Former Nigerian Army spokesman and retired Major General John Enenche has revealed that the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru, once told him he was prevented from launching a planned military offensive against terrorists in Nigeria’s North-East despite troops being fully prepared for the operation.
Speaking during an interview with Channels Television, Enenche discussed the security challenges facing the country and stressed the need for greater operational support for the military in the fight against terrorism.
According to Enenche, he and the late Attahiru were course mates at the Nigerian Defence Academy, and he was still serving in the military when Attahiru became Chief of Army Staff.
Recalling one of their conversations, Enenche said Attahiru informed him that he wanted to carry out an urgent operation against a terrorist stronghold in the North-East but was instructed not to proceed.
“Attahiru told me, ‘Enenche, can you see what is happening? We want to eliminate these people, but we have been ordered not to attack that location,'” Enenche recounted.
However, the retired general did not identify who issued the directive or explain why the planned operation was halted. He also did not specify when the conversation took place or the exact location of the intended operation.
Enenche said the incident highlights the challenges military commanders often face while prosecuting the war against insurgency. He argued that defeating terrorism requires timely decision making, reliable intelligence, and greater operational freedom for commanders on the battlefield to respond swiftly to emerging threats.
