The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, on Tuesday, raised the alarm over the increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by terrorists and the support being provided to them by informants, saying these were hindering the operations of military troops in the ongoing war against terrorism in the country.
The CDS raised the concerns in Abuja while at a two-day symposium on security and justice for the military and security agencies organised by the National Counter-terrorism Centre (NCTC) in the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He, however, said the various challenges facing the country would soon decline once citizens have a sense of belonging.
According to him, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with justice, securing peace, ensuring justice, protection, conduct, and accountability. There will not be peace if there is no fairness, equity, and justice anywhere in any society. So I’m happy this has been brought here, and I’m sure the discussions will bring out the relevance of these issues that we will tackle.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and I feel we will be able to address this if everybody feels a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, I am sure, will go down.
“For us in the Armed Forces during our operations, the challenges we are facing are IEDs. IEDs have been the major challenge since the beginning of the insurgency. So we are looking at aspects of how we handle this, what solutions, and what new things we can do.
“Because you have to be creative. To fight this insurgency, you have to be creative and innovative every day. Because they are not relenting.
“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.”
“Those supporting the terrorists by giving them logistics, we have to look for the oxygen. Where is the funding? How are they getting the logistics across? As the theatre commander in the North East, we found out that if we are able to deny them this logistics, this oxygen, they will not survive. We did that, and that’s why you have almost 200,000 that have surrendered.
“So, I think if we replicate that all over, we will have very good results. It is also very important that we work together as a team. All security agencies.”
General Musa emphasised the strategy of an all-of-society approach to end terrorism and violent extremism in the country.
According to him, “We cannot do it alone without the public. So, the citizens must be sensitised, and that comes about through the issue of strategic communication.
“I have observed that with the asymmetrical challenges we are facing if you don’t communicate, you might be doing the right thing, but the perception might be different. And the enemy is working on that. So, it’s important that we get that part of it.
“And we cannot work in isolation as a country. We need our international partners working together with us. Our neighbours are also very relevant to us.”
In his own remarks while declaring open the symposium, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said the symposium was a vital platform for dialogue and collaboration among security agencies and justice institutions with the objective “to delve into the successes, challenges, and opportunities for growth within the realms of security and justice.”
Mallam Ribadu, who commended the National Coordinator of the Centre, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, for the good work he was doing, pointed out that the symposium would provide an avenue to review and map existing frameworks, evaluate institutional practices, establish collaborative mechanisms, and chart a course towards a safer and more just society for all.
According to him, “As we embark on this journey of critical analysis and discussion, let us keep in mind the noble goals set before us, from analysing and strengthening the intricate relationship between military operations and law enforcement to enhancing the protection of civilians (very important) and fostering a culture of justice and accountability to promoting a unified approach in countering improvised explosive devices.”
“Each objective is poised to make a significant impact. Our intended achievements are ambitious, of course, yet entirely within our reach.”
Also speaking, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, emphasised that security challenges in Nigeria and across the African continent are complex, hence requiring a multifaceted approach.
He commended the leadership of Nigeria for prioritising both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to fighting terrorism.
According to him, “This symposium was part of the security and defence partnership that was first initiated some years ago but was renewed under the National Security Adviser’s leadership in February this year.
“I think we have had a good dialogue on the fact that we all face really complex security challenges in many parts of the world, certainly in the West Africa region and even in Nigeria. And these complex challenges require a multifaceted approach.
“I am really delighted to hear General Musa talk about the nexus between civil and military collaboration, between kinetic and non-kinetic action, and this is an area where we have seen some really important lessons for us emerge from the Nigerian security architecture and from Nigeria’s leadership today. It’s really inspiring to be working along with them.”
Also speaking, the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, advocated for enhanced accountability for war crimes and violations of human rights during peace operations.
In addition, he urged enhanced measures to win the confidence of the citizens to combat terrorism in the country.
Justice Tsoho, who was represented by Justice Binta Nyako, one of the judges in terrorism trials, said that the division of labour was essential for the security agencies and the judiciary in maintaining an effective and just society.
According to her, “The different scenarios of war crimes and the accountability need to be taken into consideration. In this kind of scenario, we’re talking about military operations, law enforcement, issues of detention, criminal prosecution, and the interaction and overlap of the functions of the various agents that are responsible for this security and peace.”
“Of course, we’re also talking about crimes within the operatives. Recently, we’ve had a lot of talks and hype about crimes being committed by personnel in the course of fighting or securing peace. So there is a challenge to authorities, and then there is also the need for accountability by those in charge of securing peace and justice in particular regions.
“Accountability for war crimes and grave violations of human rights is essentially not only for justice. It’s for everybody. We need to be accountable for infractions of human rights. Even in the course of war, there are fundamentals that have to be observed in the protection of human rights. We can’t just say that because there is war, we now go and clear the whole of my village and kill everybody.
“Division of labour between military operatives, law enforcement, detention, and criminal prosecution is essential for maintaining an effective and just society.
“Each sector has distinct roles and responsibilities, shaped by legal frameworks that seek to uphold national security while protecting individual rights. The interplay between these areas must be managed carefully to ensure cooperation and harmony while also preventing encroachment on civil liberty.
He explained that the military and other security agencies needed to build the confidence of the people to enable them to get good and actionable information that will help them effectively fight terrorism.
He said the use of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CTF) by the military in conflict areas was one of the ways of building people’s trust.
According to him, “It is important that accountability is emphasised because you need to have the confidence of the people that you’re working with for them to be able to even be good informants to you, not informants to the insurgents. So there is a difference. Because you need to have a good information strategy.
“These insurgents live among us. They are not spirits coming from the sky on the days of attacks. They are people who live within us.
“So if you have good informant capacity within the populace—the confidence that the populace has in the security agents—it’s going to go a long way to help in this fight against insurgency.
“I remember when we first started the Kainji trials, most people admitted to knowing or having knowledge of the activities of Boko Haram and did not report to security agencies. Why was this so? Because some of these insurgents are their relatives. In fact, they live in their homes. And if they did report to security agencies, then there is reprisal. So nobody reported.
“But if they have confidence that they are going to be secured, then they will be able to tell the security agents. But otherwise, nobody will ever come out and say it.
“So, there is a need for us to also operate within the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which makes provisions for reintegration. It is also in the Terrorism Act. Reintegrating these people or even relocating these people to other communities where they can be reintegrated and live a normal life is essential. If they know that their families are going to be attacked, they won’t report. But if they know that their families will be secured elsewhere, then they will be more confident to be able to move and go and report.”
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