Boko Haram: Why South African mercenaries berated Buhari

A South African mercenary company has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of intelligence warnings about operations of Boko Haram in Borno state led to the recent killings of Nigerian troops.

The company, Specialised Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection International (STTEP), has experience working in the north-eastern state.

STTEP was employed by former president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 to assist the Nigerian army in rescuing the Chibok girls

The company’s chairman, Eeben Barlow, made the comment on his Facebook page on Sunday, November 25. According to Barlow, Nigerian soldiers have been reaching to him for help since his company’s services were terminated by the Buhari’s government.

It was gathered that STTEP, consisting of former soldiers of the South Africa Defence Force, was employed by former president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 to assist the Nigerian army in rescuing the Chibok girls. But their presence in the north-eastern state caused an uproar, especially in their country South Africa.

The country’s defence minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, was quoted to have said they should be arrested on their return to the country.

Barlow also berated President Muhammadu Buhari for claiming that Boko Haram was technically defeated when he assumed power in 2015, describing the president’s comments as ‘false.’

In hais words: “There is, in a purely military sense, no such thing as a ‘technical defeat’ – something the president, as an ex-military man ought to know. Sadly, he also chose to make the successes of 7 Infantry Division and 72 Mobile Strike Force (MSF) his own, when it wasn’t.

“President Buhari and his team were, however, part of the political leader group that led the vocal charge about STTEP’s presence in Nigeria, making it a burning political issue even before they assumed office. Indeed, they made it known that the company’s presence would not be tolerated under his office. “The initial 3-phase campaign strategy (known as ‘Operational Anvil’) to degrade and destroy Boko Haram in Borno state, was rejected by his advisors.

Instead, pressure forced only a small part of the campaign to be successfully implemented before we were ordered to pack up and leave. “They were, however, quite happy to allow the armed forces to receive both substandard training and the incorrect equipment provided by both foreign governments and their PMCs – along with the worst possible ‘military advice.’

When this approach failed, the military could be blamed for any lack of success.” He said many of the men STTEP trained as part of 72 Mobile Strike Force have remained in contact with them, “pleading for our return to Nigeria.” “They have also told us that they have been used to a point of exhaustion,” he added. He stated that following STTEP’s departure from Nigeria, they issued numerous intelligence warnings to the Nigerian government. “These warnings covered the implications of not allowing the 72 MSF to annihilate Boko Haram in Borno province; the plans by Boko Haram to rearm and escalate their activities; the implications of regional spill-over, the impact on the armed forces; and so forth.

“These intelligence warnings were all rejected in favour of a false belief. Neighbouring countries were advised not to listen to us as it was claimed to be a cheap attempt to ‘get a contract’. “Chad, Cameroon and Niger are now also reaping the benefits of rejecting intelligence in favour of an agenda-driven narrative aimed at destabilising an entire region – a region where Nigeria remains a prime target,” he stated.

He noted that Boko Haram terrorists can be defeated, but added that “victory requires more than a few soundbytes.” “North-eastern Nigeria is an example of what can happen when intelligence is rejected in favour of a false narrative. “Don’t blame the armed forces when poor political decisions result in the deaths of people,” he concluded.