By Simpson Global Media News Desk
Nigeria’s military has intensified counter-insurgency operations in the North-East, reporting fresh actions against terrorist and insurgent networks as security forces continue efforts to disrupt attacks, recover weapons and improve the protection of communities affected by years of armed violence.
The latest operations form part of the broader campaign being conducted by the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, particularly in Borno State and surrounding areas.
The military’s current approach combines offensive operations with intelligence gathering, surveillance, patrols, clearance operations and efforts to prevent insurgents from rebuilding operational capacity.
The development comes as security authorities face a continuing challenge in the North-East: armed groups remain capable of exploiting difficult terrain, remote communities and gaps in security coverage despite sustained military pressure.
Continued Pressure on Insurgent Groups
The North-East remains one of Nigeria’s most important security theatres.
Borno State has borne the greatest impact of the insurgency that began more than a decade ago, while Yobe and Adamawa have also experienced attacks and displacement.
The conflict has evolved considerably since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in the early 2000s.
The group has fragmented, with Islamic State West Africa Province emerging as a significant armed faction. Other Boko Haram factions and splinter groups have also continued to operate.
The result is a complex security environment in which the military is confronting organisations with different command structures, areas of operation and tactical approaches.
Rather than relying solely on large conventional engagements, insurgents have increasingly used ambushes, improvised explosive devices, raids and attacks on isolated positions.
That has required security forces to adapt their operations.
Operations Hadin Kai
The military’s principal counter-insurgency operation in the North-East is Operation Hadin Kai.
The operation replaced the earlier Operation Lafiya Dole structure as part of an effort to improve coordination and operational effectiveness.
Its responsibilities include counter-terrorism operations, protection of civilians and support for stabilisation activities across the North-East.
Troops operating under the operation conduct ground patrols, raids, clearance missions and other activities designed to locate and disrupt terrorist positions.
The military also works with other security and intelligence organisations as part of the wider national security architecture.
The objective is not limited to eliminating individual fighters.
A successful counter-insurgency campaign must also disrupt supply routes, weapons networks, recruitment structures and sources of logistical support.
The Importance of Intelligence
Intelligence has become increasingly important in the military’s strategy.
Security forces need information about the location and movement of armed groups before launching operations.
They also need information about routes used for movement, possible weapons storage sites, hideouts and communication networks.
Local intelligence can be particularly valuable in remote areas where military units may have limited visibility.
This has made cooperation between security agencies and communities an important component of counter-insurgency.
At the same time, civilians living in areas affected by terrorism face difficult choices.
They may possess information about armed groups but fear retaliation if they share it.
Building trust between communities and security forces is therefore an important part of long-term security.
Pressure on Terrorist Logistics
One of the principal objectives of military operations is to weaken the logistical capacity of terrorist groups.
Armed organisations require food, fuel, weapons, ammunition, communications equipment and transportation to maintain operations.
Disrupting those networks can reduce the ability of fighters to conduct sustained attacks.
Military raids and patrols are therefore often directed at camps, supply routes and suspected staging areas rather than only at locations where fighters are immediately visible.
Weapons recovered during such operations can also provide intelligence about the groups involved and their sources of supply.
The military routinely reports the recovery of firearms, ammunition, explosives and other equipment during counter-insurgency operations.
Such recoveries can prevent weapons from being used in future attacks.
The Civilian Dimension
Security operations in the North-East have a direct impact on civilian life.
Millions of people have been affected by the conflict through displacement, destruction of homes and livelihoods, loss of family members and restricted access to essential services.
The humanitarian consequences have been particularly severe in Borno, where many communities have experienced repeated attacks and displacement.
Improving security is therefore closely connected to humanitarian recovery.
Communities need more than the absence of attacks.
They also need safe roads, functioning markets, schools, healthcare facilities and opportunities to rebuild livelihoods.
Military operations can create the security conditions necessary for those activities, but longer-term stabilisation requires the involvement of civilian authorities and development organisations.
Displacement and Returns
One of the most visible consequences of the insurgency has been mass displacement.
Many residents have spent years in internally displaced persons’ camps or in host communities after fleeing their homes.
The Nigerian government has pursued programmes encouraging displaced people to return to their communities where security conditions permit.
But returns can only be sustainable when communities are sufficiently secure.
Residents need confidence that armed groups will not return after security forces withdraw.
They also need access to basic services and livelihoods.
The military has therefore faced the difficult task of maintaining pressure on insurgents while creating an environment in which civilian authorities can resume normal governance.
The Threat Is Evolving
Although Nigerian security forces have significantly reduced the territorial control once exercised by Boko Haram, the insurgency has not disappeared.
The threat has changed.
Armed groups have become more dispersed and have increasingly relied on asymmetric tactics.
Instead of attempting to hold large towns for long periods, insurgents can conduct attacks against military positions, civilian communities and transportation routes before withdrawing.
