“Enemy Within”: CDS Urges North-East Communities to Take Charge of Counterterrorism
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, has expressed concern over growing evidence of internal complicity sustaining insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East, urging residents of Borno and Yobe states to take greater responsibility in the fight against terrorism.
Speaking after a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri, Oluyede emphasised the need to complement military operations with active community participation, describing the insurgency as a challenge that cannot be resolved through force alone.
The meeting, which lasted approximately four hours, brought together senior military leadership, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shuaibu, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar, and other top officials.
At the core of the CDS’s remarks was the assertion that elements within local communities have contributed to sustaining the insurgency. He disclosed that intelligence reports indicate many individuals involved in attacks over the past 15 years originated from the same communities most affected by the violence.
According to him, insurgents continue to leverage local knowledge, social networks, and community cover to evade security forces, complicating ongoing counterinsurgency operations.
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Oluyede cited a recent incident in Kukawa, where troops conducting post-attack clearance operations discovered wounded insurgents concealed within the community. He noted that such situations underscore the difficulty of distinguishing between civilians and collaborators.
The CDS stressed that these dynamics significantly hinder intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness, despite sustained military offensives against terrorist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
He therefore called on residents to “take ownership” of the counterterrorism effort, underscoring that civilian cooperation is critical to dismantling insurgent networks and restoring lasting peace in the region.
Oluyede also highlighted the evolving tactics of insurgents, particularly their increasing deployment of drones and other technologies in attacks. In response, he said the Nigerian Armed Forces are enhancing their operational capabilities through the acquisition and deployment of advanced drone systems to improve surveillance, targeting, and coordination on the battlefield.
The renewed call signals a strategic recalibration in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency approach, with greater emphasis on intelligence-driven and community-supported operations aimed at addressing the root enablers of the conflict.
By PRNigeria
