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Fighting Insurgency: When Journalists Compare Notes over Opinion and Interest in Military Strategy

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Boko Haram: 26 terrorists, 2 Soldiers killed on Borno

Fighting Insurgency: When Journalists Compare Notes over Opinion and Interest in Military Strategy

By: James Bwala

At least in the last 15 years, Nigerians have seen efforts put forth by successive governments to put out the spirit that guides certain individuals, who are bent on crushing the oneness of the larger society we live in by their ideology of sectism. We have seen the rise of Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and its devastating effects. We were moved to tears by the rise of banditry in the northwest and central Nigeria and continued to count the number of deaths. 

The kidnapping cases in southern Nigeria and the continued agitations by the indigenous people of Biafra and IPOB, particularly in southeast Nigeria, have attempted to change the way we live. The government has continued to reassure Nigerians of its efforts in fighting many crises, and it has continued to do so. But Nigerians seemed to be getting impatient with certain attitudes displayed by key actors in the fight against insurgency in Nigeria, especially strategies adopted by the military and police in dealing with these phases of internal wranglings.

I was moved to look into the issue of compelling results from many reports and read the minds of many reporters on many platforms to which I belong. Speaking on the current trend of security activities in the country, many believed that nothing much has been done to ensure that the strategy being put in place by security agencies in the country is working as expected by Nigerians. 

I read about many suggestions, which include a high time for the handlers of security issues in the country to look inward to these suggestions if we are truly reasoning along the lines of fighting to end the insecurity situation in the country. One of the contributors to the debate suggested that a swap of military commanders as well as intelligence personnel be carried out. In practicality, it is suggested that field commanders of northern extraction be moved to the operational bases in the south, while the same be taken from the south to the north, as well as intelligence officers.

His opinion is that many of these commanders and intelligence officers are at home with many of these terrorists and bandits in the north, as well as those in the operations in southern Nigeria, who continue to leak information to these criminals, making every effort by the government to look more like a political interest than the opinions of the people.

Speaking on a video in circulation about the operations of the bandits in northwest Nigeria, a discussant on one of the platforms and a reporter with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, state that facts still remain that bandits are still around and conduct such acts as they do almost on a daily basis with impunity.

According to the reporter, “If you listen or read media reports, many villages in Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina states are still under siege, paying taxes to bandit groups that occupied primary schools as residence while subjecting the villagers to slavery.”

One of the participants, also a journalist, said, “I think it matters if we want to rule out the possibility of peddling fake news. I agree that there are activities by bandits in the NW and NC regions, but that doesn’t mean there are no counterterrorism activities by the Nigerian military. These kinds of conflicts are ubiquitous and pre-existential; they only keep evolving. So yes, they are happening, and efforts are being made to checkmate them; maybe they are happening at a pace that can be done better.”

While his opinion was worth looking at, another counter to the argument revealed that, “Of course there is counterterrorism, but the outcome is not encouraging, as bandits will kidnap victims, keep them for months while communicating with their relatives and collecting ransom until the last victim, then go for another round while security agencies are like watching helplessly or overwhelmed. Such victims even include security agents!”

More sad is seeing overwhelmed state governments trying to negotiate with bandits out of fear! The bandits hideouts are well known to the government, which has jet fighters, artillery, APCs, and other heavy arms, yet the bad elements are getting bolder on a daily basis.

A reporter confirmed that the Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi even took some security personnel along to meet with the bandits in their hideouts, and the bandits talked boldly, looking down on the Nigerian authorities as weak.

One of the reporters agreed that the government needs to change tactics in its approach to handling the threat that keeps growing because it keeps using the normal tactics that make the whole thing look like treating leprosy with panadol. “Chinua Achebe said a strange disease (like bandits) cannot be cured with everyday herbs.” He added.

Another observation was that the government should think of something like mobilizing 50,000 to 100,000 youths in each of the affected states to be led by security agencies to sack all identified hideouts, just like youths in Maiduguri did to sack boko haram. There is no dangerous security threat like that of food insecurity, and that is where Nigeria is heading as bandits and other terrorists continue to threaten agriculture in the North.” He added.

On the reeling facts, one of the discussants said, “I agree your points are valid; the nemesis that is happening isn’t being treated the way it should. But do you think this combat approach is resolute enough to totally eliminate banditry and kidnapping? Do you think the way ‘youths in Maiduguri sacked Boko Haram’ is finite and brought an end to the insurgency? Imagine if bandits or BH say they want to have a faceoff with the military, let them meet at a point and fight off to the last blood, and assume the Nigerian military won them over and killed every last one of them. Do you say this is a victory that we will not see anything again like BH/Bandits?” He asked.

