Toba Owojaiye Reporting
The recent disclosure by Eeben Barlow has sent shockwaves through Nigerian social media, bringing renewed attention to the shortcomings of the previous administration’s efforts in combating terrorism in the northern region. Barlow, a South African private military contractor and the founder of Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment, and Protection (STTEP), revealed startling insights into their experiences attempting to tackle Boko Haram in Nigeria in 2015.
Barlow’s revelations, shared on November 26, 2018, through a Facebook post and an interview with Aljazeera, unveiled how President Muhammadu Buhari hindered their mission. He disclosed that even before taking office, Buhari and his advisors opposed STTEP’s comprehensive strategy, ‘Operational Anvil,’ designed to degrade and defeat Boko Haram in Borno State.
Despite STTEP’s willingness to continue their crucial mission, President Buhari firmly rejected their presence under his leadership, a stark contrast to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s utilization of their expertise in 2014. Barlow emphasized that they had provided intelligence warnings before and after their withdrawal, underscoring the risks of not eliminating Boko Haram, including the potential for re-armament, regional instability, and damage to the armed forces.
Barlow also criticized Buhari’s assertion of Boko Haram being “technically defeated,” pointing to recent attacks by the group, like the devastating assault on the Nigerian Army’s 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State, resulting in significant casualties.
This revelation by Eeben Barlow has illuminated the intricacies and controversies surrounding Nigeria’s struggle against Boko Haram, raising serious questions about the government’s effectiveness in addressing this persistent security crisis. It underscores the need for a comprehensive and politically unencumbered approach to ensure the safety and stability of the region.