General Adeniyi's Demotion: Nigeria's Military Scandal Unraveled

In March 2020, a grainy video surfaced online, shaking Nigeria's military establishment to its core. Major General Olusegun Adeniyi, then Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, stood in combat gear, his voice steady but heavy with frustration. Speaking to a superior, likely Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, he laid bare the grim reality faced by his troops in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. "They have fired more than a hundred mortar bombs at us," he said, detailing how insurgents outgunned his soldiers with superior firepower and intelligence failures led to devastating ambushes. The video, meant for internal eyes, went viral, igniting public outrage and exposing cracks in Nigeria's counter-insurgency campaign. By December, Adeniyi faced a military court-martial, was demoted by three years, and vanished from the public eye. Today, his whereabouts remain a mystery, and the scandal continues to haunt Nigeria's military.

Adeniyi was no ordinary officer. Known for leading from the front, he had earned praise for his courage in confronting Boko Haram head-on. In April 2020, Buratai himself commended Adeniyi for never leading "from the rear," calling his leadership a turning point in the war. Yet, the leaked video painted a starkly different picture: soldiers overwhelmed, vehicles immobilized by bullet-torn tires, and a commander pleading for better equipment. The footage contradicted the official narrative that Boko Haram had been "technically defeated." For many Nigerians, Adeniyi's words were a rare moment of truth in a conflict shrouded in propaganda. But for the military, it was an embarrassment that demanded punishment. Adeniyi denied leaking the video, claiming it was on his aide's phone. Private Tokunbo Obanla, who admitted to posting it by mistake, was sentenced to 28 days of hard labor. Yet, the focus remained on silencing Adeniyi.

The court-martial's verdict sparked a firestorm. Nigerians flooded social media, decrying the demotion as an injustice. "He only stated the situation respectfully," one user tweeted, while another called it "absolute nonsense" to punish a man for exposing the military's shortcomings. The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum condemned the ruling, arguing that Adeniyi's real crime was daring to speak truth to power. His demotion, they said, was less about social media guidelines and more about protecting those profiting from the war's dysfunction. Reports suggested that operational funds often enriched commanders while frontline soldiers struggled with inadequate gear. Adeniyi's video had pulled back the curtain, and the military's response seemed designed to deter others from doing the same.

Five years later, the question lingers: where is Olusegun Adeniyi? No official statement has clarified his status, and recent posts on X from June 2025 claim his whereabouts are unknown, fueling speculation. Has he quietly left the military, or is he under some form of restriction? The lack of answers only deepens the intrigue. Some believe the military's harsh response was meant to suppress dissent within its ranks, especially as soldiers continue to voice frustrations online about poor conditions. Adeniyi's case remains a symbol of a broader struggle: a nation grappling with a war it cannot fully confront, led by institutions that prioritize image over reform.

The scandal's ripple effects endure. Adeniyi's revelations forced a brief reckoning, with even the Minister of Information echoing his concerns about equipment shortages. Yet, little has changed. Boko Haram's attacks persist, and soldiers remain underequipped. For many Nigerians, Adeniyi is a hero, a man who risked his career to expose a painful truth. His absence from the public sphere only amplifies his story's weight. As one X user put it, "The scale of suppression in Nigeria is overwhelming." Until Adeniyi resurfaces or the military addresses the issues he raised, this scandal will continue to cast a long shadow over Nigeria's fight against insurgency and its treatment of those who dare to speak out.