Govs, Defence Ministers, Security Chiefs Strategise Against Killings

Governors and security chiefs have met in Nasarawa and Borno States to find workable solutions to the renewed attacks and killings at the subnational levels.

The meetings were attended yesterday in Lafia, Nasarawa State, by governors of the North Central zone, and in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, which featured the two defence ministers and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

At the Lafia parley, the governors of Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, and Nasarawa States expressed concern over the rising insecurity in the region and resolved to take decisive action against the menace in collaboration with the security agencies.

The meeting was convened by the North Central Governors’ Forum chairman and governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule.

At the end of the parley, Governor Sule said the forum would further strengthen collaboration among states in the zone.

The governors resolved to tackle shared challenges and harness opportunities for growth among the states.

They specifically decried attacks in Plateau, Benue, and Kwara States, which resulted in the loss of many lives, stating that the forum would not remain passive in the face of threats to peace in any part of the region.

“In the North Central, we have so many areas of common interest: security, economic development, and the recent signing of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) Act by President Bola Tinubu. We must ensure such initiatives work for the benefit of our people.

“What affects one of us affects all of us. We have come together to compare notes, open communication channels, and strategise on the way forward. Our priority is to protect our people and foster stability through sustained collaboration.”

He further remarked that the zone is the backbone of Nigeria’s agricultural output and a hub for solid minerals.

“We must continue to prioritise investments in these sectors to create jobs, boost development, and attract investors.

“The North Central has always supported the nation, and we are committed to unlocking even greater opportunities for our people,” Governor Sule said.

He further disclosed that the forum resolved to intensify regular consultations, enhance intelligence-sharing among security agencies, and leverage the NCDC to drive infrastructure and socio-economic projects across the region.

Governor Sule reiterated the forum’s gratitude to President Tinubu for his support and called for sustained partnerships with the federal government, private sector, and development partners to ensure progress in the North Central.

 

Zulum Meets FG Team In Borno, Calls For Military Operations In Lake Chad

Meanwhile, Borno State Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has called on the military to launch aggressive offensive operations in the Lake Chad islands, also known as the Tumbus, to eliminate insurgents from their enclaves.

Governor Zulum made the appeal on Friday while receiving a high-level federal government delegation led by Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other military chiefs during a courtesy visit at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Maiduguri.

Describing the Tumbus as critical havens for insurgents where they regroup and sustain their activities, the Borno Governor called for a special military operation in the area.

“These islands serve as breeding grounds for insurgents who depend on the area for sustenance. It is imperative to consider launching coordinated operations to flush them out,” Governor Zulum stated.

He further noted that terrorist elements from the North West, North Central, and North East are likely falling back to the Tumbus for their livelihood.

He urged the federal government to enhance surveillance and border security, particularly in the Sahel region, citing the vulnerability of Nigeria’s borders and the infiltration of armed groups and weapons through the region.

“If the Sahel is not secured, the entire country remains vulnerable. There is a pressing need to fortify the Sahel region to end insecurity,” the Governor said.

Governor Zulum also advocated increased troop deployment to areas such as the Timbuktu Triangle and the Mandara Mountains and continuous and sustained military operations to prevent the reoccupation of previously reclaimed territories.

“There should be forces that will keep the ground, otherwise, they will come back. What brought about the recent situation is that we felt everything was OK, but they are regrouping now, and I believe the Nigerian military will not allow them to regroup,” he asserted.

The Governor further requested the deployment of more military hardware, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and additional personnel to improve surveillance and fortify vulnerable zones.

While acknowledging the current operational burden on the military across the country, the Governor called for the deployment of more trained manpower and logistics to the North East.

He also highlighted the success of non-kinetic measures, revealing that over 300,000 repentant insurgents and their families had surrendered in the past three years.

Governor Zulum praised the federal government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Service Chiefs, for their unwavering support.

In his remarks, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, assured the Governor of the federal government’s commitment to providing the necessary personnel and equipment to combat insurgency and facilitate the resettlement of affected communities.

“The President has directed that we provide the military with all necessary manpower and equipment to halt the recent resurgence of insecurity in Borno and the North East,” the Minister affirmed.

He commended Governor Zulum’s efforts in resettling internally displaced persons and supporting agricultural and other livelihood initiatives.

