Nigerian Army, Air Force Past Disagreement Left Troops Without Air Support - Bwala Reveals

A presidential aide, Daniel Bwala, has disclosed that a past feud between the Nigerian Army and the Air Force, which occurred during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, led to instances where troops were denied air support during operations. This revelation was made by Bwala during an appearance on The Link Up Podcast, a panel discussion hosted by EchoRoom. According to Bwala, the disagreement between the Chief of Air Staff and the Army leadership at the time resulted in requests for air cover being ignored on occasion. However, he noted that this situation has since been resolved. Bwala stated, 'I remember during Buhari, there was this disagreement that was imported 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.' His comments came in response to a question about whether the military had been infiltrated by elements sympathetic to terrorist groups. Bwala dismissed the idea that soldiers were guarding terrorists during attacks, describing it as 'a conjecture, except there’s a live case.' While acknowledging that isolated cases of infiltration could not be ruled out, he pointed to past instances where members of the security forces had been arrested for involvement in such activities. Bwala also touched on the issue of foreign interference in Nigeria's security challenges, referencing pro-Russian demonstrations in parts of northern Nigeria and an unverified claim by a US Congressman, Scott Perry, that the CIA had funded Boko Haram and the Islamic State. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to be aware of such international dimensions to its security concerns. Bwala expressed satisfaction with the performance of the current administration, citing improvements in foreign reserves and revenue, and believes that the President has done enough to earn the trust of Nigerians.