CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

By: Zagazola Makama

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has raised fresh concerns over internal complicity in the protracted insurgency in the North-East, urging residents of Borno and Yobe to take ownership of the fight against terrorism.

Oluyede’s position, articulated after a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri, signals a strategic shift in emphasis from purely kinetic military operations to community-driven counterinsurgency, as Nigeria battles the enduring threat posed by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, brought together top military commanders, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and other top military officials.

At the heart of the CDS’s message is a troubling reality: the insurgency is being sustained, in part, by individuals that sometimes embedded within affected communities.

According to Oluyede, intelligence reports indicate that many of those responsible for attacks over the past 15 years originate from the same communities bearing the brunt of the violence.

This assertion reinforces long-standing concerns within security circles that local knowledge terrain familiarity, social networks, and community cover has continued to provide operational advantages to insurgents.

He cited a recent example in Kukawa, where troops discovered wounded terrorists hiding within the community during post-attack clearance operations, pointing to the challenge of distinguishing between civilians and collaborators.

The dynamics complicate military efforts, as insurgents exploit familial and social ties to evade detection, making intelligence gathering more difficult despite sustained offensives.

The CDS’s call for residents to “take ownership” reflects a recognition that military القوة alone cannot decisively end the insurgency without active civilian cooperation.

Oluyede’s remarks suggest a push to recalibrate this dynamic by encouraging residents to see the fight as a collective responsibility rather than solely a government burden.

The CDS also acknowledged the evolving tactics of insurgents, particularly the increasing use of drones and other technological in attacks.

Oluyede disclosed that the Nigerian military is adapting, including the deployment of advanced drone systems to enhance surveillance, targeting, and battlefield coordination.

CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional system into a hub of rehabilitation, skills development, and national productivity through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The pledge was highlighted at a stakeholders’ engagement on optimizing correctional farm centres, industries, and PPP opportunities, organized by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with civil society and development partners.

Representing the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Permanent Secretary Dr. Magdalene Ajani stated that modern correctional facilities must focus not only on confinement but also on equipping inmates with practical skills for reintegration into society. “Correctional centres must evolve into institutions of transformation—where inmates are prepared to become productive members of society upon release,” she said.

Ajani emphasized the importance of PPPs in achieving this vision, describing them as critical tools for combining government oversight with private sector expertise, innovation, and investment. She added that correctional farm centres and industries could become centres of excellence in agriculture, agro-processing, and value-chain development, contributing to both inmate rehabilitation and national food security.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries nationwide, spanning crop production, livestock, fisheries, and poultry.

He noted that collaboration with the private sector would boost productivity, introduce modern techniques, and create sustainable value chains.

Stakeholders, including representatives from government, civil society, development organisations, and the private sector, agreed on the need for actionable and scalable models to drive tangible impact.

On his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions Hon. Chinedu Ogah, called for greater accountability, innovation, and commitment in optimizing correctional farms, noting that agriculture remains a critical driver of economic growth and national security.

The engagement aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s broader reform agenda, which prioritizes institutional strengthening, economic productivity, and sustainable development. Participants were urged to leverage partnerships that transform correctional facilities into engines of productivity, reduce recidivism, and enhance community safety.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated that the success of correctional reform depends on collective action, sustained investment, and a shared commitment to building a humane and development-oriented correctional system.

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

Stakeholders seek end to ethnic profiling in security discourse

By: Zagazola Makama

Security stakeholders have called for the elimination of ethnic profiling in conflict narratives and security operations across West Africa, warning that imprecise language fuels violence and undermines national stability.

Across Nigeria’s conflict-prone regions, words have become as consequential as weapons.
From the North-West to the North-Central, the language used in describing violence, often framed along ethnic or communal lines has increasingly come under scrutiny, with experts warning that such narratives risk deepening divisions and prolonging conflicts.

It was against this backdrop that Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited and Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research, with support from the UKAid-funded Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) project, convened a high-level virtual dialogue to rethink how security conversations are framed in West Africa.

The forum, held on Feb. 10, brought together voices from across the military, academia, civil society and local communities to interrogate a critical question: can better language lead to better security outcomes?

Opening the session, Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo, Team Leader of the SPRiNG project, highlighted findings from recent studies linking hate speech and divisive narratives to the persistence of violence in Nigeria.

He warned that poorly framed terminology especially those that generalise criminal behaviour along ethnic lines can undermine peacebuilding efforts and even trigger further conflict. “Conflict sensitivity is key,” he noted, stressing that language, if not carefully deployed, can cause interventions to “boomerang.” For many participants, this concern is not theoretical. In communities affected by banditry and communal clashes, labels have often blurred the line between perpetrators and innocent civilians.

Dr. Fatima Akilu of the Neem Foundation argued that identity-based labels are rarely neutral, noting that they often flatten complex realities and reinforce marginalisation.

According to her, branding entire groups based on the actions of a few not only fuels resentment but also complicates reconciliation efforts. This position was echoed by Amb. Sarki Usman, who warned that ethnic profiling is not only socially harmful but also strategically counterproductive.

By alienating communities, he said, such narratives weaken trust and reduce the flow of actionable intelligence to security agencies.

From a military perspective, the implications are profound. Retired Maj.-Gen. E.G. Ode called for a shift in operational thinking that integrates cultural awareness and accountability into frontline engagements.

He noted that modern counterinsurgency requires not just firepower but also an understanding of the social environment in which operations are conducted.

Similarly, Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman (Rtd) urged the media to adopt more responsible reporting practices, emphasising the need to focus on criminal acts rather than ethnic identities.

Mr. George Ilyua’a, a community leader from the North-Central, stressed that behaviour-based terminology is essential to protect innocent civilians from being wrongly targeted or stigmatised.

He noted that restoring trust between communities and security agencies depends largely on how conflicts are described and understood.

The dialogue, which attracted about 70 participants, concluded with a consensus on the need for a more precise and conflict-sensitive vocabulary in security operations and public discourse.

Organisers said the insights generated would feed into a broader initiative, including a physical conference scheduled for April 1 and April 2 in Abuja.

The event is expected to produce a policy brief and a practical toolkit aimed at guiding language use across defence, law enforcement, judicial institutions, the media and educational sectors.

According to the conveners, these tools will serve as a foundation for reshaping narratives in ways that enhance human intelligence (HUMINT), reduce tensions and support long-term peacebuilding.

In a joint statement, Dr. Kabir Adamu of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited and Brig.-Gen. Saleh Bala (Rtd) of Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research called on all stakeholders to support efforts aimed at neutralising ethnic profiling in security discourse.

Stakeholders seek end to ethnic profiling in security discourse