This makes the conflict harder to resolve through conventional military victories alone.
It also means that security forces must maintain persistent surveillance and rapid-response capabilities.
IEDs and Roadside Attacks
Improvised explosive devices remain a major threat in parts of the North-East.
IEDs can be relatively inexpensive to deploy while creating disproportionate security risks.
They can target military convoys, roads, bridges and civilian transportation.
Their use also creates uncertainty because communities may not know which roads are safe.
Security forces therefore have to combine patrols with route-clearance and explosive-ordnance capabilities.
The presence of IEDs can also restrict humanitarian access and commercial activity.
For civilians, a road perceived as unsafe can effectively isolate a community even when there is no active fighting nearby.
Protecting Military Positions
Insurgent groups have also targeted military bases and forward operating locations.
Attacks on military positions can serve several purposes.
They can inflict casualties, seize weapons, demonstrate operational capability and undermine public confidence.
For the military, protecting isolated bases therefore requires a combination of physical defences, surveillance, intelligence and rapid reinforcement.
Forward operating bases can be particularly vulnerable when they are located far from major population centres.
Maintaining adequate supplies and communication links is also essential.
Cooperation With Other Security Agencies
The military is not the only institution involved in Nigeria’s counter-insurgency effort.
The Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Civil Defence Corps and other agencies also have responsibilities within the broader national security system.
State governments and local authorities play important roles in civilian administration and community engagement.
The Multinational Joint Task Force also remains relevant because the insurgency crosses national borders.
The Lake Chad Basin connects Nigeria with Niger, Chad and Cameroon, allowing armed groups to exploit porous borders and difficult terrain.
Regional security cooperation is therefore essential.
The Lake Chad Dimension
The geography of the Lake Chad region complicates Nigeria’s security challenge.
The lake and surrounding territories stretch across national boundaries and contain numerous remote communities.
Armed groups can exploit the difficulty of monitoring such terrain.
The Multinational Joint Task Force was established by the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to coordinate efforts against armed groups operating across the region.
Nigeria’s military therefore operates within a regional security environment rather than confronting an exclusively domestic threat.
Cross-border intelligence, coordinated patrols and joint operations can make it harder for armed groups to use neighbouring territories as safe havens.
The Role of the Civilian Joint Task Force
The Civilian Joint Task Force has also played an important role in communities affected by the insurgency.
The group emerged in Borno during the height of Boko Haram’s territorial expansion and worked alongside security forces by providing local intelligence and assisting with community protection.
Its members have sometimes operated in difficult and dangerous conditions.
However, the involvement of civilian auxiliaries also raises questions about training, accountability and protection.
As security conditions evolve, authorities must ensure that community-based security structures operate within appropriate legal and oversight frameworks.
Security and Human Rights
Counter-insurgency operations must also be conducted within Nigerian law and applicable international humanitarian and human rights standards.
The fight against terrorism does not remove the obligation to protect civilians.
Security forces must distinguish between combatants and civilians and take appropriate precautions during operations.
This is particularly important in densely populated areas where armed groups may operate near civilian communities.
Allegations of abuses or excessive use of force require investigation through appropriate mechanisms.
Maintaining public trust is essential because communities are more likely to cooperate with security agencies when they believe that their rights will be respected.
Why Community Trust Matters
Counter-insurgency is ultimately not only a military contest.
It is also a contest over information and public confidence.
Insurgent groups can exploit grievances, fear and distrust.
If civilians do not trust security forces, they may be reluctant to provide intelligence.
If they do not believe authorities can protect them, they may avoid returning to communities.
And if communities feel excluded from reconstruction and governance, insecurity can persist even after major military operations.
This makes civilian engagement an important part of the security strategy.
Beyond Kinetic Operations
Military operations can disrupt armed groups, but long-term peace requires broader measures.
Education, employment, infrastructure and effective local government all contribute to reducing the conditions that armed groups can exploit.
Young people without economic opportunities can be particularly vulnerable to recruitment or manipulation.
Rebuilding schools and health facilities can help communities recover from conflict.
Providing livelihoods can reduce dependence on informal economies that may be connected to armed groups.
The security sector therefore operates within a wider stabilisation effort.
The Human Cost of the Conflict
The North-East insurgency has killed and displaced large numbers of Nigerians since it began.
The precise number of deaths varies according to the period and methodology used by different organisations.
What is clear is that the conflict has had a profound effect on civilians.
Families have been separated.
Communities have been destroyed or abandoned.
Agricultural activity has been disrupted.
Markets and transport networks have been affected.
Children have experienced years of interrupted education.
Women and girls have faced particular risks, including displacement and gender-based violence.
The security challenge therefore cannot be measured only in the number of weapons recovered or militants neutralised.
The ultimate objective is to restore conditions in which ordinary people can live safely.
Food Security and Insecurity
The relationship between conflict and food security is another major concern.
