A Nigerian military officer with 14 years of operational experience has shared the critical survival advice given to him by his father regarding fallen insurgents.
A Nigerian soldier with 14 years of active combat experience has sparked widespread discussion online after sharing what he described as his primary rule for surviving high-risk military operations.
In a video circulating across social media platforms, the soldier urged young military and paramilitary personnel never to loot or collect personal effects from the bodies of deceased criminals or insurgents during combat operations.
He explained that the principle was passed down to him by his father as a spiritual and practical shield before his first deployment over a decade ago.
“The secret my father gave me when I went on my first operation about 14 years ago was simple,” the soldier recalled. “After praying for me, he told me never to remove anything from the body of anyone killed during an operation.”
‘Recover only weapons’
Elaborating on the rule, the veteran stressed that troops must leave all personal belongings—including wristwatches, money, and mobile phones—intact on the deceased, advising that only combat weapons should be recovered and formally handed over to military authorities.
He expressed the belief that insurgents and violent criminals carry severe negative spiritual consequences, warning that taking their possessions risks transferring those consequences onto the living.
“Don’t remove anything from that deceased person’s body,” he cautioned. “Leave the person with those items. Even the weapon should be picked up properly and returned to the authorities.”
Surviving battlefield injuries
Reflecting on his career, the soldier revealed that he had survived multiple life-threatening battlefield injuries, including gunshot wounds to the head and abdomen, during past operational encounters.
He attributed his survival to divine protection and his strict adherence to his father’s counsel over his 14-year career.
Extending his advice to personnel in other security agencies—including the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—he reminded security officers that no material item is worth compromising personal safety or integrity.
Watch his video statement on our Telegram Channel.
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