Former Nigerian Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has backed the call by the United states of America to train the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism.
Babangida made this disclosure on Sunday to Niger State Correspondents on the occasion of his 74th birthday.
He spoke at his Top Hill Mansion, Minna.
He said the renewed efforts and the fight of the Federal Government to stop Boko Haram is very commendable.
Reacting to a comment made by a United States official recently that what Nigeria military needs to fight Boko Haram is not weapon, but training, the former Military President concurred and advised that it be done accordingly.
He said: “They (USA) are right, but there is an old saying that no matter the sophisticated weapon you have, we always say in the Army that it is not the weapon but the man behind the weapon.
“In other words, I do appreciate what they are trying to do for us.
“They have acquired a lot of experiences since the Second World War.
“They have been involved with stability operations and other operations in support of either United Nations or in support of countries in which they went into.
“So I expect that they should talk about that.
“I think I must admit that a lot of us were trained in America.
“I am quite sure some sizeable number of officers were trained, so it is not anything new to talk about because they know they have trained quite a number of officers.
“I was trained in America in a place called Baltimore in Kentucky where I did senior officers course.
“I was in a Naval postgraduate school in the United States where I did senior officers Management course.
“I was a Brigadier that time.
“So a lot of us were trained in America.”
However, the General said he is satisfied with the renewed fight against insurgency by the Federal Government, adding: “They have to be boxed.
“I think the renewed efforts and the fight of the Federal Government to stop Boko Haram is very commendable.”
Babangida, while speaking on what the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan did that President Muhammadu Buhari is not doing, which has led to an upsurge in the activities of the group, said: “I think there is a general misunderstanding on the whole concept of insurgency.
“You can call it anything but one thing you will realize is that we are not fighting a regular Army where you can confront yourselves by sheer use of force or weapons to overwhelm the enemy.
“No.
“You have got a small trained army.
“The tactics of which must include ‘maximum casualty’ on the so called enemy, inflict casualty on him where he lands when he least expects it.
“We are not fighting a conventional war.
“That makes it exceptionally difficult.
“They (Boko Haram) will blow up bridges.
“They will go and blow up barracks and so forth and so on.
“This is unconventional war.
“It is in order.
“The soldiers are trained for it and they know that this is the sort of things they do.
“The public should be educated about this conventional war.”
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