Borno and neighbouring areas depend heavily on agriculture, livestock and local markets.
When insecurity prevents farmers from reaching their fields, food production can decline.
When roads become unsafe, food cannot move easily between communities.
When markets are attacked or disrupted, prices can rise.
Security operations that make farming areas accessible can therefore have economic and humanitarian benefits beyond their immediate military purpose.
However, those gains need to be sustained.
A temporary improvement in security is not enough if communities fear that armed groups may return after security forces redeploy.
The Return of Government
A successful security operation should ultimately allow civilian governance to function normally.
That means local government offices can reopen.
Schools can operate.
Healthcare workers can reach communities.
Markets can function.
Farmers can cultivate their land.
And residents can move without constant fear.
The military can create the security space for these activities, but civilian institutions must occupy that space.
This is one of the most important challenges facing the next stage of the North-East campaign.
Security Beyond Borno
Although Borno remains the epicentre of the insurgency, security concerns in the wider North-East require attention.
Yobe and Adamawa have also experienced attacks and cross-border threats.
The movement of armed groups means that security cannot be based solely on protecting major urban centres.
Remote communities and transport corridors also need attention.
This requires effective deployment of limited security resources.
Nigeria’s security agencies must balance the need to protect major population centres with the need to maintain a presence in vulnerable rural areas.
The Role of Technology
Technology is increasingly important to modern counter-insurgency operations.
Surveillance systems, communications technology, intelligence databases and aerial reconnaissance can help security forces identify threats.
But technology cannot replace human intelligence.
Local knowledge remains important in environments where terrain and community relationships determine how armed groups move.
The most effective approach is therefore likely to involve technology combined with intelligence from trained personnel and trusted community sources.
Maintaining Momentum
The military’s latest operations demonstrate that the insurgency remains an active security priority.
But maintaining momentum is as important as conducting individual operations.
If pressure decreases, armed groups can attempt to rebuild.
If security forces are stretched across too many locations, vulnerable areas can emerge.
If communities do not see improvements in daily life, public confidence can weaken.
The campaign therefore requires sustained resources, effective coordination and clear strategic objectives.
What Happens Next
The immediate security priority remains the disruption of armed groups and protection of vulnerable communities.
Security forces will continue to conduct operations designed to locate insurgents, recover weapons, secure roads and protect military and civilian targets.
At the same time, authorities will need to strengthen the civilian side of stabilisation.
That includes restoring local administration, supporting humanitarian access, rebuilding infrastructure and creating conditions for safe returns.
The security situation should also continue to be monitored across borders because insurgent networks do not necessarily respect national boundaries.
Regional cooperation will remain important.
A Long-Term Security Challenge
Nigeria has made significant military gains against insurgent groups over the course of the conflict.
Boko Haram no longer controls large areas in the manner it did during the height of its territorial expansion.
But the persistence of attacks demonstrates that military pressure has not eliminated the threat.
The insurgency has adapted.
Its continued ability to operate through ambushes, raids, explosives and attacks on isolated locations means that security forces must remain vigilant.
The task is therefore moving from simply defeating territorial control toward preventing armed groups from regenerating their networks.
Protecting Civilians as the Central Objective
The central measure of success should ultimately be civilian security.
People living in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa need to be able to travel, farm, trade and attend school without the constant threat of attack.
Displaced families need conditions that allow them to return safely when appropriate.
Businesses need confidence to invest.
Humanitarian organisations need secure access to communities.
And local governments need the ability to provide services.
These outcomes require more than military operations, but effective military operations remain an essential component.
The Road Ahead
Nigeria’s North-East security campaign has entered another phase in which sustained pressure on insurgent networks must be combined with efforts to consolidate gains.
The latest operations are part of that continuing effort.
For the military, the immediate priorities remain intelligence-led operations, protection of troops and civilians, disruption of terrorist logistics and prevention of attacks.
For civilian authorities, the priorities include reconstruction, humanitarian support, governance and economic recovery.
For communities, the ultimate measure will be whether daily life becomes safer and more predictable.
The insurgency has lasted for more than a decade, making clear that there is no simple or immediate solution.
Military operations can weaken armed groups.
Regional cooperation can restrict cross-border movement.
Community intelligence can improve early warning.
Economic recovery can reduce vulnerability.
And effective governance can help prevent insecurity from returning.
The challenge for Nigeria is to make those elements work together.
The continuing operations in the North-East therefore represent more than another series of military engagements.
They are part of a longer effort to prevent insurgent groups from rebuilding, protect communities and create the security conditions necessary for normal civilian life to return.
For residents of the region, success will not ultimately be measured by military statements or operational statistics.
It will be measured by whether they can sleep safely, travel freely, cultivate their farms, send their children to school and rebuild their communities without fear.
That remains the central security objective as Nigeria continues its campaign against terrorism and insurgency in the North-East.
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