at the time the country was bedeviled with a preponderance of insecurity, ranging from the youth restiveness in the Niger Delta, the dreaded Boko Haram/ ISWAP in the North East, armed banditry and the herders and farmers clashes in the North Central geo political zone posed a very difficult time for the country requiring a firm and thorough bred force led by a well groomed, dedicated and experienced leader.

At the time Lt Gen TY Buratai took over the reins of the NA, Boko Haram/ ISWAP attacks were almost been accepted as normal occurrences all over the the country. It was becoming strange to wake up and not hear news of Boko Haram ransacking a community or bombing a place, killing and maiming innocent Nigerians.

With the appointment of Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and leader of the counter-insurgency operations. Many who knew him heaved a sigh of relief. Gen. Buratai parades excellent credentials in such warfare. Gen. Buratai had led the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF). As such this was a familiar terrain.

Gen. Buratai, faced the war against terror with the disposition of a no nonsense combatant, clearing and establishing military formations in territories hitherto occupied by the insurgency. He quickly realized that to win the war, a strong and professional army was mandatory. He understood the danger of fighting with a demoralized army. Gen. Buratai introduced several measures to boost the morale and welfare of the army.

He began the process of purchase and refurbishing military hardware, equipment and weapons to combat the insurgency who oftentimes appeared to be daring in their posture. It is to the credit of Gen. Buratai that the Nigerian Army boasted of having enormous military hardware. Such that was never bought in the history of the army.

The chief of Army staff has consistently called on Nigerians to provide credible intelligence to the army as intelligence gathering is key to tackling insecurity. He has advanced in blocking sources of information, food supply, arms and ammunition to the insurgents. This led to the fall of the dreaded sambisa in 2016 and several other towns formerly in firm control of the terrorists.

Through the super camp strategy, Gen. Buratai has evolved a master plan of taking war to the door steps of the terrorist, away from the reactionary approach adopted in the past. This art of war coupled with credible intelligence gathering has seen the destruction and killing of several terrorists leaders, camps and hide outs through a coordinated ground and aerial bombardment.

Buratai having studied the strategy of the terrorists who descend on motor bikes in a guerrilla style and not the usual conventional war approach to attack identified spots has retooled the troops with Motor Bike battalion to forestall attacks from the terrorists. This battalion uses the same asymmetric warfare employed by the insurgents. This has added capacity and ability to move swiftly. Thus reducing the BokoHaram/ISWAP attacks to isolated soft targets.

Gen. Buratai has demonstrated leadership by abandoning the comfort of his office in Abuja to join the troops at the war front and lead the war himself. This will not not only boost the morale of the troops but will further enhance proper coordination of intelligence, logistics and man power to finally clear and destroy the remnants of the terrorists and their hideouts. He has maintained that Insurgency has ended, that BHT has been technically defeated but terrorism will still persist as in any other country that has experienced it. For example, Colombia that experienced over 50 years terrorism still experiences pockets of terrorist acts going on. The same thing with the Middle East.

The terrorists having suffered major defeats from the fire power of Gen. Buratai and his troops have shifted attention to propaganda and make belief especially on social media platforms. The nature of social media which allows easy access to information and it’s wide spread. In reportage of conflict or insurgency, the media, be it conventional or social media owe the country a patriotic responsibility to remain objective.
sensational reportage of some news agencies especially online news mediums and social media contribute to instilling fear in the citizens while painting a picture of the troops loosing the war. The Nigerian army deserve the support of all and sundry in this last lap of the war.

Countries that have fought wars with terrorists and insurgents understand that bringing an end to terrorism is beyond having a good armory and sophisticated weapons especially that the sophistry of the army is threatened by the nature of the guerrilla warfare and the uncooperative posture of the civilians whose settlements the terrorist hide in.

General Tukur Buratai a combatant, on assumption of office as chief of Army staff swung into action, studied the nature of the war and introduced strategies which has destabilized the terrorists. They took the terrorists by surprise in their fortress killing and destroying their hideouts, arresting their informants and cutting their food and logistic supply chain. The aftermath of taking the war to the door steps of the terrorist has resulted to their being caged. Abubakar Shekau, recently rained curses on Lt. Gen. Buratai in lamentation of the devastation and number of foot soldiers he is losing to the Nigerian troops.

To Gen. Yusuf Buratai, Officers and men of the Nigerian Army owe it a duty to save our country from the menace of terrorists, bandits and all forms of criminalities and victory is non negotiable.

Msuaan, a public affairs commentator writes from Kaduna, Nigeria.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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