Arewa Youth Assembly Backs Military, Urges Citizens To Support Intelligence Gathering

The Arewa Youth Assembly has declared full support for the Armed Forces in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insecurity, urging citizens to provide credible intelligence while cautioning the political class against politicising the sacrifices of the military.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, the spokesperson of the group, Aliyu Muhammad Sanni, said although the security situation was not yet fully resolved, “the trajectory is decidedly positive.”

The group commended what it described as the “exceptional leadership, strategic vision and operational successes” of Nigeria’s Service Chiefs.

It specifically praised what it called the synergy among the Honourable Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd); the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Wahidi Shaibu; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke.

According to the Assembly, the “return of relative calm” in several previously affected communities is a direct result of their coordinated leadership in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

“To fully appreciate the current momentum, one must first cast a retrospective glance at the dire security quagmire that plagued the nation prior to this administration,” the group said.

It recalled that for over a decade, Nigeria faced multiple layers of insecurity across different regions, driven by non-state armed actors operating in various theatres.

“The North East remained the epicentre of a Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency so entrenched that terrorists carved out a parallel state, hoisting flags and imposing a brutal economic regime on millions,” the group said.

It also noted that the North West was severely affected by armed banditry, while the South East experienced enforced sit-at-home orders and attacks linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

According to the group, other parts of the country, including the South South and South West, also faced militancy, oil-related sabotage, infiltration threats and communal violence.

It said these conditions contributed to low morale within the armed forces, citing inadequate equipment, weak inter-service coordination and a largely reactive security approach.

The Assembly, however, said the current security leadership has reversed this trend through what it described as a shift to “intelligence-led precision operations.”

It said this approach has enabled the “systematic decapitation of terror leadership across all operational theatres,” leading to improved security conditions in many areas.

The group reserved particular praise for the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Wahidi Shaibu, describing him as central to the Army’s operational transformation.

According to the Assembly, Shaibu has combined battlefield effectiveness with reforms aimed at improving troop welfare, including addressing insurance claims, upgrading barracks infrastructure, and introducing housing initiatives.

It said these welfare measures have boosted morale and improved operational effectiveness among personnel.

The group further highlighted what it described as enhanced coordination among the armed services, leading to improved air-ground operational synergy and reduced troop exposure to ambushes.

It also commended ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing through the revival of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), noting increased local production of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and improved maintenance capacity for air assets.

In addition, the Assembly pointed to non-kinetic initiatives such as “Operation Safe Corridor,” which it said has contributed to the surrender of fighters and the gradual reintegration of displaced persons into their communities.

The group urged Nigerians to support ongoing military operations with credible intelligence and called for national unity in addressing insecurity.