For Nigerian soldiers deployed in Operation Fansan Yamma, what was meant to be a six-month mission has turned into an unending nightmare. These brave troops, sent to battle insurgents in the North West, have now spent two years and six months on the frontlines—exhausted, broken, and desperate to return home.
A Deployment That Never Ends
The soldiers, stationed in Katsina and Zamfara states, were initially assigned to serve for only six months. However, that timeline was quietly extended, first by the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, and now indefinitely. Despite repeated pleas, their cries for redeployment have been ignored, with military officials offering the same bleak excuse—”No funds.”
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Cut Off from Family, Drained of Hope
For over two years, these men have fought tirelessly, enduring the horrors of war without the comfort of seeing their loved ones. Many have not held their children, embraced their wives, or even set foot in their hometowns. The emotional toll has been devastating.
“We were told we would be here for six months. Now it’s two years and six months, and still, they refuse to send us home. Our families are waiting for us, but all we hear is ‘no funds,’” one soldier lamented.
Another added, “Our morale is gone. We are not fighting with strength anymore—we are just struggling to survive.”
A System of Double Standards
Adding to their frustration is the blatant inequality in how deployments are handled. Soldiers sent to Maiduguri months after them have already been rotated, yet those stationed in the North West remain trapped in an endless cycle of battle.
“Those deployed to Maiduguri after us have been replaced, but here, no one is saying anything about our case. Are we not human too?” a soldier questioned bitterly.
A Breach of Military Leave Policy
Under standard military regulations, soldiers on such operations are entitled to a two-week pass every three months. However, these troops have been denied this right for the entire duration of their extended deployment.
“We are supposed to get 14 days of leave every three months. It has been two years and six months, and not once have we been granted that break. It’s like we have been forgotten,” another soldier revealed.
A Desperate Plea for Help
These exhausted soldiers are now making a final appeal to the authorities, urging them to fulfill their obligations and rotate them back home. Their physical and mental well-being is deteriorating, and their families are suffering in their absence.
“We have given everything for this country. The least they can do is let us go home and see our families. We are not asking for much—just what we were promised,” a soldier pleaded.
The Nigerian military must act before the situation worsens. These men have served their time and beyond. Their sacrifice should not be repaid with neglect.
