By Evelyn Usman; Peter Duru; Musa Ubandawaki & Golok Nanmwa As Northern leaders and other stakeholders express pain and fear over the unending reign of terror unleashed by terrorists, investigations have revealed the challenges encountered by the military which make rescue operations difficult in the northern part of the country despite increased deployment of security personnel to troubled areas. According to security experts, retired military commanders and intelligence officers who spoke with Saturday Vanguard, the military fighting terrorists in the north are confronted with vast ungoverned spaces, difficult terrain, inadequate intelligence from local communities and the lack of cooperation with the security agencies as some locals even work for the terrorists as informants and food vendors. The stakeholders unanimously agreed that while security forces have recorded notable successes against criminal groups in some parts of the country, the fight against kidnapping requires a comprehensive strategy that combines military action with improved intelligence gathering, technological surveillance, economic interventions and stronger community engagement.
They also advocated increased deployment of modern surveillance equipment, including drones and electronic monitoring systems, alongside the expansion of road networks and telecommunications infrastructure in remote communities frequently targeted by kidnappers. The experts warned that unless the underlying factors enabling criminal gangs to operate are decisively addressed, rescue operations will continue to face significant obstacles, leaving thousands of families across Northern Nigeria trapped in uncertainty and fear. They maintained that defeating kidnapping and restoring public confidence would require sustained collaboration among security agencies, traditional institutions, local communities and governments at all levels, describing the battle against abduction as a national security imperative that demands urgent and coordinated action.
Fear, divided loyalties complicate operations —Retired Colonel A retired Colonel, who participated in counter-insurgency operation and spoke on condition of anonymity, said banditry and insurgent attacks have become recurring developments in many northern communities and this informed the way they react to terrorist attacks. According to him, “Years of conflict, cou…
Summary from source