‘If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it will be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun’ – Dalai Lama XVI
Last week, the story of the bloodshed in Baga, a fishing community in Borno State rested harshly on our ears. The news darkened our demeanour. It would not be erroneous to have the national flag flown at half mast in honour of the dead. The Joint Task Force took civilians as causalities in what they claim was ‘an ambush with members of the Boko Haram sect using civilians as cover.’ It was wrong especially given the account of the survivors.
The figures are contentious and the correct figure of the dead may never be known. Wars would always be fought by people and nations. And ‘all is fair in love and in war’ goes that old saying. Of the two warring camps – one is ready to fight and die, the other is paid to fight. The Joint Task Force, JTF should throw all at this war. The new media is now a war tool. It’s understandable since the internet itself was an initial product by the military. It’s high time the JTF and Military in Nigeria also began to engage vigorously with this tool if they aren’t already doing so. The US Army understands this hence its recent release of a 52 page social media handbook for soldiers, ditto the Air Force’s 41 page document for its personnel.
The war in Iraq and Afghanistan birthed some transformative Apps compatible with smart phones. One of the apps, in addition to mapping a territory and telling where civilians pass through regularly can detect explosives and also warfare weapons. It is an extensive form of Red Alert app designed by the 13 year old Israeli- Liron Bar,
While the Israeli and Hamas war lasted, there were places where the alert siren of the Military was faint. As Hamas rocket continued to be released and vice versa, Israelis were alerted by the app and it allowed them run to the bunkers for safety. It also allowed them to limit it to a particular geography and send messages to those in areas under attack and encourage them to relocate in some instances. The Defense Military website also had information of bunker locations, underground parks and other protected spaces.
Instances of new media use abound globally that the JTF can draw from. In 2006, the U.S and Iraqi Army had successfully raided a location in Iraq – rescued a hostage, killed 16 militants and found a heavy weapon armoury. By the time they got to their base, about 40 minutes after, the images had gone viral. Except that this time, the bodies had been adjusted, the guns removed and they were placed in a pose that seemed as though they were praying in a mosque when they were attacked. It weighed negatively against the Army. Luckily, the Army had also used a new media tool – a helmet camera. It showed the true story. The JTF can also benefit from this, knowing well never to engage with the enemy without this switched on. This would have told Baga’s true story. You win a war on the offensive. The defensive is not where you should be, which the JTF is now. Having to explain what exactly happened to people. It is not the right location in the place of war. Our Military needs to thoroughly understand that information is now controlled by everybody. The recent hacking warfare between USA and China comes to mind to underscore contemporary warfare. Imagine if the people of Baga or members of the Boko Haram sect had managed to get out pictures of the women and children killed, the outrage would be worse and other operations may be compromised.
Remember the Navy Seal’s capture of Osama and the tweets by Sohaib Athar? If the operation had taken longer, it would not have taken long for Al-Qaeda to be in the know and storm that Abottabab resident in retaliation given information from the tweets. During the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War in Lebanon, Hezbollah used the social media to quickly and consistently report the number and location of Israeli casualties faster. This had a negative effect on Israeli public perception. The military formation in Nigeria has the new media to use so that it is consistently perceived as giving the real information on the insurgency. The physical war should be waged alongside the psychological war and this can be in form of new media information flow. A General explains– ‘… speed is of the utmost importance. The first story out tends to get repeated across multiple platforms and, the longer an adversary’s version of events is allowed to go unanswered, the more truthfulness it accrues in the eyes of many audiences.’ Same way you can’t trust guns to shoot the right people all the time is the same way all you see on new media is not true but then, if the enemy is engaging with it, why not you?
What the JTF should do is to share information as quick as they happen. Send mails to reporters, bloggers, social influencers and declassify images with caveats, if need be, so that they have an edge. The JTF should allow soldiers tell their own stories through video posts and interviews where necessary. All that needs to be done is to have social media engagement rules for them. The JTF would do well to read all the social media commentaries and comments on this Baga misadventure. It may learn a thing or two.
When the Israeli Defence Force killed Ahmad al-Jabari of Hamas, twitter was its choice of breaking the news. The video of marines urinating on corpses of alleged Taliban fighters in 2010 which caused massive condemnation was also birthed by the new media. It is one of the misuses by Soldiers. Social media is rewriting the rules of modern warfare. Families of soldiers will forever be grateful to new media as it allows them to easily reach their loved ones at the war front through Skype, Viber, instant messenger etc. If you can trust a Soldier with a gun, then you should be able to trust him with smart phones and gadgets as well. They only need engagement rules.
As a caveat, new media is definitely not all there is to finding a solution. It is just a useful part. My heart goes out to the people of Baga and to families of Soldiers who have lost their loved ones.
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‘Sola Fagorusi
Sola Fagorusi is a youth development advocate, freelance writer, accomplished debater cum coach. The Obafemi Awolowo University graduate has about 10 years experience in social entrepreneurship which straddles leadership, good governance cum anti-corruption and adolescent reproductive health. The Leap Africa alumnus is also a trained peer educator, a DESPLAY alumnus and co-facilitator. For 2 years now, he has been a technical consultant and lead judge on the Intra-Faith Peace Youth TV Debate Project facilitated by Youngstars Foundation and the British High Commission. To read his full profile, click here
