Why Nigerian military responds faster to Benin crisis than domestic insecurity–Onanuga

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has explained why the Nigerian military appeared swift in supporting efforts to quell the recent unrest in the Republic of Benin, yet continues to face prolonged challenges in tackling insecurity within Nigeria.

Speaking on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme monitored on Monday, Onanuga said the nature of Nigeria’s security threats makes rapid, decisive military action more complex than confronting a conventional force, as was the case in Benin.

According to him, bandits and terrorists operating within Nigeria frequently use innocent civilians as human shields, making conventional military strikes extremely risky.

“It’s a different ball game altogether. The internal one is more of an asymmetric war,” he said. “Our military leaders have been explaining this, but many people don’t seem to fully understand the complexities involved.”

Onanuga contrasted the situation with the Benin Republic incident, where insurgents targeted a military base, making it easy for the army to identify and strike specific locations without endangering civilians.

“In Benin, the attackers tried to bomb a military base. The military knew exactly where to go and what to hit,” he said.

He noted that in Nigeria’s case, terrorists often kidnap and surround themselves with soft targets, compelling security forces to exercise maximum caution to avoid harming captives.

“You have to be very careful not to bomb those they are holding as collateral,” he stressed.

Onanuga added that this challenge is not unique to Nigeria, citing difficulties faced by even advanced militaries.

“Even the almighty America couldn’t easily locate guerrilla fighters in Afghanistan. It’s not an easy war,” he said.

Despite these challenges, the presidential aide expressed optimism that Nigeria is strengthening its strategy to bring an end to banditry and terrorism.

“The country is poised to find a way around it and ensure that this insecurity ends in a very short time,” he said.