Came across a piece by weekly magazine - The Economist. A British based Magazine that claims to be insightful and fair minded. We all know that western media focuses on negative coverage of Africa. The presentation of African news by Western media convinces the audiences in
the West that the entire continent of Africa is hopeless, poverty and disease stricken. 

They focus on human interest and emotional stories rather than presenting the larger social or economic issues involved. The Economist is an embodiment of this bias.
QUOTE

When violence erupts, the Nigerian government does nothing or cracks heads almost indiscriminately. The Nigerian military is demoralized. Its soldiers afraid to fight. Insecurity is at it's worse since the insurgency began in 2009 "

- The Economist
Lets start with the tactical reality of the war on terror. In August 2014 Boko Haram occupied an area the size of Belgium, encompassing 22 LGA's and declared a Caliphate, with Gwoza as its capital, effectively cutting off 2 million Nigerians from the rest of the country.
It took almost a year to take back captured territory.

Why did it take so long you might ask?

Nigeria was arguably under the most corrupt administration in it's history. The Nigerian military was operating on life support.
The soldiers were chronically ill-equipped. Air Force was on the verge of extinction. We witnessed hundreds of Nigerian soldiers abandoning their base and fleeing to Cameroon after running out of ammo. You might think its over the top exaggeration to classfy the GEJ admin
..as the GOAT in corruption, until you realize the era we were living in.

Nigeria made more money between 2010 and 2015 than at any time in our 60+ history with oil prices oscillating between $100 to $150 per barrel.
To put things into perspective, Nigeria earned $38 billion from oil revenue in 2019. In 2020 Nigeria earned $42 billion as oil prices fluctuate between $38 to $60 per barell.

Nigeria earned $110 billion in crude export earnings in 2011. In 2012 $150 billion.
In 2014 Nigeria earned a staggering $170 billion in export earnings.

Never in history has Nigeria accrued so much money from the sale of crude. Nigeria had the financial wherewithal to build a world class military. Instead the reverse was the case.
The Army boss spent $380 million on 50 second hand T-72M tanks from the Czech Republic without spare parts. That was the only notable weapon aquired during the richest period in this nations history. Corruption was not limited to theatre commanders or military high command,
It went far up higher echelons of the Presidents cabinet. N2.2 billion was spent on prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to win the war against Boko Haram. N3 million was spent opening an official Facebook account. N500 million spent on maintaining the presidential garden.
The National Security Adviser himself, Dasuki Sambo siphoned $2 BILLION !!. This was money alloted for arms procurement.

Theatre commanders were overseeing military operations in Maiduguri from their air conditioned officers in Abuja.
Boko Haram and corrupt officials never had it so good. This downward spiral was to change with the current administration. In July 2017 Acting President Yemi Osinbajo directed all Service Chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, Borno state capital, with immediate effect.
With oil prices below $38 per barrel Nigeria was finding it increasingly difficult to finance the war. It is in this fiscally challenging period that the Nigerian military was transformed to become one of the best trained and modernized fighting force on the continent.
For the first time in history Nigeria has become an exporter of world class military vehicles. Exporting MRAPS to Chad, Niger, Somalia and believe it or not Belarus.
The Nigeiran military within the last 5 years, has taken delivery of more platforms than in the last 20 years.

Super Mushank, Mi-35M, Mi-24V,
Agusta 109 "Power", JF-17, Wing loong II, CH-4, CH-3B armed attack drones, MI-17E multi-purpose helicopter, VT-4 Main Battle Tank
ST1 Tank Destroyers, SH105mm self propelled artillery, over 300 naval vessels of various classification, CJ-3 Special Missions Aircaft, LST landing ship, Navy Falcon Eye Maritime Surveillance System, Army Cyberwarfare Command, Air Force Geospatial Intelligence Data Centre
Donfeng CSK-131, Bigfoot Mrap, Type 89 tracked amoured fighting vehicles..the list is endless. How about the result?
By and large the insurgency has been contained to a select few states of the northeast and northwest. They do not pose an existential threat to Nigeria. They lack the capacity to do so. Over 18,000 fighters have surrendered to the military.
There are a ton of positives worth celebrating in Nigeria. We now have a thriving defence industry, with private and state owned enterprises churning out world class products. Nigeria's ship building capacity growing at an exponetial pace.
The western media hates this. The parading of malnourished and naked African children in front of camera have dominated most Western media news outlets over the past two decades, they are not willing to break from norm. It is sad that the 6th largest democracy in the world
..attracts nothing but scepticism and contempt from the West. Its like Nigeria has commited an abominable crime by daring to thrive in the face of adversity. In a sane world news of insurgent setbacks will be greeted with cheers and encouragement.
But the more Nigeria defy the odds, record gains, the greater the intensity of the attacks. One can almost predict when the next media attack will come by monitoring developments on the battlefield. To be fair they "sometimes" cover some success stories, but inadequately.
Negative aspects of the continent are sought after. Reminds me of $11 million spent on research to find where Africans are hiding the bodies of thousands of Covid-19 victims. They just could not accept Melinda Gates was wrong in her predictions of dead bodies on the streets.

