…Lukarawa expansion remains downside

On September 12, the Nigerian military killed Kachalla Halilu Sububu, a notorious terrorist in Zamfara State, in a major win that was hailed by anti-terrorism experts.

According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, the diversity of Sububu’s illegal activities – from cattle rustling to kidnapping to gold mining – shows how important the military operation in north-west state was.

“Initially involved in cattle rustling, he shifted his focus to kidnapping and arms trafficking in 2019. And by 2022, he had established himself as the bandit leader with the biggest share of gold mines under his control.”

Like Sububu, the Nigerian military eliminated several terrorists’ leaders this year, including notorious names such as Buharin Yadi, Dangote, Boderi Isyaku and Dogo Rabe. In fact, the military said 500 terrorism kingpins were taken out in 2024.

“Halidu was neutralised in a fierce battle with the troops under the coordination of their commander, General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Mayirenso Saraso. This took place around Idasu forest at the boundaries between Giwa Local Government Area(LGA) of Kaduna State and Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State,” said Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna State commissioner for home affairs and internal security in June.

On the days the terrorist kingpins were killed, dozens of their foot soldiers were also taken out. Yadi was killed in Kaduna State with 35 of his foot soldiers. Earlier, Isyaku had been killed with several of his foot soldiers in Kaduna.

Similarly, the Nigerian military said it killed 8,034 terrorists, arrested 11,623 and rescued 6376 victims during various operations across the country in 2024.

“Troops recovered 53,101,430 litres of stolen crude oil, 9,179,181 litres of illegally refined AGO and 90,595 litres of DPK. Others are 156,095 litres of PMS amongst other items,” Edward Buba, a major-general and director of Defence Media Operations, said.

Buba noted that the troops also recovered 8,216 weapons and 211,459 rounds of ammunition.

He revealed that 120,247 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 41,515 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 5,373 cartridges, 1,940 assorted arms and 25,664 assorted ammunition were also recovered.

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Terrorists Surrender

Several terrorists also surrendered in 2024. In the first six months of the year, 963 individuals were successfully rescued from insurgents, with 5,630 terrorists surrendering, the military said.

Hundreds have since surrendered their weapons to the military in Nigeria’s North.

Onslaught in Sambisa

The Sambisa Forest is a much-dreaded forest in Borno State, south west of Chad Basin National Park. It is a major hideout for criminals, but the military has made it hard for bandits and terrorists, killing eight in March, 11 ISWAP members in June and tens of others thereafter.

The troops of Operation Hadin Kai conducted operations deep in terrorist enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the Tumbuns of the Lake Chad Region, destroying their camps and foot soldiers.

“Several terrorist enclaves and hideouts were destroyed, killing terrorist leaders, commanders and foot soldiers as well as destroying their logistics dumps,” Buba noted.

Failures

However, it is not all uhuru as the military recorded some failures. It was reported severally that terrorists killed soldiers in ambushes across the northern part of Nigeria.

The Nigerian military is also facing a new terrorist group named Lukarawa, which is currently spreading across northern Nigeria, collecting levies in some communities and handling judicial cases in others.

The issue of the welfare of soldiers also came to the front burner this year. Detained soldiers protested overcrowded cells and poor feeding in Sokoto State in 2024, with the military hierarchy promising to investigate.

Though it is not its conventional responsibility, the military is fully involved in battling kidnapping, which is now a big industry.

According to the latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) this month, Nigerians paid N2.23 trillion as ransom to kidnappers in 12 months of 2024.

The amount surpasses the N1.647 trillion budgeted by the nation in 2024 for its Defense Headquarters, navy, army, air force, defense intelligence, Defense Industries Corporation, Military Pension Board, Air Force Institute of Technology Kaduna, and Defense College.

“The military is fighting on many fronts, but it has justified its budgets every now and again. It has also suffered a lot of attacks, but its leadership has been to contain the situation. In fact, the budget should be expanded,” a security expert, who preferred anonymity due to his relationship with the military, said.

In the 2025 budget, President Bola Tinubu has budgeted N4.91 trillion for defense and security.