Nigerian Defence Academy, an Icon Violated

With the apparent incapacity or alleged collusion of the nation’s flawed security architecture, terrorists masquerading as bandits invaded and desecrated the elite Nigeria Defence Academy, Louis Achi writes

“If you want to humble an empire it makes sense to maim its cathedrals,” wrote TIME’s Nancy Gibbs in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.

“They are symbols of its faith, and when they crumple and burn, it tells us we are not so powerful and we can’t be safe,” Gibbs added, referring to the attacks on the World Trade Center Twin Towers, in Lower Manhattan, New York City, destroyed when 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group, al Qaeda, hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States.

But then as empires go, Nigeria is certainly not one. Except if, as increasingly shrill allegations are mounting from a section of its fractured elite, the template for a quirky internal realm is being surreptitiously laid.

By wittingly or unwittingly maiming an iconic cathedral of its statehood – a military-political totem, which is a symbol of the nation’s power, a martial citadel of knowledge, the terrorists have sent a clear message to Nigeria – that she is not so powerful and can’t be safe.

On Tuesday, August 24, terrorists, disingenuously labelled “armed bandits” or “unknown gunmen”, raided the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), in Kaduna State, killing two military personnel and abducting one – on whose head they demanded N200 million ransom. The officer was later found dead. The invaders reportedly made their way into the NDA premises camouflaged in military fatigues, overpowered the guards, and headed for the officers’ quarters.

NDA was established on February 5, 1964 in response to the Defence needs of independent Nigeria, to train officers for the armed forces. Before then, the institution was known as the Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC). After independence in 1960, it became known as the Nigerian Military Training College and later – NDA. The institution’s current Commandant is Major-General I.M Yusuf.

Following the attack, there were cacophonous responses from different layers of government which hinted at disorder. Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President proclaimed the NDA invasion was an opportunistic crime. Crime and criminals of course look out for opportunity to strike.

Hear him: “It is an opportunistic crime. It is political. Somebody wants to embarrass the government by doing this because we are coming from major successes.”

In the same breath, Shehu alluded there was no fact to support his assertion but that “In a political climate where people seek to make political capital out of this unfortunate incident, you don’t rule out anything. Investigation is ongoing,” he clarified.

Bringing perhaps a novel insight to the attack, President Muhammadu Buhari told befuddled Nigerians that the attack on NDA in Kaduna will encourage officers of the armed forces to put an end to criminality. In a statement by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, Buhari said rather than dampen their morale – the incident will buoy them to put an end to criminality. According to the president, “the heinous action would accelerate the total uprooting of evil in the polity”.

Apparently gaining more inspiration 48 hours ago, Adesina, came down hard on “Ungrateful, Unthankful, Ungracious,” Nigerians forgetful of the achievements of President Buhari in checking the insecurity challenges he inherited.

Reacting on his facebook page, to negative public commentaries trailing the attack, he launched out at what he saw as a hateful polity which had become unmindful of the fact that bombs are no longer flying about as before.

According to Adesina, the attack “was deliberate, contrived, orchestrated, all to make government look bad, and pump discouragement into the military at a time they were poised to make a decisive end of the security challenges”.

“…When there is a reversal in fortunes, no matter how temporary, as happened with the NDA attack this week, you see the predilections and propensities of the evil-hearts. They actually gloat, pretending to be concerned, while actually rejoicing that the house rat had urinated in the pot of soup. Miserable comforters!”

T the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, the attack looked like insider collusion.

While promising that the military would not rule out this possibility in its ongoing investigation, Irabor called for the cooperation of former senior officers in the fight against terrorism and banditry in the North-east.

Curiously, what particularly irked the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in the attack aftermath were claims from a section of the media that military personnel monitoring the closed-circuit television at the military institution were fast asleep when the attack happened. So, 24 hours after the audacious attack, DHQ issued a rebuttal in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Benjamin Sawyerr.

“The Nigerian Armed Forces wishes to state categorically that the allegation is untrue and hence challenge the Cable Online to publish forthwith a verifiable proof of personnel sleeping during the incident. It is therefore imperative to caution the Cable Online media to guide against being used as a propaganda tool by enemies of our dear country.”

More importantly, DHQ stated that a board of enquiry has been constituted to ascertain the incidents that led to the security breach.

It cannot be denied that audacious banditry has scaled up in Northern Nigeria – adding to the region’s many security challenges, especially the bloody Boko Haram insurgency. But the invasion of the nation’s premier military academy transcends the rather convenient label of armed banditry. It should be properly called out as terrorism.

Several associated posers come to the fore. What is the mission objective of the invaders? Does the attack merely sync with Garba and Adesina’s postulation – to embarrass the Buhari administration? What is the real message behind the abduction and ransom demand? Why was the abductee killed?

Why did this operation look almost like a picnic without a withering fight-back by the academy security in place? The 9/11 terrorist attack targeting the US triggered a massive response. What has been the military response a week after this insulting invasion? Have the culprits been captured?

The NDA falls within the ideological targets of Boko Haram terrorists. It is a school where Western education and values are taught. Stories have been bandied where culprits of bloody impunity have been caught but freed. What will be the consequences for the invaders of NDA – if caught? Nigerians are watching.