By Zagazola Makama
In a world where military might is often measured in billions of dollars, cutting-edge technology, and global alliances, it is easy to overlook the grit and sacrifice of nations that must do more with far less.
A recent reflection on the asymmetry between Israel’s military efforts in Gaza and Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency in the northwest brings into sharp focus the unyielding courage of Nigeria’s security forces and the slow but meaningful progress being made on the home front.
Katsina State, in Nigeria’s embattled northwest, is larger in land mass than the entire State of Israel. Yet, the disparity in defense capacity is staggering. Israel commands a defense budget of over $25 billion annually, enjoys cutting-edge technology, satellite surveillance, and intelligence cooperation from world powers.
Still, after over a year of warfare, Israeli forces have struggled to recover more than a handful of the 200 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Most were freed through painstaking negotiations and third-party mediation.
In stark contrast, Nigeria’s military and security forces are fighting a grinding, multidimensional battle across a vast terrain with a fraction of the resources. They contend not just with terrorists and bandits, but also with harsh terrain, limited logistics, and the complex human terrain of local politics, community grievances, and economic desperation. Yet, they continue to hold the line, day after day.
The Governor of Zamfara State recently commended the gallant efforts of security operatives, noting that commercial and mining activities are slowly reviving in parts of the state that were, until recently, no-go areas. These are not just political talking points; they are signs of progress painfully slow but undeniably real. Return to normalcy is not a one-day event. It is a process built on courage, sacrifice, coordination, and above all, persistence.
There will always be voices especially from behind anonymous screens shouting, criticizing, and doubting. That is the burden of a democracy and a free society. But even as they do bellow from their basements, our troops, underfunded and overworked, continue to push forward. They move not with the luxury of drones and satellites, but with boots on the ground, and with a belief that peace is possible.
The truth is: we are not where we want to be. But we are not where we were. Community by community, highway by highway, the nation is clawing back its spaces from chaos. Not with foreign firepower, but with homegrown grit.
Yes, this is our only country. And yes, we shall win not by miracle, but by determination. No matter the odds. Because giving up is not an option.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region
