By Nathaniel Ikyur
Twenty two years ago, after a meritorious service in the Nigeria Airforce, Air Cdr Anthony Ikazaboh, (rtd) who once served as Minister of Sports was killed right in the front of his residence in Lagos. Till date, not much has been heard if his assailants were apprehended.
The 15th Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh thought he was retiring into a life of comfort and peace. He was wrong. There were unconfirmed reports that he operated a farm along Abuja-Keffi road. It was along this same route that gunmen waylaid him on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 and shot him point blank. He died from those gunshots wounds. His retirement was cut short. We haven’t heard if Badeh’s assailants were arrested.
Brig. Gen Musa Uba, was still active in service. He was the Commander of the 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, Borno State when he was killed in active service. Uba fought Boko Haram and ISWAP. Sadly, it was this same group (or so we were made to believe) who also killed him in November, 2025. Gen Uba’s convoy was ambushed while leading his patrol team near Wajiroko in Borno State.
It is no longer news how Brig Gen. Oseni Braimah, Captain Azubuike Esimai and many other soldiers were killed by insurgents on April 9, this year. This sort of news against our armed forces has continued ceaselessly to our greatest pains. Sadly, these same bandits who killed innocent citizens are rather rehabilitated into the military. What a country.
Just this afternoon, (Saturday June 13, 2026) we were greeted with the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar who was kidnapped alongside his wife by bandits. They were in custody for weeks. The Katsina State-born General who was a former Director of Defence Information could not be rescued even by his immediate constituency, the Nigerian Army.
These and many other senior military officers and soldiers have fallen to the hot bullets of these insurgents that are over running our sovereignty.
I’ve heard Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa alleged citizen complicity. So now, how do we put an end to this after identifying part of the problem? How complicit are we all in this? And for how long shall we continue to weep because we’ve failed to address the problem from the onset?
President Bola Tinubu in his address to the nation to mark the June 12 Democracy Day on June 12, 2026 sounded tough. He has warned terror gangs against testing the will of the federal government. He has asked them to surrender or they will face the full wrath of the law. But if truth must be told, enough of speeches. Of a truth, we’ve had enough of these speeches on this matter. Its time for real action. Pounding actions like the Israelis and US would do when their citizens are in trouble. How much of the President’s tough talk will be translated into measurable actions?
For a start, let the school children and their teachers abducted in Oyo State be rescued. Because as it is, it’s left to be seen how the President will push his words into results. We’re hoping that President Tinubu’s tough speech is not mere political rhetorics ahead of the 2027 general elections. Mr President, let the people take your promises to the bank where our highways, schools and playgrounds be safe for all of us.
