The Chief of Defence Staff, Badeh Explains His Reason for revealing the Chibok girl’s location

According to sources the CDS whose competence has been questioned in recent times said his announcement was necessary before other countries to give the assurance that it was capable of tackling the rising wave of insurgency.

A competent source said: "If the Americans had made the breakthrough, it would have been the end of the Nigerian Military and the President, as Commander-in-Chief, knows that he must show and have confidence in the capacity and competence of his troops.

The Presidency we are told has reportedly softened its stance over the Chief of Defence Staff revelations based on his explanations.

This is my take on this story:

Indeed I feel for the Chief of Defence staff. This is certainly not the best of times to be in that office. 

Any which way, he would have been in trouble. The report before him placed him in an awkward predicament.  Between the deep blue sea and Pharoad's matching army and there was no Moses in sight.

Releasing the report meant that the Nigerian troops had lost the element of surprise they had on the Boko Haram insurgents and possibly placed the troops at risk but not releasing the report could have had even worst consequences.

If for example the U.S. troops via CNN had release the report of sighting the girls themselves first, it would have meant that the Nigerian Army were incapable of doing their job and most certain chartered the morale of the soldiers and also made the presidency look incompetent.

So as hard as the decision was and at the risk it might cost the troops, releasing the report was a far better option considering all other factors than keeping it a secret and allowing another media credit it to their own people.

A good example is the case of the missing Malaysian Airline, MH370. When it first became an international issue, many countries, including China, Russia and even Australia quickly rushed to release reports of their satellite findings of possible sightings of the missing plane debris in the sea. Every country released their sighting independently and as quickly as possible in order to take the glory if it's proven true. All of which however turned out to be a false call.

If the operation to rescue the Chibok girls was been conducted only by the Nigerian troops, then am sure there would have been no need for the report to have been released but seeing that other countries like the U.S. were also now involved in the rescue, crediting the findings to the Nigerian troops seeing they are the ones who found it was right.

It was the better of two evils. A hard decision non-the-less for the Chief of Defence, but the right one. That is in fact why he is Chief of Defence. Isn't it?