Military Turns to Veterans for Peacebuilding as New Mediation Initiative Takes Off

By Auwal Ahmad

The Nigerian military has initiated a new strategy to involve retired service personnel in tackling the country’s growing wave of violent conflicts, with a focus on dialogue, mediation and grassroots peace efforts.

This development was unveiled by the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, during the inauguration of a specialised training programme on mediation and conflict resolution for ex-servicemen in Abuja.

The capacity-building exercise, organised by the Retired Members of Nigeria Armed Forces in partnership with the Mediation Training Institute and Defence Headquarters, is designed to equip veterans with contemporary skills in negotiation, dispute resolution and community engagement.

Speaking at the event, Oluyede said the initiative marks a deliberate shift towards strengthening non-military approaches to security challenges, especially as many conflicts across the country stem from communal disagreements and local tensions.

He explained that while military operations remain important, they are not sufficient on their own to ensure lasting peace, stressing the need for proactive measures such as dialogue and early intervention.

According to him, retired military personnel bring valuable experience, discipline and public trust, making them well-suited to mediate disputes and de-escalate tensions at the community level.

“Sustainable peace cannot rely solely on force. It requires a balance of both security operations and non-kinetic strategies. Our veterans understand the realities of conflict and are in a strong position to foster reconciliation and restraint within communities,” he said.

The defence chief added that the programme would also contribute to strengthening early warning mechanisms by improving the flow of information between communities and security agencies, while remaining supportive of, rather than replacing, existing security structures.

Also speaking, the President of the Coalition of Concerned Veterans Association, Isaac Oguntuyi, described the initiative as an extension of national service, encouraging participants to extend the knowledge gained to other retired personnel nationwide.

He reaffirmed the commitment of former service members to national peace and stability, noting that their role in safeguarding the country does not end after retirement.

In the same vein, the National Coordinator of REMENAF, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, highlighted the unique advantage veterans possess in intelligence gathering and community relations due to their operational background.

He noted that their involvement in peacebuilding efforts would help prevent conflicts before they escalate into violence.

The initiative underscores a growing focus within Nigeria’s security architecture on preventive and community-driven solutions, aimed at easing the burden on frontline troops while addressing the root causes of unrest.

Analysts say the programme could significantly boost local mediation capacity and contribute to reducing violent clashes through sustained engagement and non-violent conflict resolution strategies.

Nigerian Army to conduct live-fire training in Bauchi, urges calm

By Ahmed Muhammad, Bauchi

The Headquarters of the 33 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army has announced plans to hold a range classification exercise at the Shadawanka Small Arms Range in Bauchi State.

The exercise, according to a statement issued on Friday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Esther Fagbolagun, will run from April 27 to April 30, 2026, between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily.

Ms Fagbolagun said the exercise forms part of the brigade’s routine training aimed at improving soldiers’ proficiency in weapon handling and marksmanship.

“The exercise is part of our annual training programme designed to enhance troops’ efficiency in weapon handling and the application of marksmanship principles,” she said.

She added that personnel would undertake live-fire drills to evaluate their readiness.

“It will involve accurate shooting drills and test firing of personal weapons to assess the overall battle readiness of our personnel,” she said.

The army advised residents of Shadawanka and neighbouring communities to expect increased troop movement and intermittent gunfire during the period.

Ms Fagbolagun, however, reassured the public on safety.

“All necessary safety measures have been put in place to ensure that there is no threat to lives and property during the exercise,” she said.

She urged residents not to panic.

“We appeal to members of the public to remain calm and go about their lawful activities. We also call on community leaders and stakeholders to help disseminate this information for wider awareness,” she added.

Troops destroy speedboats and neutralise 30 terrorists on Lake Chad islands.

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have neutralised 30 Islamic State West Africa Province’s (ISWAP) terrorists on the Kaniram Island of Lake Chad in Borno State.

The ground troops also destroyed several speedboats belonging to the terrorists during offensive military operations conducted along the waterways of the lake between April 21 and 22, 2026.

OPHK Media Information Officer Lt-Col. Sani Uba said yesterday in Maiduguri that “the air component of the military operations delivered devastating precision air strikes that dismantled ISWAP terrorist logistics networks along the Lake Chad waterways and in the Kaniram Island axis of Northern Borno State.”

Regarding the destruction of boats, Uba revealed: “Acting on credible Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) inputs, OPHK air assets established a persistent overhead presence and confirmed the concentration of over 30 terrorist boats and associated terrorist elements coordinating movement and resupply activities.

“We carefully achieved our targeted validation and positive identification, ensuring high targeting fidelity before engaging with the terrorists.”

He explained that following deliberate confirmation in line with Rules of Engagement, OPHK executed well-coordinated precision strikes, which led to the destruction of several boats and disrupted their logistics hubs in the Lake Chad region.

The Information Officer noted that this has degraded their mobility and ability to sustain operations.

Besides neutralising the insurgent on the waterways, Uba stated, “The real-time ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) enabled rapid follow-on strikes on the fleeing and regrouping elements within nearby vegetation, leading to the neutralisation of more than 30 terrorists.”

“Surviving elements were observed escaping in disarray, reflecting a breakdown in their cohesion and command structure.”

In a related engagement with the terrorists at Sowolwolo in the Sambisa Forest axis, additional precision-guided strikes were conducted following target fidelity acquisition with partners.

According to him, the airstrike took out three terrorist gun trucks and neutralised more terrorists in the vicinity.

The Battle Damage Assessment (BDA), backed by information gathered after the strike, showed that the enemy suffered heavy losses, including signs of mass burials, particularly by ISWAP groups in the Mallam Fatori area.

These findings further underscored the scale of attrition inflicted. on the terrorists

Ground forces are currently exploiting the effects of these strikes to dominate adjoining areas and prevent any reconstitution by the fleeing elements.

These military operations highlight OPHK’s sustained offensive pressure and effective air–land integration in dismantling terrorist networks, degrading their capabilities, and denying them the freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area.

The Military High Command commended the troops for their impressive battle performance and urged the soldiers to sustain aggressive operations to dominate the battle space.