Counter-Insurgency: Why Nigerians Must Take Ownership and Expose Terrorists Within 

Tarkaa David writes that terrorists operating in the North East have now embedded with the locals making it difficult security agencies to separate them for action, ending the fight therefore requires local support to expose elements within. 

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede on Wednesday in Maiduguri asked residents of Borno and Yobe States to take ownership of the fight against insurgency and expose the enemies within.

His call signals high level intelligence concerning internal complicity in the fight against insurgency in the North-East. This is because some of the terrorists have infiltrated communities where they stage surprise attacks.

He made the call after a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri alongside 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.

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, was convened after terrorists carried out three suicide bombings in the Maiduguri metropolis killing over 20 civilians.

LEADERSHIP recall that terrorists had in a renewed onslaught launched attacks on several military formations killing three military commanders and foot soldiers, however troops in response killed over 200 terrorists, captured weapons and restored peace in affected locations in Ngoshe, Malam Fatori and others.

The CDS assertion 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.

Analysts believe that 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 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.

The Defence Chief during the visit commended the troops for their resilience, sacrifice, and sustained operational pressure against terrorist elements across the theatre.

He charged personnel to remain fully committed and resolute in the execution of their duties.

In line with the need to consolidate gains and prevent a recurrence of recent incidents, General Oluyede directed commanders to intensify offensive operations against terrorist elements, strengthen intelligence architecture, and adopt innovative and proactive strategies to dominate the battlespace.

He emphasised the imperative of maintaining operational momentum and assured troops of sustained strategic support from Defence Headquarters towards achieving the decisive defeat of terrorism.

On his part, the Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Waidi Shaibu also commended the troops for their unwavering dedication, doggedness, and consistent pressure on the adversary.

He charged the field commanders to sustain and intensify ongoing offensive operations, while institutionalising a firm “never again” posture to deny terrorist elements any operational space or opportunity to strike, particularly during critical periods such as Ramadan and beyond.

The COAS further assured the Theatre Command of additional support and critical enablers to enhance operational effectiveness, strengthen force protection, and reinforce the ongoing intensified offensive across the theatre.

Earlier, the Theatre Commander Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar presented a comprehensive operational brief on activities within the Joint Operations Area, highlighting ongoing engagements, operational challenges, and recent successes.

He noted that despite isolated setbacks, troops have continued to dominate the battlespace through sustained offensive actions with utmost commitment and professionalism.

He disclosed that over 200 terrorist elements were neutralised in recent operations, while several others sustained severe injuries, significantly degrading their combat capability and preventing their return to the battlefield.

The Theatre Commander reaffirmed that OPHK troops remain resolute, undeterred, and fully committed to sustaining intensified offensive operations aimed at denying terrorists freedom of action and restoring enduring peace and economic stability across the North East region.

Troops in the early hours of Wednesday successfully repelled a coordinated and simultaneous five-pronged terrorist attack on own positions at Mallam Fatori in Sector 3.

The Media Information Officer Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI Lt-Col Sani Uba in a statement said the troops killed over 80 terrorists including high profile commanders.

He said the operation resulted in the neutralisation of three high-profile terrorist commanders, namely Mallam Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram and Abou Ayyuba, who were key figures in coordinating and leading the failed assault.

He identified some of the fighters eliminated during the engagement as; Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya and Ahmodu Hirasama.

He said “The elimination of these commanders and fighters represents a severe disruption to the terrorist command structure and operational capability within the axis,”.

Sani said the terrorists, who advanced in large numbers on foot and deployed armed drones in a desperate bid to breach the defences of troops locations, particularly along the frontage of Bravo Company from the Duguri general area, were met with overwhelming resistance.

The statement stated that troops having maintained full situational awareness of the battlespace, had anticipated the attack and deliberately prepared an offensive-defensive battle designed to decisively defeat and annihilate the assault elements.

“Through disciplined fire control, coordinated manoeuvre and superior tactical execution, the attackers were engaged, disrupted and routed in disarray, with no fewer than 80 terrorists neutralised during the engagement,” he said.

According to the information officer, the troops were reinforced by precision of close air support from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, complemented by rapid strike passes from allied Nigerien air assets, which compounded the pressure on the fleeing insurgents.

He said after the engagement, troops recovered a substantial cache of weapons, ammunition and combat enablers, including 52 AK-47 rifles, eight PKT machine guns, seven RPG tubes, five General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), over 3,000 rounds of assorted 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, nine locally fabricated IEDs, multiple magazines, communication radios and components of armed drones deployed by the terrorists.

“Despite the scale and intensity of the assault, own troops recorded minimal casualties, with four soldiers wounded in action and promptly stabilised, while follow-on Battle Damage Assessment of air interdictions remains ongoing,” he added.