By Lawan Musa Danlami ( Baba Lawan)
November 2025
The death of senior commanders in Nigeria’s long and grinding war against insurgency continues to cast a dark shadow over the nation’s fragile security architecture. In the North-East—where the conflict has endured for over a decade—the killing of high-ranking officers who symbolize leadership, operational experience, and strategic depth exposes a disturbing truth: Nigeria’s counterinsurgency struggle is not only unending but also deteriorating in ways that suggest insurgents remain tactically innovative, deeply embedded, and disturbingly confident.
A Pattern Written in Blood: The Commanders Nigeria Has Lost
In October 2020, the nation mourned Colonel Dahiru Bako—one of Operation Lafiya Dole’s most brilliant tactical commanders—after he fell in an ambush along the Sabon Gari–Wajiroko axis in Borno State. Bako had earned a reputation for fearless frontline leadership.
Barely a year later, Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkusu, commander of the 28 Task Force Brigade, was killed while reinforcing troops engaged in fierce combat with ISWAP militants in Askira-Uba. His death sent shockwaves through both military and civilian circles.
The cycle of loss continued with the killing of Brigadier General M. Uba along the ever-dangerous Wajiroko corridor in Damboa Local Government—one of the most volatile and insurgent-dominated terrains in the region.
These tragedies are not random. They reveal a consistent pattern of highly coordinated ambushes, suggesting that insurgent groups possess:
Robust intelligence networks
Advanced surveillance capabilities
Deep knowledge of troop movements
Mastery of terrain and timing
The deaths of these commanders highlight a deeply compromised operational environment where insurgents often appear one step ahead of the Nigerian military.
Security Experts: “These Are Not Random Attacks”
1. Dr. Hassan Umar, Security Strategist (Abuja)
> “When insurgents successfully ambush a General, it means they knew he was coming. This suggests a breach in communications or strong informant networks within local structures. These attacks are coordinated, precise, and intentional.”
Umar emphasizes that insurgent groups have mastered guerrilla tactics in the North-East’s harsh terrain, giving them an edge in ambush warfare.
2. Lt-Col. (Rtd.) Salisu Ango, Former Army Intelligence Officer
> “Ambush is the ultimate sign of terrain mastery. Boko Haram and ISWAP understand the Damboa–Askira axis better than many of our units. Their ability to deploy IEDs, ambush convoys, and vanish quickly shows territorial familiarity and tactical discipline.”
Ango warns that Nigeria’s poor aerial surveillance and limited use of drones leave troops vulnerable and blind in critical combat zones.
Scholarly Perspectives: A War of Structure, Not Just Firepower
Prof. Amina Abdulkarim, Peace and Conflict Studies (University of Maiduguri)
> “Nigeria is fighting a 21st-century insurgency with 20th-century strategies. Insurgents adapt faster. They weaponize technology, mobility, and ideology—areas where the state remains slow or reactive.”
She stresses that military efforts will remain temporary unless Nigeria tackles the deeper structural drivers of insurgency: poverty, radicalization, local grievances, and weak governance.
Dr. Chidi Okechukwu, Political Sociologist (UNN)
> “This is not just a battlefield failure; it is a governance failure. When people say ‘Tinubu should wake up,’ they are pointing to a system disconnected from everyday reality. Security is not just guns—it is the economy, trust, and legitimacy.”
The Human Cost: Morale, Trust, and the Psychology of War
The deaths of Colonels and Generals carry enormous symbolic weight. When those at the top fall, morale in the ranks trembles.
A senior military psychologist explains:
> “Losing a General sends a chilling message: if commanders fall easily, what hope do younger officers have? It heightens fear and uncertainty.”
Public confidence also erodes. If elite commanders are not safe, how protected can ordinary citizens be?
Political Implications: A Presidency Under Rising Pressure
As insecurity expands, public frustration intensifies. Critics argue that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has yet to articulate a transformative, results-driven security agenda.
Meanwhile, widespread economic hardship—rising prices, unemployment, and shrinking purchasing power—has deepened public anger.
Even news of the U.S. President’s planned visit has been met with skepticism. Nigerians increasingly reject diplomatic optics in favour of real solutions.
Political analyst Ibrahim Yusuf captures the sentiment:
> “Foreign visits won’t save this government. Nigerians want action, not symbolism. If insecurity and hunger persist, no handshake abroad can fix the President’s image.”
A Warning to Nigeria’s Political Class: The People Are Watching
As insecurity worsens and economic pressure mounts, the political class must understand a fundamental truth: a hungry, frightened, and frustrated population is always one step away from political revolt—peaceful or electoral.
If leaders fail to secure the working class, protect communities, and restore economic stability, they should not be surprised when the masses respond decisively at the ballot box.
There is always a day for elections.
And the Nigerian people—resilient, patient, and hopeful—also reach a breaking point.
When that day comes, the masses will speak in the only language the political elite cannot suppress: their votes.
Conclusion: A War Far From Over
The deaths of Nigeria’s frontline commanders remind the nation that:
The insurgency is evolving
Intelligence and tactical gaps persist
Structural issues fuel conflict
Leadership must act with urgency and clarity
And ignoring public suffering is politically dangerous
Nigeria’s war is not only in the forests of Borno. It is in the minds of disillusioned citizens, demoralized soldiers, and a nation questioning its leadership.
If the state fails to act—strategically, compassionately, and decisively—the cost of complacency will continue to rise, paid in the lives of those who defend the Republic and in the political consequences waiting for those who have ignored the suffering of the people.
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Opinion