Dare Babalola
Former presidential adviser Babafemi Ojudu has blamed systemic corruption within Nigeria’s military and defence structure for the rising number of casualties on the frontlines, including the recent deaths of senior officers in the fight against insurgency.
In a Facebook post on Monday titled “When Generals Fall: The Price of Corruption on the Frontlines,” Ojudu expressed concern that the loss of two generals within a six-month period points to deeper institutional failures rather than mere battlefield risks.
“In less than six months, Nigeria has lost two generals on the battlefield—cut down in operations against what should, by all conventional reckoning, be a ragtag insurgent force,” he wrote, adding that “these are not just casualties of war. They are symptoms of a deeper, more troubling reality.”
According to him, many of the fatalities have occurred under suspicious circumstances, including ambushes and operational failures that suggest systemic weaknesses.
“Too often, these deaths occur in ambushes—situations that suggest not just tactical misfortune, but systemic failure,” Ojudu stated, citing cases of malfunctioning equipment, failed communication systems, and possible internal sabotage.
He argued that the root of the problem lies in entrenched corruption within the system. “The answer, uncomfortable as it may be, can be summed up in one word: corruption,” he declared.
Drawing from his time as a member of the Senate Committee on Defence between 2011 and 2015, Ojudu said his firsthand experience at the frontlines of the Boko Haram insurgency exposed alarming conditions faced by troops.
“I saw armored tanks that were not truly armored—machines that offered appearance without protection. Bullet proof vests that proofs no bullet,” he said. “I saw soldiers going into battle in bathroom slippers, not out of indiscipline, but out of sheer neglect.”
He further revealed that many soldiers were poorly fed and overworked. “I met troops surviving on a daily ration of noodles—men expected to fight a brutal insurgency on an empty stomach,” he wrote, adding that some personnel remained in combat zones for years without rotation, leading to fatigue and low morale.
Ojudu also highlighted welfare challenges, noting that uncertainty around allowances and the plight of soldiers’ families further dampen morale. “Many did not know when their allowances would be paid… while they faced bullets and bombs with quiet resignation,” he said.
On military leadership, he warned against the dangers of politicised promotions and misplaced priorities among top officers.
“In a professional military, promotions should be based on merit, courage, and competence. But where ethnicity and religion begin to influence advancement, the foundation of professionalism is weakened,” he said.
He added that there were widespread concerns about senior officers prioritising personal business ventures over operational effectiveness. “A military leadership distracted by personal accumulation cannot effectively lead men into battle,” Ojudu stated.
The former lawmaker also criticised the defence administration framework, alleging misallocation of resources and corruption within oversight structures.
“A defence ministry that allocates more resources to buildings, fencing, and administrative structures than to arms, ammunition, intelligence, and training sends a dangerous signal,” he said, adding that oversight mechanisms are riddled with “corruption and sleaze.”
He stressed that corruption in the military goes beyond financial misconduct, affecting procurement, logistics, intelligence, and overall troop welfare.
“It is about compromised procurement that delivers substandard equipment, logistics chains that fail under pressure and intelligence leaks that expose troops to ambush,” he explained.
According to Ojudu, such systemic failures give insurgents an unintended advantage.
“In such a system, the insurgent gains an advantage without necessarily being stronger. He benefits from our weaknesses,” he noted.
He warned that the consequences are dire and immediate, particularly for the military.
“A soldier lost to negligence is gone forever. A general cut down in his prime is a blow not just to his family, but to the institution and the nation he served,” he said.
Calling for urgent reforms, Ojudu emphasised the need for accountability and structural overhaul.
“We cannot win the war against insurgency if we continue to lose the war against corruption,” he said.
He concluded by urging transparent procurement processes, merit-based promotions, improved welfare, and leadership focused on service.
“Until then, we will continue to count our losses… and the most painful truth of all will remain this: many of those losses are avoidable,” Ojudu added.
