The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has called on residents of Borno and Yobe states to assume active ownership of the counter-insurgency campaign against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), stating that local complicity is undermining military operations.
Gen. Oluyede made the statement in Maiduguri on Wednesday following a four-hour closed-door meeting with senior military leaders, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, and the Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar. The high-level delegation is in Borno under President Bola Tinubu’s directive to relocate to the state capital and address a recent resurgence in terrorist attacks.
According to the CDS, intelligence indicates that individuals responsible for killings and destruction over the past 15-year insurgency originate from the affected communities. “Most of the people perpetrating these heinous acts are from these states. They are our brothers, sisters and cousins. We know them,” he said. He cited the recent attack on Kukawa, where wounded terrorists were found hidden in the village, as evidence of local accomplices. “Therefore, the people in these two states must take ownership in this war,” he asserted.
The meeting focused on reviewing strategies amid concerns over new terrorist tactics. Gen. Oluyede acknowledged reports of insurgents using drones and other technological weapons but confirmed the military is adapting, including the deployment of German-made drones to counter the threat. He described the recent spike in attacks, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, as a known insurgent tactic but stressed that security forces remain in control.
This directive marks a significant shift in strategy, emphasizing community partnership after years of a primarily military-centric approach in Nigeria’s North East. With the insurgency having caused widespread displacement and humanitarian crises, the CDS’s appeal underscores the perceived need for grassroots intelligence and cooperation to dismantle insurgent networks that have embedded themselves within local populations. The success of this new paradigm may prove critical in sustaining long-term stability in the region.
