NUHU RIBADU’S QUIET VICTORIES

The ONSA’s integrated approach has enhanced operational efficiency, and enabled quicker responses to threats, contends PETER ATUKUME

Few places capture Nigeria’s long and painful struggle against terrorism like Chibok. Mention the town anywhere in the world, and the mind immediately returns to the night of April 14, 2014, when Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls, turning a sleepy Borno community into a global symbol of terror and state helplessness.

That is why the recent rescue of six kidnapped victims by Nigerian troops in Chibok deserves far greater attention than it has received. The story is not merely about six people regaining their freedom. It is another reminder that, quietly but steadily, Nigeria is clawing back territory from terrorists and bandits who once appeared unstoppable. Unfortunately, good news rarely receives the prominence unlike how terrorist attacks dominate headlines. This imbalance creates the misleading impression that nothing is changing, when evidence increasingly suggests otherwise.

According to operational statistics released by Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, in the first half of 2026 alone, security forces conducted more than 14,000 operations across various theatres, neutralised 1,597 terrorists and criminal elements, arrested hundreds of suspects and rescued over 1,500 kidnapped victims. While these figures do not suggest that insecurity has disappeared, they demonstrate a sustained offensive against criminal networks that once operated with impunity.

Across Borno, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Kogi, Niger and several other states, security forces have become more proactive than reactive. Instead of merely responding after attacks occur, intelligence-driven operations are increasingly disrupting criminal plans before they are executed. This shift is perhaps the most significant development in Nigeria’s security architecture. And at the centre of this evolving security architecture is the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Ribadu’s role is often misunderstood. He does not command troops on the battlefield. Rather, his responsibility lies in ensuring that Nigeria’s multiple security agencies work as one coordinated system. In previous years, intelligence sharing among agencies was not practiced and each unit seemed to work solo, allowing terrorists to exploit that gap. One of the notable features of the current security approach has been the emphasis on intelligence sharing and coordinated operations among the different security agencies.

The truth is that the fight against terrorism is not won overnight or won without inter-agency cooperation. That is where ONSA is shining as it has become the central coordinating hub linking the military, intelligence agencies, police, Department of State Services, civil defence and other security institutions. This integrated approach has enhanced operational efficiency, reduced duplication and enabled quicker responses to emerging threats.

Perhaps even more symbolic has been Ribadu’s regular involvement in receiving and handing over rescued kidnap victims to state governments and their families. In February 2025, for instance, Ribadu formally handed over dozens of rescued kidnap victims to the Kaduna State Government, reiterating the government’s determination to defeat kidnapping through sustained security operations rather than negotiations with criminals. And recently, 434 abducted residents of Ngoshe in Borno State regained their freedom after sustained security operations, prompting Governor Babagana Zulum to commend President Bola Tinubu, Ribadu and the security agencies for their efforts.

This policy is neither popular nor easy. Families naturally want their loved ones back by any means necessary. Yet every naira denied to criminal groups reduces their ability to acquire weapons, recruit fighters and finance future attacks.

ONSA under Ribadu, has also coordinated strategic engagements with governors from frontline states, recognising that insecurity cannot be defeated solely from Abuja but requires local ownership and community participation.

This is not to suggest that Nigeria has won the war. Terrorists remain capable of launching deadly attacks. Banditry continues to threaten communities across several states. Kidnapping still exists and places enormous psychological and economic costs on citizens. However, increasingly, terrorist camps are being destroyed before attacks are launched, logistics routes disrupted, weapons recovered and key commanders neutralised. These cumulative gains may not dominate public discourse, but they steadily reduce the ability of criminal groups to operate freely.

None of these achievements would have been possible without the extraordinary sacrifices of Nigeria’s Armed Forces. The professionalism displayed by soldiers, airmen, sailors and intelligence personnel deserves greater public appreciation. Day after day, often in unforgiving terrain and under life-threatening conditions, they pursue enemies most Nigerians will never encounter. Many never return home. Others carry physical and emotional scars that last a lifetime

Indeed, reports of military casualties alongside successful operations underscore the complexity of the conflict. Counter-terrorism campaigns rarely follow a straight line. Setbacks occur even as progress is recorded. What matters is whether the overall trajectory is moving in the right direction. Available evidence suggests that it is despite how news headlines scream more about terrorist attacks.

As per public perception, years of insecurity have understandably produced widespread scepticism. Nigerians have heard promises before. They judge the government not by press releases but by personal safety. While this scepticism is healthy, it should not blind us to measurable improvements where they exist.

Constructive criticism remains essential. Government must continue investing in intelligence capabilities, military welfare, modern equipment, drone technology, surveillance systems and community policing. Judicial reforms are also necessary to ensure that arrested terrorists, bandits and kidnappers face swift prosecution. Socio-economic interventions in affected communities must complement military action to prevent extremist recruitment.

Equally important is public cooperation. No security agency can succeed without timely intelligence from citizens. Communities remain the first line of defence against criminal infiltration. Trust between residents and security agencies therefore become as important as military hardware. As it is popularly said, not many things can be achieved by brawn alone.  

The Chibok rescue should also remind Nigerians of how far the country has travelled since the darkest days of the insurgency. There was a time when entire local government areas were under terrorist occupation. Military formations were frequently overrun, highways became inaccessible and government authority virtually disappeared across vast territories.

Today, despite persistent threats, the security environment has changed significantly. Schools have reopened in many communities once abandoned. Markets function where they once stood deserted. Humanitarian access has expanded. Thousands of displaced persons have gradually returned home, although much work remains to ensure lasting stability.

History teaches that nations defeat insurgencies not through isolated victories but through consistency. Colombia’s campaign against the FARC, Sri Lanka’s defeat of the Tamil Tigers and several successful counter-insurgency efforts elsewhere were products of sustained institutional pressure rather than dramatic single battles. Nigeria appears to be following a similar path.

The Nigerian Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and the ONSA have shown that coordinated action can produce measurable results. Their successes should inspire continued reforms, sustained investment and unwavering political support.

Ultimately, national security is not built on declarations but on steady accumulation of victories. Sometimes those victories arrive quietly in the form of six rescued Nigerians returning home alive from Chibok. And in a country that has endured so much pain, those quiet victories matter.

Atukume writes from Abuja