Military Operations against Terrorism in Northwest Nigeria for Enhanced National Security

Abstract

Since 2009, Nigeria has been confronting security challenges like terrorism, kidnapping for ransom and armed banditry amongst others. Between 2018 and 2020, armed banditry activities in the North West region, particularly in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States led to about 286-armed bandits attack incidents, over 300 lives lost, rustling of about 7,500 cattle and displacement of over 25,000 persons amongst others. As part of government efforts towards addressing the menace of armed banditry in the North West Nigeria from 2019 and May 2021, the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and Nigeria Police Force (NPF) embarked on several operations such as Operation DIRAN MIKIYA, Operation PUFF ADDER and Operation HARBIN KUNAMA among others. Despite these efforts, terrorist activities still persist in the region thereby undermining national security in Nigeria. Thus, the desire to proffer strategies that could contribute to curbing acts of terrorism in the North West region for enhanced national security in Nigeria provides the motivation for this study titled: “Military Operation Against Terrorism in Northwest Nigeria for Enhanced National Security”. Employing qualitative methods and an analytical-descriptive framework, this research showed that Boko Haram terrorists, tribe affiliated militias, armed banditry and kidnapping posed a terrorism threat in the NW. Despite positive progress, limited quick impact projects by the military, insufficient capacity of security forces as well as inadequate maintenance and serviceability of air platforms were found to impede counter-terrorism efforts by the military. The research concluded by proffering strategies to enhance military operations against terrorism in NW Nigeria, such as joint military-farmers agricultural cooperative, the establishment of a knowledge management system for military operations and the siting of a UAV MRO in Northwest Nigeria