Terrorism: In New Onslaught, Military Orders Troops to Show No Mercy, Use Maximum Firepower

•IG meets AIGs, CPs, instructs increased deployment of officers, crime mapping

•FCT Police Command commence raid of  ungoverned spaces, abandoned structures

Kingsley Nwezeh

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, yesterday, confirmed that the Armed Forces had begun the implementation of new security strategies to contain the armed campaign by non-state actors against the state.

As a first step, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, charged Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operational commanders in the various theatres of operation across the country to “show no mercy” and ensure deployment of  “maximum firepower” against terrorists posing security threats in the country.

On his part, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, met with the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police in the 36 States and Federal Capital Territory as part of major operational initiative to stabilise the internal security order and commence a special visibility policing operation across the police commands.

THISDAY observed a scaling down of military deployments in Abuja and an increase in police deployment, part of measures to allow police play its role as the lead security agency.

Also, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command conducted a raid of some bush paths and abandoned structures in the territory.

The command said, in a statement, that it commenced raids of  some ungoverned spaces around the territory and abandoned structures within the city center and suburbs.

“We have only just begun. Members of the public will witness heavy visibility policing and thorough sweep of the territory,” it added.

This is as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to develop its capacity for the local production and procurement of needed military equipment and draw lessons learnt during the Nigerian civil war in view of the security challenges facing the nation.

Irabor, who spoke while delivering a lecture at the 30th Anniversary of the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja, said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was “working round the clock to implement several new strategies that will bring about an end to various security challenges in Nigeria”, while pursuing proactive security measures to reduce the impact of regional dynamics on Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Murtala Bashir, said Nigeria had faced several security challenges aided in very large measure by the proliferation of Small and Light Weapons (SALW) and the emergence of cult groupings that engage in banditry, kidnapping, political violence and other mafia-style violent activities.

But Amao, while charging Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operational Commanders in the various theatres of operation across the country to “show no mercy” and ensure they employ “maximum firepower” against terrorists posing security threats in the country, commended them for their efforts as well as the improved synergy with other arms of the military and other security agencies.

Amao also underscored the need for effective allocation and utilisation of all NAF platforms deployed for operations in the North-west and North-central for enhanced operational effectiveness, adding that the measures would deny the terrorists freedom of movement while boosting the confidence of the populace and ensuring a peaceful country.

Amao made the assertion, when he met with frontline Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) and Air Component Commanders (ACCs) at the NAF Base yesterday in Kaduna.

The air force chief  noted that though the security environment remained fluid and uncertain with terrorists moving between the North-east, North-west and North-central, stressing the need to continually modify NAF’s air power strategies to stay ahead of the asymmetric and unconventional nature of terrorists’ activities as of paramount importance.

“We have a responsibility to secure our nation and give our citizens a sense of hope, trust and belonging. Therefore, we must ensure that we stay ahead of the enemy and envisage his next line of action”, he said.

On his part, the police IG met with the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in the 36 States and Federal Capital Territory as part of major operational initiative to stabilise the internal security order and commence a special visibility policing operation across the police commands.

He said the meeting was partly designed to give effect to the National Security Council’s resolution on the documentation and streamlining of the operations of commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders across the country as part of the national initiatives directed at addressing current and evolving national security threats among others.

“In this regard as part of major operational initiative to stabilise the internal security order, you are all directed to immediately commence a special visibility policing operation across your commands. This initiative will encompass the crime mapping of your areas of Jurisdiction, identification of vulnerable points and massive deployment of personnel on motorised and foot patrols of the cities. The initiative also involves the utilisation of intelligence to undertake targeted raids on criminal cells”, he said.

Yahaya, on his part, reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to develop its capacity for the local production and procurement of needed military equipment and draw lessons learnt during the Nigerian civil war in view of the security challenges facing the nation.

Represented by the Director of Training, Army Headquarters, Maj. Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye, he made the disclosure at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Symposium on the Nigerian Civil War 2022 in Abuja themed: “Defence Production and Defence Procurement in the Nigerian Civil War: Lessons for Operational Level Commanders.”

He stated  that Nigeria had the sad experience of civil war that brought out valuable lessons that could contribute in addressing the current security challenges confronting the nation, adding that, the contemporary security environment was volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.

 “For any nation to adequately contain such an environment, it is necessary for the nation to develop capacity for defence production in order to drastically reduce dependence. On defence procurement, this will afford the nation the capacity to design and produce equipment required to confront its own peculiar security challenge at any point in time.

“The inadequacy and risks of overdependence on equipment procurement abroad was aptly brought out during the civil war and Nigeria had to go searching for weapons and equipment from all parts of the world.

“This of course resulted in unnecessary prolongation of the crisis with attendant tolls on lives, property, and finances. In view of the information,” he said.