Mohamed Garba
In a major announcement, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, revealed that over 13,543 terrorists and criminal elements have been neutralized across the country since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The disclosure, made on Thursday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Policy and Development Summit in Abuja, reveals the Tinubu administration’s intensified efforts to combat insecurity amid persistent regional violence.
Ribadu highlighted the government’s multi-pronged strategy, which has yielded significant results: Military operations nationwide eliminated 13,543 insurgents linked to groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and bandit networks. Over 252,596 rounds of ammunition were also recovered and destroyed.
A staggering 124,408 fighters and their family members surrendered to Nigerian forces, undergoing de-radicalization and reintegration programs. This includes key figures from Boko Haram and ISWAP, signaling a potential shift in the conflict’s dynamics.
Ribadu noted progress in curbing separatist violence in the Southeast, dismantling illegal oil refineries in the Niger Delta, and reducing banditry in the Northwest through initiatives like “Operation Safe Corridor North-west”.
Nigeria’s security landscape remains fraught with challenges. The Northeast, epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, has seen over 350,000 deaths and 2 million displacements, per UN estimates. Recent months, however, have witnessed a resurgence of violence in Plateau, Benue, and Borno states, with attacks on civilians and security forces revealing the fragility of peace.
Ribadu attributed the administration’s gains to enhanced inter-agency collaboration, intelligence-driven operations, and political will, emphasizing that “this progress is not accidental but a result of deliberate strategies”.
Despite these strides, experts caution against premature celebration. A Q1 2025 security report by Castor Vali noted a 64% year-on-year rise in farmer-herder violence, expanding into southern states like Ondo and Edo. Human Rights Watch also flagged ongoing abuses, including military airstrikes erroneously targeting civilians and a crackdown on free speech under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act.
The NSA called for sustained commitment to “restore peace and stability,” urging regional cooperation to address root causes like poverty and illicit arms trafficking. President Tinubu’s administration has prioritized initiatives such as the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and regional intelligence-sharing frameworks, though critics argue economic reforms have exacerbated public discontent.
As Nigeria marks two years under Tinubu’s leadership, Ribadu’s report offers a mixed narrative: a decisive blow to insurgent networks, yet a lingering battle for lasting security.
