Abuja: When President Bola Tinubu was sworn in two years ago, he made a firm commitment to prioritise security. The president stated that security would be the top priority of his administration because neither prosperity nor justice could prevail amidst insecurity and violence. “To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture. We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide better training, equipment, pay, and firepower,” the president said.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tinubu’s administration activated critical measures towards upholding the fundamental responsibility of the government to protect the lives and property of its citizens. National security featured prominently in the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda, even before he became president. The president’s national security priorities are based on three major components: fighting terrorism and violent extremism, ending oil theft and illegal exploration of the country’s resources, and stamping out violent secessionist agitations.
Security experts highlight persistent threats in Nigeria from groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which are exacerbated by banditry and kidnapping. They emphasize the need for multi-level and cross-border synergy to curb terrorism. Recently, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno stated that his administration was collaborating with the Federal Government to combat insurgency. He mentioned the establishment of forest guards as a potential game-changer and assured that the Federal Government would do everything possible to control the situation.
In 1994, Nigeria led the establishment of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to tackle trans-border armed banditry around the Lake Chad Basin. The MNJTF’s scope and operations were broadened in 2015 to lead a new regional force against cross-border terrorists. Besides terrorism and violent extremism, Nigeria grapples with mass abduction and kidnapping for ransom. A 2024 SBM Intelligence report noted at least 735 mass abductions with 15,398 people abducted since 2019. The report said 2024 alone saw at least 68 mass abductions, averaging about one per day.
However, in the last two years, there have been significant policy and strategy shifts that have shown progress. The presidency noted that over 8,000 criminals, including bandits, armed robbers, Boko Haram terrorists, and kidnappers, have been eliminated. More than 10,000 Nigerians, primarily women and children, have been rescued from their abductors. Government sources revealed that 124,408 fighters of Boko Haram and ISWAP, along with their family members, surrendered to Nigerian forces and are undergoing rehabilitation through the government’s de-radicalisation and reintegration programme.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, highlighted Nigeria’s efforts in hosting a high-level African counter-terrorism summit to bolster regional cooperation and devise African-led solutions. He emphasized the need for greater investment in human and technical resources, including significant investments in cybersecurity and counter-terrorism activities. The creation of the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre was part of the commitment to denying terrorist groups the use of Nigeria’s cyberspace.
In terms of economic security and protecting critical national infrastructure, the Nigerian Army recently announced the shutdown of 19 illegal crude oil refineries in the Niger Delta region. Lt.-Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma stated that the operation resulted in the seizure of 589,000 liters of refined petroleum products and the arrest of 20 suspects. The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, commended the government for reducing oil theft to as low as 5,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the first quarter of 2024, from a high of up to 108,000 bpd in the first quarter of 2022.
On violent secessionist agitations, Ribadu recently explained that insecurity in the South-East had reduced since Tinubu’s administration came on board. He noted that no police stations were attacked in the region, and no violent attacks have resulted in fatalities. Despite persistent challenges, stakeholders remain optimistic that by consolidating on the gains of the past two years, multifaceted threats will be surmounted.