READ ALSO:https://dailypost.ng/2024/01/03/mercy-corps-commends-nigerian-governments-gaza-intervention/

“While everyone who knows history of conflict will attest Nigeria’s is novel and multifaceted, hence needs a tactical approach; instead of killing people who are hungry, why not find them what to eat, a job to do, or the healthcare they need? Instead of policies drawn and argued by politicians who take humongous salaries for nothing, why not make the lives of the poor easy? The problem as I see it, not wholly but majorly, lies in 1) democratic governance, which, for instance, values a more constitutional approach to solving problems than traditional leadership. 2) policies that are good on paper but not in the daily life of a common Nigerian. 3) the puppeting of the military by greedy politicians who don’t give absolute autonomy to security with a non-kinetic approach.” He stressed.

“It is a common understanding that when you can’t feed yourself, the one you rely on will feed you what he wishes. Farming for cash or food is not easy. 1) Farmers rely on loans, which they oftentimes suffer from not repaying. 2) They cannot do large-scale farming, for example, in the NE, due to insecurity. 3) Fertilizers and other farming logistics that the government can actively support are not provided in the case scenario: the tractors in Maiduguri’s Farm House some years ago and the Industrial Park beside BOSU.

“So, why won’t the government, for instance, take all of these to fruition? For example, it provides a large-scale farm with mechanization (since the government can), hires farmers for farming (job creation), makes industrial processing of the harvests, and sells them back at a subsidized amount to locals. But the government won’t do it and will say it’s not feasible. I’ve seen this done here in Nigeria. WFP has implemented the same in Kano, and rice was farmed. Truckloads of food from Nigeria were shipped to Burkina Faso. This happened just last year.” He said.

Another replied that “if people are busy doing what they can to feed themselves, nobody will have time to fight or kill each other just to survive. If you think fighting or killing bandits or BH by airstrikes or sustained gunfights will kill the elements, what will you say of the ideologies in the minds of their wives and children who have survived the fight, saw the military kill their fathers, and vowed to take vengeance?

“In years to come, they will fight harder and with more sophistication than their parents. So the bottom line for me is that Nigeria is trying—not enough, for sure—but approaches for such need to be all-encompassing. We can see propaganda videos of bandits testing their armor. How much of the strength of the military do we know? They don’t even show it; their successes aren’t as loud as the day-to-day abductions of bandits. Soldiers die on the frontlines. And also, it is easy to commit a crime, like kidnapping and demanding a ransom; it is the prevention of such kinds of intentions that is difficult. Still, I am not detesting your facts; I am attributing a wider picture for a more balanced understanding.

“The issue is that the military should dominate the fight. We record military formations being sacked by terrorists who are bold enough to attack convoys of troops! That’s not an encouraging signal. They need to receive successive bloody noses and many surprises from the military to keep them busy looking for where to hide instead of waiting to repel them. They need to be kept on the defensive. It’s a pity, and that is why the issues keep growing rather than dwindling. The entire approach to banditry, as well as other criminal networks, is not as pragmatic and holistic as it should be. Some of us have started suffering from the terror activities that discourage massive farming due to death threats posed to them by criminal elements across the states.”

Fighting Insurgency: When Journalists Compare Notes over Opinion and Interest in Military Strategy

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Army troops, DSS operatives eliminate 45 bandits in Niger raid, foil attack on Kuchi

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Army troops, DSS operatives eliminate 45 bandits in Niger raid, foil attack on Kuchi

By: Zagazola Makama

Joint security forces have neutralised at least 45 armed bandits in a coordinated security operation near Kuchi town in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the operation, which took place in the early hours of Monday, was jointly executed by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and military tactical units acting on actionable intelligence.

The bandits, believed to be loyal to notorious kingpin Dogo Gide, were en route to launch coordinated attacks on communities around Kuchi before they were intercepted.

The source, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the insurgents estimated to be over 100 in number had mobilised from Bilbis forest in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara and other hideouts in Kaduna State.

“The intelligence we received showed that these fighters had assembled in numbers and were planning a large-scale assault on several villages in Munya LGA,” the source said. “The operatives moved in under cover of darkness and intercepted them before they could reach their targets.”

He added that the security forces engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle at the outskirts of Kuchi, resulting in the elimination of no fewer than 45 of the assailants, with several others escaping with gunshot wounds.

The operation also led to the recovery of multiple motorcycles, arms, and ammunition. However, five DSS operatives sustained injuries during the exchange and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.

The successful operation is the latest in a string of offensives targeting criminal enclaves linked to Dogo Gide, whose network has suffered repeated blows in recent months.

Security agencies have pledged to sustain the momentum and intensify pressure on armed groups threatening peace in the North Central and North West regions.

“The terrain is difficult, but the results are encouraging. We will not relent until these threats are neutralised,” the source added.

Army troops, DSS operatives eliminate 45 bandits in Niger raid, foil attack on Kuchi

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Nigeria Army’s new strategy shields NYSC members, commuters from kidnappers in North West – GOC

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Nigeria Army’s new strategy shields NYSC members, commuters from kidnappers in North West – GOC

By: Zagazola Makama

For many young Nigerians participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the prospect of being deployed to the north-western states once synonymous with banditry and highway attacks had once triggered apprehension. But now, a sweeping change in the security landscape is restoring hope and confidence among corps members and the traveling public alike.

