Insecurity: Our ranks, equipment have been infiltrated — Retired Generals

In the past few weeks, the nation has been thrown into turmoil with frightening security breaches and kidnappings.

These include the brazen murder of a Brigadier-General of the Nigerian Army, Musa Uba, Commander 25 Task Force Brigade in Borno, by ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists; the kidnapping of 25 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State; and the mass kidnapping of over 200 pupils and teachers of St Mary’s Primary School, Niger State, not to forget Thursday’s report of kidnap cases in the Federal Capital Territory and Niger State, totalling 30.

Saturday Vanguard reached out to retired generals across the military, intelligence and other security formations with high-level strategic training on the upsurge of these breaches, as more kidnapping happened in Edo and other places during the week. We asked what could be done to restore confidence in the society and even among security operatives.

The generals included former GOCs, AOCs, FOCs, Field Commanders and Commandants of specialised military training institutions. Some of the generals said they were tired of sounding like broken records, as several suggestions on the way out of these insecurity embarrassments had at several times been proffered.

No political will before now

Echoing the views of the generals, one of them, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “These incidents are undeniably tragic and raise significant concerns regarding operational security and the potential for intelligence leaks within the military, as well as interference from outside the chain of command. Our ranks and equipment have been infiltrated. They (authorities) know what to do.

“Unfortunately, there was no political will, before now, to stop this nonsense. May the soul of Brig Gen Uba rest in peace. May the Good Lord comfort and strengthen his family. We hope the innocent girls, children and teachers of schools who were kidnapped will be successfully rescued. These unfortunate events highlight the imperative for enhanced operational security protocols and proactive measures.

“Several factors may have contributed to this situation, including compromised communication channels. The interception of location coordinates by terrorists and bandits indicates possible vulnerabilities in the military’s communication systems, potentially due to unencrypted or inadequately secured transmissions.

“The likelihood of informants existing within military ranks or among local associates leaking sensitive information to Boko Haram (BHT) cannot be dismissed. Also, delays in reinforcements or failure to respond to distress signals may have afforded insurgents the opportunity to identify and apprehend the individual in question.

“Boko Haram has demonstrated an ability to leverage intelligence effectively and execute coordinated attacks, suggesting they may possess advanced surveillance capabilities or networks of informants.”

On how to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, he said: “Investing in encrypted communication devices and ensuring comprehensive training for personnel on their use is essential to protect sensitive data from interception. It is vital to enhance vetting processes and monitor personnel for indications of collusion with insurgents to mitigate insider threats.

“Implementing swifter reinforcement and rescue protocols will minimise the window of opportunity for insurgents to act on intercepted information. The deployment of deception strategies, such as broadcasting false coordinates, can mislead insurgents and safeguard actual troop movements.

“Establishing trust with local communities is crucial to diminishing the influence of Boko Haram and limiting their access to informants. The utilisation of drones and other reconnaissance technologies to monitor areas surrounding troop movements will also enable the interception of enemy activities before they can initiate an attack. There should also be a Joint Army–Air Force Air and Land Operations unit with its own air assets like helicopters and unmanned drones for attack and surveillance capabilities, which both services possess.”

Speaking on the issue, the Alumni Association of the National Institute, AANI, condemned the recent abductions and the persistent acts of insecurity bedevilling our nation.

Its President, Amb Emmanuel Obi Okafor, said: “These incidents, which continue to inflict fear, pain and uncertainty on innocent citizens, are unacceptable and must not be allowed to persist.

“AANI calls for urgent, coordinated and expeditious action toward the safe rescue of all abducted persons. We urge the Federal Government, state governments and all security agencies to redouble their efforts, restrategise and adopt more proactive, intelligence-driven measures to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

“National security is a collective responsibility. As an organisation committed to providing strategic leadership and supporting national development, AANI reaffirms its readiness to collaborate with government and security institutions in the search for sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges. We remain willing and available to offer expertise, guidance and partnership, just as we have always done. The safety of every Nigerian must remain a top priority. Together, and with renewed resolve, we can restore peace, security and confidence in our nation.”

Dayo Johnson, Regional Editor, South West; Samuel Oyadongha; Demola Akinyemi; Egufe Yafugborhi; Rotimi Ojomoyela; Peter Duru; Ozioruva Aliu; Ike Uchechukwu; Emem Idio; Daniel Abia; Laolu Elijah & Deola Badru

As the spate of kidnapping and killings across Nigeria escalates, stakeholders and security experts have described the problem as complex, urging the Federal Government to stop scratching the surface and go after the sponsors of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the country.

They insisted that unless the sponsors of terrorism and other criminal engagements are arrested and prosecuted according to law, insecurity would continue unabated in the country.

Go after sponsors of insecurity in Nigeria, Sara-Igbe urges FG

Chief Anab Sara-Igbe, former security adviser to the Rivers State Government, lamented that some of the sponsors of the present insecurity are highly placed persons, adding that some of them are in government while others occupy influential positions in the society and business sector. He said: “Unless the government develops a strong political will to go after them, we will continue to scratch the surface without a solution. Nigeria is today facing both international and political terrorism, which could only be confronted by adopting different approaches.

“International terrorism has to do with foreign countries whose interest is the exploration of Nigeria’s natural resources to boost their home economies, while the political aspect of it has to do with politicians whose concern is to grab power in 2027 by all means.

“This government must know that in fighting terrorism, everybody is a suspect. You don’t fight terrorism as if you are fighting conventional warfare. In going forward, private security experts must be contacted for intel on these criminals. The government cannot continue to rely holistically on the military alone, which is already overstretched.

“It is important to deploy the services of credible private security outfits. In doing so, there must be trust and confidence among the various institutions for intelligence sharing. It is one thing to share intelligence and another thing altogether for the government to have the boldness to go after these criminals, many of whom are in the system.

“The government must be decisive in the war against terror. We cannot win this war the way we are going. Close the tap and the water will stop flowing. If the sponsors are identified and punished accordingly, terrorism and other criminalities will end.”

We need to rejig our Mobile Police Force immediately — Rtd AIG

A retired Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police who pleaded anonymity said: “Insecurity in Nigeria has to start with a complete rejig of our security architecture. Firstly, the SOP of the MPF has to be revisited and changes made across the 36 states. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Leadership hierarchy must be streamlined to ensure that no agency is sabotaging the other, as there are too many people involved in our security matters. The Mobile Police Force is key in the fight.”