Buhari-era military rivalry denied troops air support, says Bwala

Presidential aide Daniel Bwala has alleged that a rivalry between the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration resulted in troops being denied air support during some military operations.

Bwala made the claim while speaking recently on The Link Up Podcast, a panel discussion hosted by EchoRoom and published on Friday.

According to him, tensions between the Chief of Air Staff and the leadership of the Nigerian Army at the time affected operational coordination, with requests for aerial support allegedly going unanswered during some missions.

“I remember during Buhari there was this disagreement that was reported to be between the Chief of Air Staff and that of the Army, so that whenever an operation was undertaken, when they asked for air cover, there wouldn’t be support. In this administration, it is not so. There is coordination or cooperation,” he said.

Bwala made the remarks while responding to questions about allegations that terrorist groups may have infiltrated the Nigerian military. He rejected claims that security personnel deliberately protect terrorists during attacks, describing such assertions as speculative.

“I don’t think so. You see that’s a conjecture, except there’s a live case,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that isolated cases of infiltration or collaboration by individuals within security agencies cannot be completely ruled out.

“You cannot rule out the facts that they may have one or two agents in the army, anywhere else, that providing… Our police have always been arrested, and soldiers arrested involved in this kind of thing,” he said, referring to previous arrests involving security personnel, including a senior police officer allegedly apprehended alongside Chinese nationals.

Bwala argued that such incidents are not unique to Nigeria, citing former United States intelligence contractor Edward Snowden as an example of how security breaches can occur even in advanced countries.

“This will happen anywhere in the world. Snowden was a contractor to the US national security. These are elements that can happen, and why I didn’t want to talk much on that is because there are measures we’re taking and we don’t want people to know,” he added.

The presidential aide also suggested that Nigeria’s security challenges have an international dimension, pointing to demonstrations in parts of northern Nigeria where Russian flags were reportedly displayed.

“If you remember, there was a decision the Federal Government of Nigeria made at that time, immediately we started seeing these people in Nigeria lifting Russian flags,” he said.

Bwala further referred to claims made by United States Congressman Scott Perry, who alleged during a congressional hearing that the CIA funded Boko Haram and the Islamic State, stressing that he was not endorsing the allegations but highlighting that such discussions had taken place.

“I wouldn’t say that, but I will tell you what I saw. When they were having the congressional hearing, I don’t know whether it is true or not, because he’s not a Nigerian, but I’m just providing facts to you to tell you that conversations like that have gone on.

“Scott Perry was interrogating the CIA director and he was telling him that their congressional finding suggests that the CIA was funding Boko Haram, ISIS,” he said.

He added, “So, me, I’m not saying he’s right or he’s wrong. But what I’m saying is that an event like that has occurred, and as a country we cannot hear that and say you are a liar.”

Assessing President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Bwala said the government had recorded significant progress, particularly in strengthening Nigeria’s foreign reserves and improving revenue generation.

“He has done more than enough to earn the trust of Nigerians,” he said, adding that it should ultimately be left to Nigerians to determine whether the President deserves another term in office.