Our security challenges have become more complex, and the debate on the best way to address them has intensified. Some suggestions focus on using military force to suppress those holding the country to ransom, while others advocate combining kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
Some propose tackling the root causes of specific security issues that are not solely linked to criminality. They argue that a military approach alone will not resolve the underlying causes of instability in the country. Some state governments have employed a carrot-and-stick strategy to address insecurity within their states.
They engage with bandits, kidnappers, herders, farmers, and other dissatisfied groups, encouraging them to sign peace agreements. Some of these treaties remain active, while others have expired or been terminated. Those at the centre of insecurity have created their own frameworks for establishing peace within their territories.
Some have chosen to sign peace agreements with bandits, operating outside the oversight of government and security agencies. Others pay ransom to bandits, allowing them to continue their farming and daily routines. Some argue that sharing resources with bandits is preferable to living in poverty and deprivation in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
But where does all of this ultimately leave the country? What will happen if insurgents grow more powerful, sophisticated, and hostile? These are the issues Nigeria faces, and we must prepare ourselves to meet them. Constitutionally and legally, Nigerians have the right to live in peace and security. It is the government’s duty to protect its citizens, enabling them to pursue their lawful activities. This is why we have the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies. When those responsible for internal security become overwhelmed, the Nigerian military is called upon to support internal security operations.
Sadly, the Nigerian army ap- pears to be permanently in charge of internal security because of the ongoing threat of terrorism across many states in the federation. The concerning part is that while the Nigerian military continues to make progress in fighting terrorism and other crimes across various states, the nature and scope of terrorism, banditry, secessionist agitators, and other criminal activities keep evolving, with terrorists increasing in number and sophistication.
On 28 September 2025, the Minis- ter of Information announced that between May 2023 and February 2025, the security agencies had neu- tralised over 13,543 terrorists and criminals and rescued more than 10,000 hostages. No doubt, a significant boost for the military and relief for the Nigerian people.
However, the challenging aspect is that as they are eliminated, the number of these threats increases, along with their sophistication and deadliness. Where do they originate from, and what drives their actions? From where are they obtaining their weapons, and what motivates their informants?
Their recruitment methods, rooted in religious ideology, deprivation, hatred, disinformation, and propaganda, continue to expand, and their numbers increase despite the security agencies’ record of successes in neutralising them.
Why are Nigerians panicking and seeking alternative solutions despite these achievements? The first problem is that the terrorists and bandits are resolute and armed with advanced weapons. Some of these guns are recov- ered from security personnel who have chosen to betray their duty, colleagues, and country. They sell weapons to terrorists and share security information. Some act as informants and are well paid. These individuals are dangerous because they represent the enemy within. Their colleagues trust them, only to be betrayed when they hand them over to the enemy.
The trade in light weapons remains highly lucrative due to security issues in neighbouring countries and the complex boundaries of Nigeria. Foreign mercenaries can assimilate into the local population and create chaos within Nigeria. In some border areas, it is difficult to determine who is a Nigerian and who is not due to the artificial borders in those regions.
The troubling aspect of the current situation is the failure to utilise non-kinetic methods in addressing some of the country’s issues. No nation can solve all its security problems through force. Communities of herders and farmers have traditional conflictresolution approaches that have proven effective for them.
They do not need military force to deal with these challenges, as some problems are inherent to human society. Grazing lands are shrinking due to urbanisation, and the country is not responding quickly enough to modernise its practices to adapt to these changing realities.
Unfortunately, some groups have become more militant, and in certain states and local governments, criminal elements have taken control. They are kidnapping, raping, and extorting people under the guise of fighting for their cause.
Nigerians now find it difficult to distinguish between ordinary kidnappers, hardened criminals, and those claiming to fight a just cause. But why are these elements increasing in number? The truth is that there is significant discontent across the country. The number of out-of-school children is now impossible to quantify. Some are drawn to guns and criminal lifestyles.
They can easily identify their enemies in the élite, and life in the forest offers them ongoing sustenance, financial stability, and the chance to confront their enemies. The most troubling aspect of our security issues is when communities begin making ‘peace deals’ with their tormentors without oversight from security agencies and the government.
These are not typical peace deals mediated by traditional and religious leaders between individuals or families. The peace deal is not between equal partners; it is essentially a surrender. This shows that the communities have been subdued, having accepted that their tormentors are the ruling class or local authorities in their areas, and they pay taxes and sign agreements not to inform on them.
Their tormentors control them when they go to the farms, when they sleep, and what they do during the day. The communities prefer this arrangement rather than being confined to the camp of internally displaced persons and left abandoned. They choose to stay alive, feed, and sleep rather than cling to a dignity that no longer exists. We may dislike this situation, but some communities have considered it carefully before entering such deals.
The issue with communities agreeing to peace deals with kid- nappers, bandits, and other criminal groups is that it undermines the government as an institution. It hands over territories to these criminals, who then become more confident and take more land. Once these groups take over two or three states, we will face armed factions with their own police, military, customs, immigration, and other state systems.
alternative approach of arming vigilante groups within these communities is that the weapons will undoubtedly end up in the wrong hands, and recovering them will become a major problem. The guns might eventually be turned against the community itself. The government, security agencies, and state authorities must be involved in and oversee negotiations.
However, this involvement should be based on strength, not weakness. The military, police, and other security forces must be properly equipped for non-conventional warfare. Security agencies cannot be highly effective if insurgents have superior communication facilities and advanced equipment.
We must not allow this slowly advancing threat to overwhelm us before decisive action is taken. A combination of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches benefits our democracy. Still, a non-kinetic approach must not result in the surrender of Nigerian territories and their citizens to criminal elements.
