By Harriet Tornguvan
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has called on residents of Borno State and Yobe State to take greater responsibility in the fight against terrorism, warning that insurgents are increasingly operating from within local communities.
The CDS made the appeal following a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri, where top military commanders reviewed the ongoing counterinsurgency campaign in the North-East.
He stressed that the protracted conflict involving Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province cannot be won through military force alone without active civilian cooperation.
General Oluyede expressed concern over intelligence reports indicating that some insurgent activities are being sustained by individuals embedded within affected communities.
According to him, many of those behind attacks over the past 15 years originate from the same communities most impacted by the violence, a development that continues to complicate military operations.
He cited a recent incident in Kukawa, where troops discovered wounded insurgents hiding among residents during post attack clearance operations.
The CDS noted that such situations make it difficult for security forces to distinguish between civilians and collaborators, as insurgents often exploit local networks, terrain familiarity, and social ties to evade detection.
The Defence Chief emphasised that the evolving nature of the insurgency requires a shift in strategy, urging communities to view the fight against terrorism as a collective responsibility rather than solely a government obligation. He added that stronger collaboration between civilians and security agencies is critical to improving intelligence gathering and dismantling insurgent networks.
Oluyede also highlighted emerging threats, including the increasing use of drones and other technologies by insurgents. He assured that the Nigerian military is adapting to these changes through the deployment of advanced surveillance and combat systems to enhance operational effectiveness.
The meeting, which lasted about four hours, was attended by senior military officials, including the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shuaibu, and the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar.
The renewed call underscores a growing recognition within security circles that lasting peace in the North-East will depend not only on sustained military offensives but also on the active involvement of local populations in identifying and isolating insurgent elements within their communities.
