Group attributes killing of 16 soldiers in Delta to gaps in military, civilian relations

Pro-democracy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA), has attributed the killing of 16 soldiers in Delta State to gaps in military and civilian relations.

According to HURIWA, “the dastardly criminal act of killing over a dozen soldiers and senior Army officers is a clear evidence that the military institution is lagging behind in civil and military relations”.

The group expressed consternation that many Nigerians are bereft of any knowledge of the necessity of occasionally drafting in soldiers on internal security operations in aid of the policing institution just as the Rights group said regrettably, many Nigerians have raised posers why those military agents were sent on peace keeping mission in that part of Delta state that sadly resulted in high casualties.

The group in a statement by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, declared: “HURIWA believes that the military authorities must do more to bring about massive enlightenment and strategic media advocacy campaigns to educate, inform and broaden the understanding of the arduous tasks of the military in carrying out internal security operations whereby the situation calls for such high profile intervention. It is only when the civil populace are made consciously and intentionally aware of the essence and telos of such strategic military engagement that their fuller and active participation and collaboration can be obtained to avoid any possible conflicts.

“In the last 5 years, the armed forces have not done enough to bridge the gaps between civilians and the military components of the society.”

HURIWA, therefore, called on the Chief of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, and the Service Chiefs to rejig and introduce transformative strategies to improve civil and military dialogues so as to win the hearts and minds of the citizens towards achieving the national security objective. The Rights group said the military hierarchy must adequately fund the activities of that department of civil and military affairs so as to deepen the scopes of continuous dialogues between civilians and the military.

HURIWA said that the recent Pre-meditated and callous killings of about sixteen military operatives including some senior Army officers by some armed gunmen in Okuoma community of Bomadi LGA of Delta State, shows that there are many gaps which needed to be filled to improve civil and military affairs in Nigeria.

The group in the statement by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, maintained that much more than just hosting occasional, periodic and mere academic seminars by the offices of the chiefs of civil military affairs of the different segments of the Nigerian armed forces, needed to be done to bridge the increasingly yawning gaps between the civilians and their military counterparts.

The group advocated the active partnership between the military and credible civil rights organisations in the areas of organising broad-based strategic civil military dialogues in atmospheres devoid of mutual suspicions.

HURIWA recalled that following the killing of troops of the Nigerian Army deployed for a peacekeeping mission to two warring communities in Bomadi LGA of Delta State, including the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers, the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa, has ordered the immediate arrest and investigation of all those involved.

The Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, confirmed the killing of the military personnel on Saturday.

He said, “The troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi LGA of Delta State were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

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“The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities, both in Delta State.

“The reinforcement team led by the commanding officer was also attacked, leading to the deaths of the commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers.

“The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has directed the immediate investigation and arrest of those involved in the heinous crime. HURIWA however frowned at the approach of the military in the aftermath of the terror attack against the military just as the Rights group said intentionally carrying out coordinated revenge attacks against the community whereby the attacks against the soldiers, have done so much harm to the aspiration of promoting civil and military dialogues.”

HURIWA recalled that academics of note have affirmed that civil-military relations are essential for maintaining peace and stability in any society. However, there are challenges to these relations, especially in areas where there are existing conflicts or tensions. One way to address these challenges is through deliberate community engagement by military and security forces. Engaging with the local communities to discuss and understand the protection issues they face is crucial. It is conducive not only to develop relationships between civilians and the military but also helps build trust, understand local dynamics, promote local agency as well as hold security forces accountable to prioritize the protection of civilians (POC).

Besides, HURIWA affirmed that the nominative revised functions of Civil Affairs includes; Civil Security; Civil Control (rule of law); Essential services; governance support and Economic stabilization and Infrastructure.

A Civil–military relation describes the relationship between military organizations and civil society, military organizations and other government bureaucracies, and leaders and the military. CMR incorporates a diverse, often normative field, which moves within and across management, social science and policy scales. More narrowly, it describes the relationship between the civil authority of a given society and its military authority. “The goal of any state is to harness military professional power to serve vital national security interests, while guarding against the misuse of power that can threaten the well-being of its people.” Studies of civil-military relations often rest on a normative assumption that it is preferable to have the ultimate responsibility for a country’s strategic decision-making to lie in the hands of the civilian political leadership (i.e. civilian control of the military) rather than a military (a military dictatorship).