By Jamila Muhammad

Nigeria needs to strengthen intelligence gathering, deploy modern technology and improve cooperation among security agencies to confront evolving security threats, the Minister of Defence, retired Gen. Christopher Musa, has said.

Mr Musa made the call on Monday in Abuja at the conference and awards ceremony of the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN), where he stressed the need to complement conventional military operations with more sophisticated approaches to national security.

The conference was themed “Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security”.

The minister, represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Foreign Relations, retired Air Commodore Steven Ogunmodede, said the changing nature of insecurity required security institutions to rethink how they detect, prevent and respond to threats.

He commended DECAN for choosing a theme that reflected the realities confronting the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies.

According to him, military achievements should not be judged solely by visible activities such as troop deployments, battlefield engagements, territorial gains and arrests, as many critical security successes depend on intelligence and preventive action.

He said terrorists, criminal groups and other hostile actors were increasingly exploiting technological tools, financial networks, information systems and weaknesses in coordination among security agencies.

Mr Musa argued that an effective response required a combination of combat readiness, accurate intelligence, technological innovation, strategic planning and stronger collaboration among relevant institutions.

He explained that intelligence-driven operations enabled security agencies to identify threats before they materialised, trace criminal networks, anticipate attacks and conduct targeted interventions to minimise casualties.

The minister, however, cautioned that acquiring modern equipment alone would not guarantee success without adequately trained personnel, dependable systems and sound professional judgement.

He described technology as an instrument for enhancing military effectiveness, rather than a substitute for the expertise, discipline and decision-making abilities of security personnel.

Mr Musa said the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces were committed to improving intelligence sharing, strengthening situational awareness and adopting methods capable of enhancing operational performance.

He added that security institutions needed to remain innovative and responsive to emerging threats, while ensuring that investments in technology delivered measurable improvements in protecting citizens and safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

The minister also called for closer coordination across the country’s security framework, noting that no single agency had all the resources, information and expertise required to address the nation’s security problems.

Turning to the media’s role in national security, Mr Musa said defence reporting required a careful balance between citizens’ right to know and the need to protect sensitive military activities.

He maintained that responsible journalism could promote transparency, strengthen public understanding of security operations and improve confidence in government institutions.

The minister noted that intelligence successes were not always visible to the public, explaining that operations that successfully prevented attacks might attract little attention, while sensitive intelligence could not always be disclosed without compromising security.

He said the absence of dramatic military engagements should not necessarily be taken as evidence that security agencies were inactive.

Mr Musa urged security institutions to communicate with the public accurately and promptly, saying credible information was essential to sustaining public trust.

He also encouraged defence correspondents to uphold professional standards, verify information and exercise sound judgement in reporting security developments.

While acknowledging the importance of media scrutiny in improving the performance of the Armed Forces, he warned that publishing unconfirmed claims or disclosing sensitive operational information prematurely could put military personnel, ongoing missions and civilians at risk.

He said journalists should continue to hold security institutions accountable while remaining mindful of the potential consequences of their reports in a sensitive operational environment.

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have foiled an attempted attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on a military formation in Mandaragirau, Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack was repelled in the early hours of today Saturday, along the Damboa-Biu road, with the military reporting that several terrorists were killed and a number of weapons and other equipment recovered.

In a statement issued in Maiduguri, the Acting Media Information Officer of OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, said troops of the 162 Amphibious Battalion successfully defended their Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mandaragirau against the attackers.

According to him, the terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the military position from two directions at about 2am.

He said troops detected the advancing fighters through early-warning and surveillance systems before deploying a combat team to intercept one of the groups.

“Contact was made, resulting in a heavy exchange of fire during which the combat team decisively defeated the attackers on that front,” Mr Goni said.

He added that another group attempted to circumvent the ambush team and infiltrate the military camp but was stopped by troops who responded with superior firepower.

The military spokesman said the coordinated response forced the terrorists to retreat towards the Timbuktu Triangle, with troops immediately launching a pursuit and combing the area and the routes used by the fleeing fighters.

The operation also led to the recovery of seven AK-47 rifles and ammunition, alongside other military hardware, according to the statement.

Other items recovered included a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, RPG bombs and chargers, a camcorder and other equipment believed to have been used by the terrorists.

Mr Goni said surveillance footage obtained after the encounter showed some of the fleeing terrorists attempting to drag the bodies of their dead colleagues towards the Timbuktu Triangle.

He described the operation as another demonstration of the troops’ preparedness and combat capability in confronting terrorist groups operating in the Northeast.

The Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai commended the soldiers of the 162 Amphibious Battalion for what it described as their courage, professionalism and tactical effectiveness in repelling the attack.

The command also reaffirmed its determination to sustain offensive operations against terrorist groups and prevent them from gaining freedom of action across the Northeast.

Operation Hadin Kai, the military said, remains committed to dominating the operational environment and restoring lasting peace and security in the region.

NAF Kills Nine ISWAP Fighters, Senior Commander in Borno Airstrike

The Nigerian Air Force has killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander, in an airstrike on a terrorist hideout in Borno State.

The operation, conducted on Saturday in the Sambisa Forest, followed intelligence reports indicating the movement of suspected insurgents in the area.

The NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

He said the military first deployed a remotely piloted aircraft to monitor the suspected fighters and establish their location before launching the strike.

“Following positive identification and confirmation of the target, NAF aircraft conducted a precision engagement on the location,” Mr Ejodame said.

According to him, a post-strike assessment showed that the targeted compound was extensively damaged, with nine ISWAP members killed and several others injured.

Among those killed was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, whom the NAF described as a key commander responsible for providing security escorts to senior ISWAP leaders.

Mr Ejodame said the commander’s death could significantly affect the group’s ability to protect and move its high-ranking members, particularly because of his knowledge of routes and terrain connecting terrorist positions within Sambisa Forest and neighbouring areas.

The NAF also said intelligence gathered from the operation indicated that some of the fighters targeted may have been linked to the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

The Air Force said the operation reflected the growing role of intelligence-led aerial surveillance in tracking terrorist movements and striking their positions before they can reorganise.

It added that the loss of the fighters, particularly the senior commander, was expected to disrupt ISWAP’s internal security arrangements, movement of high-value operatives and coordination among its various enclaves.

Mr Ejodame said the NAF would continue to conduct intelligence-based air operations in coordination with ground troops as part of efforts to weaken terrorist networks and protect communities across the North-east.