The Minister was accompanied by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Mutawalle; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; representatives of the Service Chiefs; outgoing and incoming Theatre Commanders of Operation Hadin Kai; principal Staff Officers; and senior military personnel.

 

Army To Deploy Technology In Operations, Says Commander

Following the establishment of various theatres of operation due to insecurity in some parts of the country, the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army (TRADOC NA), Major General Kevin Aligbe, has emphasised the need to leverage emerging technology in modern warfare for effective battlefield successes.

Maj Gen Aligbe stated this at the Department of Research and Development In-House Study Period 2025 opening, held at the Headquarters TRADOC NA Auditorium, Minna, yesterday.

The commander, who was represented by the Chief of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (CRDT&E), TRADOC NA, Maj Gen Aminu Chinade, noted that the study period was designed to build capacity and broaden the horizons of TRADOC NA officers and soldiers on contemporary research and development issues.

The TRADOC commander said the study period’s theme, “Building Capacity for Research and Development Initiative for Military Operations within a Multi-Agency Environment,” aligns with the Chief of Army Staff’s (COAS) command philosophy.

He stressed the significance of research and development in enhancing the Nigerian Army’s operational effectiveness, especially in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and robotics.

 

Stakeholders Blame Killings on Lack of Political Will

 

In their reactions, security experts attributed rising terrorist activities in Nigeria to funding, proliferation of weapons, and the availability of idle youths to recruit.

They said the federal government had not done much to cut terrorists’ oxygen, that is, financing and available idle youths to indoctrinate.

According to the experts, the funding comes from illegal mining of natural resources, protection of expatriates, and kidnapping for ransom, among others.

The managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, Kabir Adamu, in an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, said the President’s trips without a proper handover of power to his deputy created a vacuum in the country, which was exploited by criminal elements.

According to him, the federal government has not implemented strategies to counter terrorism and other extremist ideologies.

“The government has not done well in limiting the ability of the bad guys to generate funding. There are several ways they generate funding, and one of them is kidnapping for ransom. The second one is the levy they collect from communities; then there is the allegation that they control mining sites too, or provide security for expatriates. So we have not done well in limiting their funding.”

 

He highlighted three factors that propagate terrorism or banditry.

“One is funding, the second is weapons, and the third is the ability to recruit new members. We have not done well in cutting this oxygen,” he added.

 

On the solutions, he said, “We have three instruments to counter terrorism: the national counterterrorism strategy, the policy framework, and the terrorism prevention and protection law; let us implement these three. Right now, we are not implementing them fully.

“They are given ways that we can use to stop the three things I mentioned. The National Assembly needs to play its role. If the executive branch fails, it should call the members to order, and even where necessary, it should ask for the person’s removal. But right now, no accountability; people have died, and nobody has been held to account,” he said.

He explained that people get involved in criminality for various reasons. While some commit crimes to make money, others engage in them for the sake of it or for political reasons.

 

Another security consultant, Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, criticised the government for its lack of will to end the killings.

He said, “The government lacks the political will. We don’t have the political will at the federal and subnational levels, which is deliberate because some are involved.”

 

Speaking on the continued illegality in the mining sector, he said, “These are elitist business environments, and the cannon fodder are the boys that are on drugs that they are using, whose lives do not matter.

“No local person will be able to engage in local mining because the equipment involved is capital-intensive, and the risk associated with the business is too much.

“Illegal mining is done by the elite who know where to market the products after settling the security agencies. Government officials, traditional rulers, politicians, and legislators are involved; it is an elitist thing. They are pretending not to be aware, but they are aware of those involved in illegal mining,” he added.

 

He advised the government to implement social intervention by creating jobs and supporting entrepreneurship to reduce the number of idle youths available for recruitment into crime.

He went on: “There should be a mass reorientation of the youths in terms of what is expected of them as leaders of tomorrow. In a situation where politicians use them for political campaigns and thuggery, and when they assume office, they are not accessible to the youths again, and they have already been weaponised, they will use them against innocent citizens.”

 

He also advocated for a massive mop-up of illegal arms and ammunition scattered across communities and cities.

On self-defence for helpless communities, he said, “The law does not make provision for citizens to bear arms and defend themselves.”