Few books capture the raw weight of Nigeria’s counterinsurgency experience like SCARS. In this powerful and deeply personal account, General Leo Irabor distills the human, strategic, and institutional battles that shaped the nation’s long war against terror.
Zig Diaries | Defence & Security
Date: Sunday, 12 October 2025
Time: 22:30 WAT
Location: 📍 Abuja, Nigeria
More than a memoir, SCARS is a chronicle of service, leadership, and national resilience. It bridges the gap between historical record and lived experience.Body
Written by the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor CFR, SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum is a remarkable addition to Nigeria’s growing security literature.
Unlike routine after-action reports or external academic analyses, this book offers an insider’s view of decision-making at the highest operational and strategic levels.General Irabor takes readers from the chaotic early days of the insurgency to the establishment of joint operational frameworks, international military cooperation, and the evolution of counterterrorism strategy.
Through these pages, he documents not only battlefield maneuvers but also the quiet, unseen struggles of leadership, politics, and institutional reform.The prose is crisp and deliberate. Irabor writes like a soldier who has seen the cost of war - not just in casualties, but in communities torn apart, institutions stretched thin, and a nation forced to confront its vulnerabilities.
His reflections on the establishment of the Theatre Command in Maiduguri in 2015, and his own trajectory through key command appointments, add authenticity and gravity to the narrative.
Strategically, the book demystifies Boko Haram’s rise and operational patterns, while highlighting the role of intelligence, collaboration, and adaptive leadership in turning the tide. It also subtly challenges Nigeria to rethink how national security is conceptualized - emphasizing a whole-of-society approach rather than purely military action.Why It Matters
SCARS is not just a story about a war. It is about Nigeria’s scarred but unbroken quest for peace, and the leaders who stood at the centre of it. For security analysts, journalists, policymakers, and students of history, this book is a must-read resource - an honest, courageous, and deeply instructive text.
General Leo Irabor’s SCARS is a powerful memoir and strategic chronicle of Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, blending history, leadership, and service.🏷️ Tags: SCARS book, Leo Irabor, Nigerian Army, Boko Haram, Defence, Counterterrorism, Abuja
🏷️ Tags: SCARS book, Leo Irabor, Nigerian Army, Boko Haram, Defence,
#SCARS #LeoIrabor #ZigDiariesDefence #Nigeria #Counterinsurgency #MilitaryLeadership #BokoHaram
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