Let’s talk about National Security (II): The Camo Contagion
Sequel to my first article on talking about security, where I appealed for us as a people to start talking about the subject “meaningfully” to achieve sustainable effects, I have found it necessary to introduce a seemingly forgotten player in the Nigerian national security landscape. This new player first emerged around 2013 but was cut short in mid 2015. We all forgot about it, like we forgot the COVID 19 pandemic, while it remained in hibernation.
I was awakened to its re-emergence a few days ago after my early morning espresso ritual, while skimming through messages on my phone. One of my old mates on the school alumni WhatsApp group posted the news, accompanied by a picture, of the Nigerian Fire Service, introducing a camouflage uniform. The camouflage, which has a red background, is admittedly unique and on a lighter mode, would have attracted the admiration of the Sango worshippers, whose traditional attire is red.
The introduction of the uniform apparently attracted the posting of other ‘quietly’ launched camouflage uniforms by other organisations including the Man O’ War, albeit unconfirmed as at this time. This nonetheless announced the resurfacing of the forgotten player, the “Camo Contagion” (CC), in the Nigerian security space.
One mind boggling question to me, despite almost four decades in the military, is “What is the purpose of a camouflage uniform”? A detailed online search revealed that camouflage is any material or means that can be used by armed forces to make it harder or, ideally, impossible to be seen at a distance by an opposing armed force before or during a tactical operation. Accordingly, the designs of camouflage uniforms are such that they blend with the environment in which to be used. This is why a camouflage uniform to be used in the desert has a light brown background in contrast to dark green background for the woodland environment. It also presupposes that the purpose of the camouflage uniform is to conceal from the enemy. Let’s assume for example, that the red background of the fire service camouflage blends with fire (which I doubt), what is the enemy that the fire service operative is attempting to evade?
I wish to draw our attention to a National Security Council decision in 2015, which was conveyed in a statement made by the then defence spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, as published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting on 12 June 2015. The statement revealed that the National Security Council had approved the recommendations of a committee on measures to streamline the use of camouflage uniforms, in view of the security implications and concerns raised on the clamour, duplicity and its proliferation in the country. According to him, the “proliferation and imitation by criminals and impostors” necessitated the need to restrict the use of camouflage and the military is expected to adopt only two types of camouflage for its three arms. Furthermore, the use of camouflage was therefore restricted to the military and for occasional use by the police. Prior to this time, the individual services of the Armed Forces, as well as the police, Nigerian Custom Service and the Nigerian Immigration Service, had introduced different shades of camouflage without recourse to any specific environment. The understanding of the purpose of camouflage uniform influenced the decision of the National Security Council to restrict the use of camouflage uniforms only to the military, effectively banning other security agencies from using it while the Nigeria Police Force is only permitted to use camouflage when on a joint operation with the military (Army, Navy and Air Force) or “on special operation such as specific anti-riot missions.”
In view of the foregoing, what then is the reason for the resurfacing of new camouflage by individual services of the armed forces as well as non-military organisations? Has the National Security Council reversed the instruction of 2015? How does the proliferation of uniforms aid our national security efforts? Could the resources used in introducing new uniforms be employed in increasing the capacities of these services? How many more
agencies will adopt their own self-styled camouflage uniforms? Could bandits/militants develop their own camouflage uniforms and march through cities without any challenge because there are so many camouflage patterns in Nigeria?
All these and more questions need to be addressed so that we can talk about national security meaningfully. Be that as it may, it is pertinent to state that the Camo Contagion is evidence of the increasing militarization of the society, which is one of the major enablers of insecurity in Nigeria. I therefore urge the authorities responsible for this to urgently investigate the matter and take necessary and decisive decision in the interest of national security.
Adeyinka Famadewa is a retired major general of the Nigerian Army and currently a PhD student of Leadership and Security at King’s College, London