This transformation is being spearheaded by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Nigerian Army, and Commander Sector 2, Operation Fansan Yamma, Maj.-Gen. Ibikunle Ajose. Under his leadership, a robust security framework has been instituted to safeguard critical infrastructure, secure highways, and most significantly, protect the lives of NYSC members and civilian commuters traversing the region.

Ajose who disclosed this while interacting with a team journalists, said that since January, no corps member has been abducted or harmed within the division’s operational area, a feat he attributed to deliberate planning and synergy with other security agencies.

“We understand that corps members are a very vulnerable group,” Ajose said. “That’s why we initiated what we call the Secure Main Supply Route strategy not only to secure major supply routes but to ensure that our young patriots serving the nation are given topmost protection.”

The Secure Main Supply Route initiative, according to the GOC, includes the establishment of military checkpoints and forward operating bases along major routes in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina states. Corps members are mandated to report to the nearest base by 1700 hours if traveling. Thereafter, military escorts ensure their safe passage to their destination.

To facilitate coordination, dedicated WhatsApp groups have been set up across states where soldiers, corps members and NYSC officials maintain real-time communication. The initiative has also been extended to provide timely travel advisories and emergency responses.

“We’ve made it a point of duty. Once a corps member calls in, the nearest unit will respond. It’s part of our commitment to restoring public confidence and enhancing civil-military relations,” Ajose added.

Miss Joy Onoh, a corps member from Enugu State, shared her experience, saying she was initially scared about her deployment to the North-West but changed her mind after the journey.

“When we got to Gusau, the bus driver said we had to stop at a military checkpoint. They checked our manifest and asked if there were corps members. Immediately they arranged an escort vehicle for me and other corps members. I felt so safe. It was like a convoy,” she said with a smile.

Another corps member, Jide Akinjide from Osun State, described the presence of soldiers on the highway as “reassuring.”

“You don’t know what it means until you’re traveling through a bushy stretch and suddenly you see soldiers waving you down to confirm your identity and ensure your vehicle is okay. That alone gives you peace of mind,” Sule said.

He also praised the military for their respectful engagement with civilians, saying: “They don’t harass you. In fact, they give you cold water and even help if your vehicle breaks down.”

Beyond corps members, commercial drivers and ordinary travelers have also begun to enjoy the dividends of restored security on highways once plagued by ambushes and banditry.

Alhaji Usman Garba, a commercial driver who plies the Gusau-Sokoto route, said that road travel had significantly improved.

“Before, we used to fear that stretch near Isa. But since this operation started, the roads has become relatively safe. We did not heard of a single attack in the past two months. Soldiers are everywhere, and they even patrol at night,” he said. We thank the Nigerian Army for their support in ensuring safety of commuters on the road.

The protection of NYSC members and highways has emerged as a shining example of civil-military cooperation. The Army’s initiative is gradually transforming the narrative in the north-west.

Ajose has earlier disclosed that a special task force battalion comprising personnel from the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS, NSCDC, and others was constituted to protect the critical Sokoto-Kebbi Superhighway Project. This includes the 120km stretch in Sokoto and the 288km section in Kebbi State. We have not had any hitch since commencement. All project schedules have been met. Security of workers, engineers, and equipment has been 100% effective,” he noted.
In December 2024, the Minister of Works and Housing flagged off the Illelah–Bagagry stretch of the road, and the military immediately deployed to guarantee its uninterrupted progress.

The 1,068-kilometre Sokoto – Badagry Superhighway was designed to enhance Trade, Transport and Security as well as open route traversing Sokoto state through Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and terminating in Lagos State.

“Not a single disruption has occurred on that project since inception. All schedules have been met on time,” he said.

Ajose further revealed that the welfare of troops had been enhanced under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede. Troop feeding allowances were recently increased from ₦1,000 to ₦3,000 daily, and new equipment including drones and protective gear continue to flow into the theatre.

“Like Napoleon said, ‘armies march on their stomachs.’ We’re ensuring our men are fed and equipped, so they can protect others,” Ajose emphasized.

“We believe safety should not be a luxury,” he said. “It’s the right of every Nigerian corps member or civilian. And we will continue to pursue the enemies of peace until the north-west becomes safe for all.”he said.

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad.

Nigeria Army’s new strategy shields NYSC members, commuters from kidnappers in North West – GOC

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Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

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Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

By: Zagazola Mamama.

Troops of the Nigerian military, late Monday night, repelled an attempted attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Gajiram, headquarters of Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno.

Zagazola Makama gathered from security sources that the insurgents launched the attack at about 2200 hours but met stiff resistance from troops stationed in the area.

According to the sources, ISWAP fighters were unable to gain access into Gajiram town as they were engaged in a gun duel by security forces, leading to the foiling of the assault.

However, the attackers reportedly fired projectiles during the encounter, one of which landed in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp within the vicinity, triggering an inferno.

Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

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