Some propose tackling the root causes of specific security issues that are not solely linked to criminality. They argue that a military approach alone will not resolve the underlying causes of instability in the country. Some state governments have employed a carrot-and-stick strategy to address insecurity within their states.
They engage with bandits, kidnappers, herders, farmers, and other dissatisfied groups, encouraging them to sign peace agreements. Some of these treaties remain active, while others have expired or been terminated. Those at the centre of insecurity have created their own frameworks for establishing peace within their territories.
Some have chosen to sign peace agreements with bandits, operating outside the oversight of government and security agencies. Others pay ransom to bandits, allowing them to continue their farming and daily routines. Some argue that sharing resources with bandits is preferable to living in poverty and deprivation in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
But where does all of this ultimately leave the country? What will happen if insurgents grow more powerful, sophisticated, and hostile? These are the issues Nigeria faces, and we must prepare ourselves to meet them. Constitutionally and legally, Nigerians have the right to live in peace and security. It is the government’s duty to protect its citizens, enabling them to pursue their lawful activities. This is why we have the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies. When those responsible for internal security become overwhelmed, the Nigerian military is called upon to support internal security operations.
Sadly, the Nigerian army ap- pears to be permanently in charge of internal security because of the ongoing threat of terrorism across many states in the federation. The concerning part is that while the Nigerian military continues to make progress in fighting terrorism and other crimes across various states, the nature and scope of terrorism, banditry, secessionist agitators, and other criminal activities keep evolving, with terrorists increasing in number and sophistication.
On 28 September 2025, the Minis- ter of Information announced that between May 2023 and February 2025, the security agencies had neu- tralised over 13,543 terrorists and criminals and rescued more than 10,000 hostages. No doubt, a significant boost for the military and relief for the Nigerian people.
However, the challenging aspect is that as they are eliminated, the number of these threats increases, along with their sophistication and deadliness. Where do they originate from, and what drives their actions? From where are they obtaining their weapons, and what motivates their informants?
Their recruitment methods, rooted in religious ideology, deprivation, hatred, disinformation, and propaganda, continue to expand, and their numbers increase despite the security agencies’ record of successes in neutralising them.
Why are Nigerians panicking and seeking alternative solutions despite these achievements? The first problem is that the terrorists and bandits are resolute and armed with advanced weapons. Some of these guns are recov- ered from security personnel who have chosen to betray their duty, colleagues, and country. They sell weapons to terrorists and share security information. Some act as informants and are well paid. These individuals are dangerous because they represent the enemy within. Their colleagues trust them, only to be betrayed when they hand them over to the enemy.
The trade in light weapons remains highly lucrative due to security issues in neighbouring countries and the complex boundaries of Nigeria. Foreign mercenaries can assimilate into the local population and create chaos within Nigeria. In some border areas, it is difficult to determine who is a Nigerian and who is not due to the artificial borders in those regions.
The troubling aspect of the current situation is the failure to utilise non-kinetic methods in addressing some of the country’s issues. No nation can solve all its security problems through force. Communities of herders and farmers have traditional conflictresolution approaches that have proven effective for them.
They do not need military force to deal with these challenges, as some problems are inherent to human society. Grazing lands are shrinking due to urbanisation, and the country is not responding quickly enough to modernise its practices to adapt to these changing realities.
Unfortunately, some groups have become more militant, and in certain states and local governments, criminal elements have taken control. They are kidnapping, raping, and extorting people under the guise of fighting for their cause.
Nigerians now find it difficult to distinguish between ordinary kidnappers, hardened criminals, and those claiming to fight a just cause. But why are these elements increasing in number? The truth is that there is significant discontent across the country. The number of out-of-school children is now impossible to quantify. Some are drawn to guns and criminal lifestyles.
They can easily identify their enemies in the élite, and life in the forest offers them ongoing sustenance, financial stability, and the chance to confront their enemies. The most troubling aspect of our security issues is when communities begin making ‘peace deals’ with their tormentors without oversight from security agencies and the government.
These are not typical peace deals mediated by traditional and religious leaders between individuals or families. The peace deal is not between equal partners; it is essentially a surrender. This shows that the communities have been subdued, having accepted that their tormentors are the ruling class or local authorities in their areas, and they pay taxes and sign agreements not to inform on them.
Their tormentors control them when they go to the farms, when they sleep, and what they do during the day. The communities prefer this arrangement rather than being confined to the camp of internally displaced persons and left abandoned. They choose to stay alive, feed, and sleep rather than cling to a dignity that no longer exists. We may dislike this situation, but some communities have considered it carefully before entering such deals.
The issue with communities agreeing to peace deals with kid- nappers, bandits, and other criminal groups is that it undermines the government as an institution. It hands over territories to these criminals, who then become more confident and take more land. Once these groups take over two or three states, we will face armed factions with their own police, military, customs, immigration, and other state systems.
alternative approach of arming vigilante groups within these communities is that the weapons will undoubtedly end up in the wrong hands, and recovering them will become a major problem. The guns might eventually be turned against the community itself. The government, security agencies, and state authorities must be involved in and oversee negotiations.
However, this involvement should be based on strength, not weakness. The military, police, and other security forces must be properly equipped for non-conventional warfare. Security agencies cannot be highly effective if insurgents have superior communication facilities and advanced equipment.
We must not allow this slowly advancing threat to overwhelm us before decisive action is taken. A combination of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches benefits our democracy. Still, a non-kinetic approach must not result in the surrender of Nigerian territories and their citizens to criminal elements.
