Nigerian Army Embraces New Techniques To Neutralise Insurgents

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Tukur Buratai says he is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that by December, the deadline set by the Federal Government to put an end to the issues of insurgency in some parts the country is met.

Gen. Buratai stated this in Minna, the Niger State capital, in his opening remarks at a Seminar titled: “Middle Leadership and Emotional Intelligence Towards Ending Insurgency”.

He was represented by the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command of the Nigerian Army, (TRADOC) Major General Mobolaji Adeleke Koleoso.

He said, as expected, the insurgents have been degraded to the extent that they no longer possess the freedom of action they once had, pointing out that this development poses a new challenge as there is the need for decentralized operations anchored on disciplined initiatives to neutralize the insurgents in their disorganized and scattered state.

Accordingly, he said that the seminar, which was the first of its kind to be hosted by TRADOC, was an avenue for officers to understand leadership in a new form, stressing that the form of leadership hitherto understood, placed emphasis on Intelligence Quotient (IQ).

He pointed out that emphasis is gradually shifting from IQ to Emotional Intelligence (EI) in many Armed Forces around the world, saying, “This is as a result of the introduction of mission command philosophy into warfare”.

According to him, mission command, as opposed to detailed command is the exercise of authority and direction by commanders using mission orders to enable discipline initiatives within the commander’s intent.

Continuous Training

Speaking further, Koleoso declared that for TRADOC which he commands, it is continuous training for officers and other ranks.

He added that the seminar was being conducted for the middle cadre officers in the Nigerian Army who were seeing enemies face to face and doing the battle with them in the battle field.

“It is not only being on the field, but it is also making sure that whoever is the officer or soldier that General Yusuf Buratai is putting on the field is being properly trained  to know what they are supposed to do and that is the purpose of this training.

“Warrant Officers are being trained too because they form the bridge between the officers and the soldiers of the Nigerian Army. Presently, the Nigerian Army Headquarters is collaborating with the British Military Advisory Team to train officers on leadership. And when they are trained, they are inserted into the front, others will come in, they will also go through the training,” he stated.

The TRADOC Commander disclosed further that all other General Officers Commanding in all other Divisions of the Nigerian Army in parts of the country were also training their men, as well as putting them in the field and bringing them back and taking care of their welfare.

He said, mission command, which familiarizes all with the commander’s intent leaves no vacuum in leadership or initiative, emphasizing that the exercise of disciplined initiative is a vital principle of mission command alongside other principles like shared understanding , prudent risk and mutual trust.

“Adherence to these principles in decentralized operations, where commanders are expected to act decisively and imaginatively require an understanding of the emotional factors required for success.

“These emotional factors among others include courage, fear, pain, honour, country, and compassion, leadership by example, discipline, sacrifice and conscience,” he maintained.

He opined that manipulation of these factors into battle winning elements requires emotional intelligence, highlighting that it is imperative that these battle winning elements have become so vital now that Nigeria is faced with the insurgency in the north eastern parts of the country.

A thorough understanding of Emotional Intelligence, according to him, is therefore vital for commanders to exercise their new found initiative in a mindful manner, emphasizing that the seminar among other objectives will expose the participants to the dynamics of EI and how to transform it into mindful and professionally responsive leadership in the field.