Former Military Administration of Kaduna State, retired Brig.-Gen. Lawal Jaafar Isah, has called on the Federal Government to introduce a reserved corps to complement effort of the Military in the fight against Boko Haram Insurgency in the Northeast.
The former Military Administrator, who made the call while speaking with newsmen in Kano on Monday, said introducing the corps would be a major boost in fighting the insurgents to a logical conclusion.
“The introduction of a reserved corps has been a common trend most especially in the most developed nations, where the immense experience and combat readiness of retired military officers was adequately tapped, harnessed and properly utilized for peace purposes.
“Using the expertise of experienced retired military officers had been a major catalyst for a lasting peace in areas devastated by war of attrition,“ Isah said.
A military reserve force is a organisation composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career.
They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilises for total war or to defend against invasion.
Isah said the introduction of reserved corps would go along way in reducing cost and lessen the magnitude of the loss of fresh military officers who had graduated from various military institutions and quickly deployed to theatre of operations.
According to him, the reserved corps is usually used in achieving a temporary military objectives in a country where such a system is institutionalized.
“I really find it most compelling to suggest for the timely introduction of the reserved corps in this country in the face of the gruelling challenges posed to the nation by the continued Boko Haram onslaught.
“Engaging the services of the reserved corps to me is not a big deal. Its just a matter of enlisting the services of personnel that had retired and willing to join those serving in combat situation.
“When these retired personnel are engaged to serve this purpose, that does not implies that one is reinstated as a personnel to serve in the manner he or she was recruited into the Nigerian Army.
“The Infantry bears the burden of executing war in dicey military operations. The Navy, Airforce and the Army always support the Infantry in war situation.”
He said there are many retired personnel who are still energetic and resilient enough to face such a challenge and such personnel should be given the chance to prove their prowess.
“At present our young officers who graduated from various military institutions, are just ordered to report to theatres of operation without having the requisite experience and acumen of fighting on the front line,” he said.
The former military administrator commended the decision by the Federal Government to deploy 2,000 Police personnel to areas liberated from the Boko Haram elements.
He described the decision as a welcome development because according to him leaving such liberated territories alone would not help matters. With reports by NAN