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More from @DefenseNigeria

7 Jan
So 48 hours after Bandits were officially designated as a terrorist organization, the U.S government has issued a stern warning to Nigeria as the NAF prepares to bombard Bandits.
The West can sometimes be jittery when it comes to plight of terrorists.

The standard A-29 from Embrae Brazil has a price tag of less than $150 million per Squadron. Nigeria spent $500 million on 12 A-29s because it wanted the best smart bombs money can buy to
..minimize the risk of civilian casualties. They want us to believe that Nigeria went through all this just for the opportunity to use a $35,000 GBU -12 laser guided bomb on civilians. Go too hard on terrorists Human Rights Groups will come for you.
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So someone is asking why we are against Emmanual Macrons proposal for a Franco-Nigeria security framework in the Lake Chad basin and greater Sahel region. The question is, WHERE these threats are emanating from?
Terrorist groups do not operate in a vacuum. Neither do they materialize out of thin air. How in the world are terrorist groups proliferating in the most militarized region of the continent with 17 military installations spread among the two most powerful nations in the west?
December 23, 2019.

France carried out a drone strike killing 40 terrorists in central Mali. The drones were launched from Niamey Niger, where France has three drones and a Squadron of Mirage fighters.
Read 25 tweets
3 Jan
Few countries in the world can legitimately lay claim to be a Bastion of Democracy than Nigeria.

Even when Nigeria was under a military junta, Nigeria still used its military power in reinstating the ousted civilian government of Sierra leone and restore democracy.
As the premier and principal military power in West Africa, Nigeria is the only country eligible and capable of doing so without a hidden agenda compared to others.

When compared with French military intervention in the region the difference is like night and day.
Every country Nigeria have intervened in militarily ( Liberia, Sierra-Leone, Gambia) are all free, functioning and thriving democracies today.

Compare that with French intervention in francophone West Africa. Mali for example was a democracy when the French intervened.
Read 15 tweets
3 Jan
The super star of 2021, especially in the latter stages was without a doubt the A-29 Super Tucano...i mean, they ushered insurgents into 2022 by wiping out two notorious commanders on New Years Day.

But there will be a hostile takeover in 2022. ImageImageImageImage
The CH-4 and Wing Loong II UAVs will be the stars of 2022 due to their numerous battlefield advantages over manned systems.

They will be the most valuable asset of the NAF in achieving a variety of strategic and tactical objectives, including ISR and kinetic strike operations. ImageImageImageImage
The capabity to hover above an area for 30+ hours is helpful in gathering more data or attacking enemy targets more efficiently on a scale no other platform in the NAF can hope to replicate.
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3 Jan
HISTORY that deserves to be Remembered.

The Lagos Agreement of August 1979. An accord demanding the withdrawal of French troops in Chad, be replaced by a multinational African peacekeeping force. This accord was dead on arrival. ImageImageImage
The Golden Age of Nigerian diplomacy. Chad was of primodial importance in Nigeria's foreign policy consideration all through the 70s and 80s. Nigeria considered the worsening civil war in Chad may sooner or later affect Nigeria's political and security interest.
Nigeria was put in a position where she had to monitor and react to day situation of the Chadian crises. The Nigerian government did not favour the presence of foreign troops on African soil in general and around Nigeria in particular, as a way of ending all forms of colonialism
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